A way to clean focusing screen dust (K200D)

[asdf]

After acquiring the K20D, I wanted to give the K200D+kit zooms to my wife as a present. I wanted to return it to its original form, i.e., by resetting the configuration back to factory defaults and removing the split prism focusing screen.

I ended up with a lot of dust on BOTH sides of the original screen. Each time I took it out to blow air on it, I ended up with more and bigger dust and lint particles in new places--my home office is sure dusty. Also, K200D's focusing screen tray is a bitch to operate--the easiest and fastest way for me was to rotate and shake the camera so that the screen and shim fell into place on their own. So here's how I ended up with very little barely visible dust:

1. Let the tray+screen+shim fall on the mirror.
2. Here's the interesting part: Use the other focusing screen to block the penta-mirror hole.
3. Blow.

Basically, the dust was getting on the dust magnet/focusing screen as soon as I took it out of the camera. So by blowing on the usually inaccessible side, while it was inside the camera, I was successful in getting rid of most of the dust without getting it into the penta-mirror area. Oh yeah, and both screens are scratch prone...

[End of OCD-induced rant.]

[sinus007]

Hi asdf,
I feel your pain. Recently I was dealing with changing focusing screens a lot. Every time I fought with dust.
First I use Giotto (sp) blower. Sometimes there're a couple of specks left. I use a q-tip from a sensor cleaning kit with that foam-like tip. It's very good for picking individual dust particals (if you can spot them).
Unfortunately, there's no guaranty: the time between removal of the last speck and the moment you click the screen back in position is a killer.
I guess we need some knid of micro- vacuum cleaner

[HermanLee]

Originally Posted by sinus007

I guess we need some knid of micro- vacuum cleaner

I can feel you pain guys.
When I had my first DSLR, K100D, I used to blow it almost every other day just to make sure the sensor stays clean.
But unfortunately, blowing the dust surely push them up to the focusing screen.
My focusing screen was getting worse until to the point I decided to open it up and tried to clean it with a swab.
The result is WORSE. It seems the focusing screen has electric static that attract the dust on the air.

I finally found a micro cleaner from my office that is used usually to clean inside PC.
I tried to vacuum inside my camera box with no success.
Apparenty with micro vacuum cleaner, the motor is too small. It needs to be very close with the surface to pick up the dust.
I don't want to scratch the focusing screen nor the sensor so it's pointless.

Well, now w/ my K20D, I try not to blow too much.
I think the Pentax cleaning swap is the best solution when it comes to dust.

[asdf]

Originally Posted by sinus007

Hi asdf,
I feel your pain. Recently I was dealing with changing focusing screens a lot. Every time I fought with dust.
First I use Giotto (sp) blower. Sometimes there're a couple of specks left. I use a q-tip from a sensor cleaning kit with that foam-like tip. It's very good for picking individual dust particals (if you can spot them).
Unfortunately, there's no guaranty: the time between removal of the last speck and the moment you click the screen back in position is a killer.

I may give those sensor cleaning q-tips a try.

I guess we need some knid of micro- vacuum cleaner

With a HEPA filter. Or a blower with a HEPA filter.

[asdf]

Originally Posted by HermanLee

Well, now w/ my K20D, I try not to blow too much.
I think the Pentax cleaning swap is the best solution when it comes to dust.

I'll probably give that a try too.

[virgilr]

As a quick note, I had problems with dust on my stock screen (just got a Katzeye today! WHoo Hoo!), and inside the prism chamber. I had used a bit of eclipse fluid on a pecpad, and cleaned the penta-mirror very carefully by hand. I then used a tiny drop of eclipse again on a pecpad, and cleaned the focus screen. That did the trick for me...

But I must say that this was painstakingly slow and stressful (seemed every time I thought I had it clean, another spot of dust would show up!).

As well, it is NOT RECOMMENDED to use alcohol-based cleaners on focusing screens. Maybe I just got lucky!

[deuces]

I read about this trick for applying screen proctectors to touch screens.

Go to the bathroom. Turn on the shower, hot, full blast for 5 minutes. Switch it to cold for a few minutes.

The condensation should trap most of the dust in the air. do swap in the bathroom.