Cleaning filthy sensor.

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AndyG123

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Hi all,
I've had a D7200 for some time now, but never actually cleaned the sensor since buying it; (never actually had the need to yet, or thought i've not needed to)

I was trying some long exposure last night and had the aperture at f22 and noticed loads of blobs on my photo, which i've never noticed before; This morning i've locked the mirror up and the sensor has huge water marks across the back of it (I can only assume from a previous bad cleaning job)

Will the usual sensor swabs/liquid shift these historic water marks? - You can see my dust ref image below; :oops: :$
1629358915752.png

1629358876439.png
Thanks

Andy
 
Yes, give it a session with swabs / liquid. Have battery fully charged before you start (to keep the mirror up). Get suitably sized swabs & follow the instructions. Give a blast or three with a rocket blower first. And just take care, but it's easy!
 
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Not sure an Arctic Butterfly would touch water marks. If you're not happy doing a wet clean yourself, take it to a reputable camera shop and get them to do it (then take a fresh dust reference shot before accepting it back!)
 
Thanks guys;


I'm just amazed i've never noticed it until now;


Literally took 2x shots last night, one was at F11; never noticed a thing, even a side by side comparison of the images knowing where to look I still cant spot them;

I guess when their out of focus they just soften the image a touch. Ordered some swabs/liquid from amazon so going to give it a go over the weekend!
 
I've got my swabs arriving today and fluid so hoping to have a go on Saturday night!
I'm so conscious about it now I know how dirty it is. Inside it looks like a damp sponge has been rubbed on it
 
I think the main thing is to realise that although you have to take care you're not cleaning the sensor but a cover in front of it and the chances of damaging it are therefore much reduced as long as you proceed with care.

I've cleaned camera sensors many many many times without incident and hopefully you'll quickly get the hang of it and wont have to send the camera off for professional cleaning. I only did that once and all they did was move the contamination about :D
 
Would be rude not to update on this... just had it under the light and got a new sensor cleaning kit (absolutely fantastic from amazon for £19!)
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B089QXV24G/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 comes in a really nice little pouch also and the liquid brought the smeers off straight away...

anyways;

Cleaning pass 1...

1629545541456.png
1629545560877.png


Thought i got most of it, but 3 spots left...

anyways swab number 2; Would you guys even bother attempting to clean that off? I'm tempted to leave it to be honest. although it hurts a little bit knowing its there haha.

1629545602758.png
 
Hmm, I need to do this - very wary of doing it myself, is it easy to balls up?
 
cambsno said:
Hmm, I need to do this - very wary of doing it myself, is it easy to balls up?
Click to expand...
Read up how to do it with your camera, you generally need to use a setting from the menu which nowadays locks the stabilisation, in the past it held the mirror up while you scratched the sensor :LOL:.
It's really not hard you might want reading glasses even if you don't normally use them to get a bit of magnification and a good light.
You can often see any specks refusing to budge. It often needs two goes.
I suppose the tricky part is judging if you squirted enough cleaning fluid inside. Sorry meant dripped enough on the swab.
There's a remote chance using too much it might go where it shouldn't I suppose.
 
cambsno said:
Hmm, I need to do this - very wary of doing it myself, is it easy to balls up?
Click to expand...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B089QXV24G/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


  1. buy the above off amazon.
  2. put the camera into sensor cleaning mode
  3. remove lens
  4. rocket blast (with mirror in normal position)
  5. press shutter button - this lifts mirror
  6. rocket blast again
  7. spray swab with sensor cleaning fluid 2x
  8. holding swab at the end (so you know it's hard to apply too much pressure) run the swab across the sensor 2x
  9. flip the swab around to the slightly dryer side and swab again in the opposite direction.
  10. get your torch out, have a look for any dust on the sensor (careful not to touch your hair incase you lose one at this stage)... (i almost dropped a hair inside my camera)
  11. one final rocket blast, have another visual check.
  12. Turn camera off - this pops the mirror back down.
  13. go onto a website, load about:blank. pop camera in f22 and crank shutter speed low enough to capture a white screen whilst focusing to inifinity
  14. wiggle camera when exposing
  15. load into lightroom and check results
  16. IF happy = done
  17. If not happy = go to step 2!

Hope this helps!
 
AndyG123 said:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B089QXV24G/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


  1. buy the above off amazon.
  2. put the camera into sensor cleaning mode
  3. remove lens
  4. rocket blast (with mirror in normal position)
  5. press shutter button - this lifts mirror
  6. rocket blast again
  7. spray swab with sensor cleaning fluid 2x
  8. holding swab at the end (so you know it's hard to apply too much pressure) run the swab across the sensor 2x
  9. flip the swab around to the slightly dryer side and swab again in the opposite direction.
  10. get your torch out, have a look for any dust on the sensor (careful not to touch your hair incase you lose one at this stage)... (i almost dropped a hair inside my camera)
  11. one final rocket blast, have another visual check.
  12. Turn camera off - this pops the mirror back down.
  13. go onto a website, load about:blank. pop camera in f22 and crank shutter speed low enough to capture a white screen whilst focusing to inifinity
  14. wiggle camera when exposing
  15. load into lightroom and check results
  16. IF happy = done
  17. If not happy = go to step 2!

Hope this helps!
Click to expand...
What is the purpose of step 11. I do it pretty much the same barring step 11. I would think that runs the risk of blowing dust back in
 
AndyG123 said:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B089QXV24G/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


  1. buy the above off amazon.
  2. put the camera into sensor cleaning mode
  3. remove lens
  4. rocket blast (with mirror in normal position)
  5. press shutter button - this lifts mirror
  6. rocket blast again
  7. spray swab with sensor cleaning fluid 2x
  8. holding swab at the end (so you know it's hard to apply too much pressure) run the swab across the sensor 2x
  9. flip the swab around to the slightly dryer side and swab again in the opposite direction.
  10. get your torch out, have a look for any dust on the sensor (careful not to touch your hair incase you lose one at this stage)... (i almost dropped a hair inside my camera)
  11. one final rocket blast, have another visual check.
  12. Turn camera off - this pops the mirror back down.
  13. go onto a website, load about:blank. pop camera in f22 and crank shutter speed low enough to capture a white screen whilst focusing to inifinity
  14. wiggle camera when exposing
  15. load into lightroom and check results
  16. IF happy = done
  17. If not happy = go to step 2!

Hope this helps!
Click to expand...
You have forgotten the most important step. Hold the camera facing downwards; this prevents all the detritus falling back into the mirror box and onto the sensor.

I also don't see the point of visually examining the sensor. It is much easier just to take a photo and examine that instead.
 
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