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Gary Winters | all galleries >> Picture A Day '07/2004 - '06/2005 >> August 2004 > Dust on My Sensor
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8/28/04

Dust on My Sensor

Rats! I have dust on my sensor. 2,000 images on the odometer, and two months of ownership. I tried a cleaning method suggested on DPReview (basically using a baby's nasal blower to gently blow air into the sensor after locking up the mirror, but after five attempts, the dust is still there).

The fact that some of the dust resembles the Big Dipper is not comforting at all. Anyone got any tips?

Sky shot at f/22 for 1/250 second.


other sizes: small medium original auto
Guest 26-Oct-2004 21:16
This isn't so bad. I just cleaned mine and everyone is right, it is a piece of cake. But I have what looks like a single red pixle in every one of my images. I can't figure that one out. Dust on a macro lens will duplicate what you have here too. BTW, How did you do with the "ghost" image you were going to try?
Cheers
Danny
Lou Giroud29-Aug-2004 08:50
And make your fonts bigger on your pages, I neeed a magnifying glass to read them on a big screen
Lou Giroud29-Aug-2004 08:49
Clean it, it's achilds play, I clean mine at a regular basis when dusty, do not take pressure cans for thet, See here how to do it. :http://www.pbase.com/copperhill/ccd_cleaning
Karen Leaf29-Aug-2004 00:32

Can't agree with Liza. For only having this a few months it seems to be a lot. (for ex, just noticed my first big spot, after 7 months, 7000 clicks.) But the copperhill method really works. Just have the drink afer your're done :)
Rick28-Aug-2004 23:44
yep - many of us have seen this one before.
good luck with it
snootydog28-Aug-2004 21:29
by the way, you're sensor really does not look half bad.
snootydog28-Aug-2004 21:18
Hi Gary...

I've used the copperhill system for cleaning my sensor several times and I have to tell you that once you get over your jitters about going inside the camera, it really is a piece of cake and it improves things enormously. If you have any doubts or questions feel free to email me and I'll try to help you out if I can.

cheers...
liza
Gary Winters28-Aug-2004 20:41
The link is great. My dustbunnies didn't move after blowing, although the viewfinder DID improve when I blew the air before locking the mirror. So maybe I'll get this guy's kit if North County Camera doesn't clean sensors for free (the rumor is they do, if you bought the camera there, which I did). Hoping for no down-time, as well.
Herb 28-Aug-2004 20:28
Gary.I was going to send you the same link. So far after 4300 shots and lots of lens changes,I have not had to do this.
Blower, patience and holding the camera upside down when cleaning it has solved the problem for me. Did the dustbunnies move location after cleaning? If so you should be able to blow it of.Good luck.
Guest 28-Aug-2004 20:15
Gary, here's a link to a fellow pbaser. Everything you'll ever need to know about the subject of sensor dust.

http://www.pbase.com/copperhill/ccd_cleaning
Gary Winters28-Aug-2004 20:08
Yes, I can do that, Robin. I'll be up that way in a couple of weeks. Meantime, I was hoping someone had a DIY method! Anyone?
Robin Reid28-Aug-2004 19:37
Take it to North County Camera.
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