Cleaning Digital Cameras

Thank You for visiting the internet's most comprehensive website on Digital SLR and Mirrorless Camera Sensor Cleaning. The purpose of this site is to educate the consumer on how to clean the CCD/CMOS sensor in their Digital SLR Cameras or Mirrorless Camera Sensor. With so much disinformation out there along with companies trying to manipulate consumers into buying their supplies, we are here to clear the smoke and demystify the subject.

So just why do you want a clean sensor?

Cleaning your sensor only takes minutes, just a fraction of the time you spend removing sensor dust in post processing. Having a dust free sensor provides you with the sharpest possible image that your sensor and lens combination can capture. If there is dust on your sensor, it is degrading the quality of your image even if you can’t see the hard specs. Dust always works as a diffuser and softens an area of your image. In certain circumstances, it will even leave a very visible dark speck in your image. Content Aware Fill works wonders, but it takes time and still isn’t as sharp as if you would have had a dust free sensor to begin with.

 

The difference between this site and others is:

  • These instructions are written by a Certified Photographic Consultant & Professional Camera Repairman, Curt Fargo, and Camera Repairs most published author, Larry Lyells
  • Developed from real world experiences and written in layman's terms
  • We are a regular business with a store front
  • We have even been refered to as an evangalist for the consumer and sensor cleaning.
  • With an appointment, we will even show you in person how to accomplish this task (free of charge)
  • We want you to be able to clean YOUR sensor no matter where you have bought your supplies from
  • We don't offer information on only one method, we offer information on ALL major methods
  • This site doesn't represent any one manufacturer and we try to keep our information unbiased

 

Our reason for developing this web site isn't to try and belittle the manufacturers or take business away from the repair shops. Our goal is to provide you with the knowledge and resources needed to clean your camera's sensor on your own. YOU will have to decide if you have the skill to do this yourself or if it would be more appropriate in the hands of a professional. The task of cleaning your sensor is one that needs to be accomplished on a regular basis. Regular for some may mean daily cleanings and for others, annually. Most of the manufacturers recognize this and are also looking for ways to have you accomplish this successfully on your own. They know it isn't economical or feasible for you to be shipping your camera to them every time you get dust. You can expect changes in the future from some of these manufacturers. In Japan, Nikon has already started selling a swab and methanol sensor cleaning kits to consumers but have yet to make them available in the USA. The independent repair shops would love to have this extra business; they understand the need for regular sensor cleanings. Those who do not feel comfortable should have a repair shop accomplish this for you but there are many of you out there who can accomplish this on your own with just a little bit of guidance.

 

As professional camera repairmen, we tend to error on the side of caution although not to the extent of Canon or Nikon as we want you to have a clean sensor with the lowest chance of failure. We are not the first to endorse a new method or product as we do not want you to be the guinea pig for testing.

 

We call it cleaning the sensor but in reality you are only cleaning the low pass filter that is mounted in front of the sensor. Not everyone is capable of cleaning their own sensors. If you have a steady hand and a good mechanical aptitude, you may well be capable of accomplishing this task successfully. I don't want to scare you but if you don't do it right, you can critically damage your camera. If you still don't feel comfortable after reading all the instructions, by all means, do not attempt this and take your camera to a professional.

 

As the old saying goes, "there are many ways to skin a cat," and the same goes for cleaning digital camera sensors. The majority of the camera repair industry uses the method of "swab and methanol". As a professional camera repairman and the owner of multiple Digital SLR Cameras, I too feel that this is the best and most consistent method. The ultimate level of products to use for accomplishing this method are made by Photographic Solutions Inc. but it is also not the cheapest. With the recent introduction of the Sensor Brush, it too has become popular with photographers world wide. Understanding not everyone has unlimited funds, we will show you how to save some money by using alternate products. We have also provided you with links to other internet sites that offer opinions on the subject. Although the sponsor of this site does sell all the tools and supplies needed to accomplish the task at hand, we will show you other ways to save money and provide you with alternative sources for ALL of the needed supplies.

 

Please read at least the first seven sections of this site BEFORE attempting the cleaning. We are providing you with this information to help keep you out of the pitfalls associated with cleaning your camera's sensor. Please note that we accept NO LIABILITY and must demand that you attempt any of this AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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