Sensor Cleaning on EOS XSi/450d

[emanhaud]

I have a fairly new (purchased at the end of July) XSi. The camera has always had spots that are mostly only visible on blue backgrounds. I am trying to figure out if it is better to try to clean the sensor, send it in to be cleaned (hopefully this would be covered by the warranty), or just continue to clone out the spots. The camera has multiple spots. Does anyone have experience cleaning the sensor on an XSi or similar?

[Murtasma]

This is a great resource on how to clean your sensor.
Introduction - Cleaning Digital Cameras - D-SLR Sensor Cleaning.

You can decide to do it yourself or send it in. This won't be covered by the warranty I believe, it's normal wear and tear.

[inkista]

Have you tried a Rocketblower or other bulb blower? This is the cheapest and safest method, since all you're doing is puffing air at the sensor, without touching it. This will work pretty well if you live somewhere dry, and the dust wasn't wet and hasn't "welded" itself to the front of the glass covering the sensor.

Whatever you do, though, don't blow with your mouth (saliva) and don't use canned air (there's liquid gunk in there). Use a bulb blower, and don't stick the tip past the lens opening. The basic technique is:

1. Make sure your battery is charged.
2. Hold the camera face-down in as dust-free an environment as you can find.
3. Remove the lens.
4. Use the camera menu to be in manual sensor cleaning mode: the camera will flip up the mirror and expose the sensor, but won't run current through the sensor (static).
5. Still holding the camera with the opening facing towards the floor, blast several puffs of air at the sensor, and then wait a second or two for dust to float down and away.
6. Power off the camera, replace the lens or body cap.

That should remove the majority of the dust. If that isn't enough for you, then you'll have to consider contact cleaning methods or getting the sensor cleaned professionally. I think a Lenspen Sensorklear might be easier to use than pecpads and solution, but that's just my opinion.

To see dust on the sensor, the test is really easy: just use a very small aperture and focus at infinity. This is typically why you'll only see dust in some shots and not others.

[emanhaud]

OK! Thanks for the info. I wondered since it has always had the spot.

Here are samples of the spot. It is on the right hand side just above the center

[Samanax]

Yep, that's sensor dust.

Copper Hill Images CCD/CMOS Cleaning Tutorial

[nataliestegall]

Ive heard horror stories from people who tried to clean their own sensors. I havent tried. I bought my xsi with an extended warranty that covers cleaning the sensors etc. So wont try myself. Also got the extended warranty on my new 5D mark 2 so wont be cleaning that sensor either on my own.

[Doug Pardee]

Originally Posted by nataliestegall

Ive heard horror stories from people who tried to clean their own sensors.

Follow instructions, and you shouldn't have a problem.

The notable exception to that rule is Canon's original 5D (not the Mk II). Like many DSLR models since then, the sensor on the 5D doesn't have a protective glass cover. The dichroic (infrared-reflective) coating on the front of the sensor wasn't properly applied in some of the early 5Ds, and some people wrecked their 5D sensors while cleaning them. Exactly what constituted an "early" 5D is something I've never learned… and I don't think Canon has ever wanted to talk about it.

I've never heard of any trouble with other models if you follow the instructions.

[pmgrimaud]

Originally Posted by emanhaud

I have a fairly new (purchased at the end of July) XSi. The camera has always had spots that are mostly only visible on blue backgrounds. I am trying to figure out if it is better to try to clean the sensor, send it in to be cleaned (hopefully this would be covered by the warranty), or just continue to clone out the spots. The camera has multiple spots. Does anyone have experience cleaning the sensor on an XSi or similar?

You will require a blower, either a pressurized aerosol can or a manual run
rubber bellow type:-

[1] Go on your camera menu and press button until you go on SENSOR CLEANING,
[2] Remove lens,
[3] Press the SET button and go on CLEAN MANUALLY
[4] Go on OK and it flips up the mirror so that it exposes the sensor,
[5] Blow the sensor to remove any particles, dust etc - Do not touch the sensor
Make sure you hold the camera with the sensor facing downwards to avoid any further dust coming in.

It worked many times for me. Hope you get good results.

[burbiz]

On my Canon EOS Rebel XSi (450D), there's no manual sensor cleaning option when I go to the menu? There's a small black spot moving around the pictures so I'm presuming that the sensor has some dust on it that the automatic sensor cleaning function is not able to shake off. Any suggestions for this newbie to the great forum?