What is good for cleaning the sensor on a Canon 5d?

[Scatterbrain]

I have some stubbon specs of dust on my sensor, which my rocket blower isn't beginning to dislodge. I'm trying to decide whether to attempt cleaning the sensor more thoroughly myself or to get someone else to do it for me.

If you clean your own sensor, what do you use?

I've seen a lot of people recommending the Arctic Butterfly brush on the web, but it's quite pricy & the reviews are very mixed.

I would appreciate some advice.

[prabbit237]

Originally Posted by Scatterbrain

I have some stubbon specs of dust on my sensor, which my rocket blower isn't beginning to dislodge. I'm trying to decide whether to attempt cleaning the sensor more thoroughly myself or to get someone else to do it for me.

Can't be cleaned. Hopeless case. Ya might as well toss it out. Oh, and let me know exactly when and in what trashcan ya place it in and make sure ya wrap it in plenty of bubble wrap. I mean we wouldn't want it getting damaged when you gently place it in that trashcan and me...er, I mean "the trashman"...getting cut on a broken lens or such.

No, seriously, I'm not sure what ya'd use (haven't gotten to that point myself. I DO have an annoying speck on the mirror or pentaprism that shows in the viewfinder but the sensor itself is still clean on my camera.) Wish I had a real suggestion for ya but....

Mike

[inkista]

You may not need all these techniques--the lensrentals guys are super picky.



I've never had to do more than puff air at my sensor. I live somewhere very dry. But I'd trust the lensrentals guys to come up with the goods.

[janshim]

I have heard a lot about the Artic Butterfly but have no idea how it helps in cleaning the sensor. I prefer the tried and tested wet method using Sensor Swabs and Eclipse fluid on the sensor. DSLR Focus Screen and Sensor Cleaning

When you talk about dust, you can't dismiss other parts of the camera that attract dust such as the viewfinder, mirror. To clean the mirror, I remove the focusing screen, the shims, etc documented as follows: Cleaning the 5D Mark II Viewfinder

[xyzacorleone]

Your first option is that you can send the camera back to Canon or your favorite repair shop. It will probably cost you $50+ and you'll probably be without your camera for 2-3 weeks, but there's a chance it will come back dust free. There's probably a bigger chance it will come back with less dust, but still a few specs. Then what do you do?Your second option is that you can try to clean it yourself. This would be great if it were not for a chance you could ruin the sensor and end up with a repair bill close to the original cost of the camera. Lots of people have cleaned their sensors themselves without running into this, but you may nor may not be one of them. I am not encouraging you to do this yourself. That's 100% your own decision. If you have doubts about whether you are qualified to do this, my advice is don't.The third option (I know I said there were two, but I just though of this one) is to pretend you never did the test, forget about the dust spots you'd never actually seen until you looked for them, and live happily ever after.

[eagle1984]

For cleaning of my camera i use brushes and different cloth pieces.

[inkista]

Originally Posted by xyzacorleone

Your first option is that you can send the camera back to Canon or your favorite repair shop. It will probably cost you $50+ and you'll probably be without your camera for 2-3 weeks, but there's a chance it will come back dust free....

Of course, it's kind of a known "fact" that Canon service is using the Lenspen Sensorklear to clean sensors.