Dirty Sensor!

[Chili]

So this past race weekend I decided I was going to work on my slow shutter speed pans. It's a skill I'd really like to improve. Come home, download my shots and find some that I really like but there is something not right. After looking them over I figure it out, it's sensor dust! Now I rarely shoot mx above f5.6 so the odd dust bunny showing up in a bright blue sky I just clone out with Photoshop. These pans ranged from f10-f22 and the dust was so bad even with a background of dark green (trees) I can still find a bunch of spots.

No problem, time to clean the sensor. All I've ever done in the past is use a Giotto's rocket blower to blow out the sensor chamber. This time it wasn't enough and I had to go a step further and use a sensor swab and eclipse fluid. While apprehensive it turned out well.

Here are some shots after each step. All test shots taken at f22.

Starting point, dirty sensor.

After using Giotto's Rocket Blower

After using Sensor Swab and Eclipse fluid.

Still a few spots after the swab but I didn't want to try anymore today. It's unlikely you'll ever get the thing spotless unless you had a sealed clean room to work in and perfectly sterile tools.

 

[r0yal]

holy moly... she WAS dirty lol

 

[Okiewan]

I got mine down to 1 (slight) spot visible at f/22, in the bottom right corner (top left corner of the sensor) ... I use a rocket blower on a regular basis, it get's a lot of it, swab it (sensor swab, pec pads and eclipse) about once every 3 months. I am NOT at the track (nearly!) as much Chili.

Thump has got a "solar" curve he uses to prepare my images for press, it'll really show the stuff, WAY more than you can see just looking at the image.

 

[oldguy]

You going to have the blower at millville? I hate to think what the inside of mine looks like and I am afraid to go poking stuff in there without guidance

 

[Okiewan]

Dave, find some clear sky, set it to "Av" , f18 or more and shoot.
Let's see your nastiness!

 

[Chili]

The Rocket blower is always in my camera bag so I'll have it with me at Millville. Likely won't bring the swabs and solution though.

 

[oldguy]

Dave, find some clear sky, set it to "Av" , f18 or more and shoot.
Let's see your nastiness!

I'll try it tommorow and then hide when you see how bad I let it get :yikes:

 

[Squid31]

Damn Doug that was one dirty sensor. I have cleaned my sensor with a few different things ranging from my lens pen, lens cloth wrapped around my lens pen, to finally the sensor swab. The swab was awesome, and very simple to use. I think some people get a bit uptight about sensor cleaning but it's really not a big deal.