Camera Sensor Cleaning

Good morning Woo, I certainly don't want to rain on your parade but in response to your topic this will appear a little negative. Please don't take it as such, that is not how my posting is intended.

Camera sensors should rarely (if ever) need cleaning providing correct camera usage has been observed. The only time anything can get near the internals of a camera is when changing lens, providing efficient lens changes are made and a rocket blower used as part of general maintenance/cleaning then dirt/grime/dust should not get anywhere near the sensor for the fractions of seconds that it is uncovered (whilst taking a shot) to allow it to become soiled.

I'm on my 3rd digital SLR and over the last dozen or so years I have never had to clean a sensor yet, and I can count on one hand how many times the mirror has needed cleaning.

Having said all of that I do realise that some sensors would need to be cleaned for various reasons, but it concerns me reading your topic that there are so many "dirty sensors" in the first place, that obviously provided so many good recommendations, from a new unit. I hope you can see the point I am making.

Steve...

 

I would suspect your mirror first Woo, and it will be absolutely tiny, so small you will probably not be able to see it without magnification of some sort, or the focus screen.

I have cleaned my own before now using a soft brush but you will not find many people that recommend cleaning it yourself as the mirror has a coating on it. Maybe try the company from your post at top, they will have the equipment to see where the dust bunny is, before going anywhere near your sensor. I'm fairly certain it's not a sensor issue.

Steve...

 

I seem to have things round the wrong way then

I thought if it showed up in the view finder, but not on the picture, it was on the mirror.
I have quite a few specs showing up in my view finder, but not many, if any, I can see in the pictures?

 

If you can see spots in the viewfinder, and NOT on the images, it's the mirror or focus screen, spots in the images is a dirty sensor. Have you automatic sensor cleaning?? Many new DSLR cameras have this function, and it sometimes works.

I have had dirty sensors too, due to changing lenses, they are easily marked with dust. I wouldn't recommend a rocket blower, they can blow more dust on the sensor, or in some circumstance, scratch the covering that covers the sensor.

Get it cleaned, it's a 10 minute job.