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.
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.