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08-03-2011, 04:03 AM   #1
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Stubborn dust on K-x sensor

Hi guys,
I had a heap of dust on my sensor from always changing the lens (and not that carefully) and I used one of those Giotto air blower thingies and removed almost all of it - but two small bits right in the middle at the top of the picture.
I tried a couple of times with the air blower - won't come off. Best approach from here?
Thanks.

PS. Although they only show up on f10 and slower, they're still annoying.

08-03-2011, 04:04 AM   #2
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Pentax lollipop is perfect to clean this up.
08-03-2011, 04:06 AM   #3
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I'm having the same problem with my K-r. It's entirely my fault, swapping out lenses in the field all the time, and it's only really noticeable in macros where I'm using f/16 or lower. Until you get it sorted, clone stamp is your friend.

I'd also like to know the best way to clean this stuff off. I'm a bit paranoid about putting anything besides air against my sensor.

QuoteOriginally posted by twitch Quote
Pentax lollipop is perfect to clean this up.
Looks good... but I nearly died when I saw the price. Is there anywhere to get a deal on these?

Last edited by Philoslothical; 08-03-2011 at 04:30 AM.
08-03-2011, 04:59 AM   #4
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$50 is not so bad for something you want to touch your sensor with, don't cheap out on sensor cleaning. It will last a couple of years and dozens of cleans.

08-03-2011, 05:33 AM   #5
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even I have a crescent shaped dust particle near the centre of the frame. It will only appear in photos at > f8 aperture against a bright background (even in bokeh). I am comfortable removing these spots in lightroom in few photos than touching the sensor with swab or whatever.

I feel it is really not a great problem to bother about. Some or the other form of dust will come back anyway...If you still wanted to clean get some professional cleaning done on it.

All the best
Guna
08-03-2011, 05:54 AM   #6
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After my experience of a "professional" clean I'll never let anyone else near my camera sensor again. This is why I'm recommending the lollipop, it's simple and it works.. Also the longer you leave stuff on your sensor the harder it is to shift.
08-03-2011, 05:58 AM   #7
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Pec Pad and eclipse

A safe and cheap way to clean your sensor is to buy a package of pec pads with the eclipse cleaner. I've used it on my K100D, K20D, *ist D and now the K-x with absolutely no problems. There has been no dust that can stand up to it.

What I do is take the pec pad, wrap it around a very small rubber spatula bought from the dollar store (which I cut down) and then apply two drops of eclipse. After about a 3-4 minute cleaning and a few test shots my sensor is perfectly clean, every time, no fail.

The pads are non abrasive and the solution is safe for use on lenses, sensors etc.

Highly recommended. Total investment was probably around $10 or under, and I'm still using it 3 years later.

08-03-2011, 07:23 AM   #8
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I tried pec pads and eclipse and it left streaks on my sensor. Now I use the Giottos blower on my K-x. FWIW, dust spots showing at the top of a photo, are actually at the bottom on the sensor. If the dust spot shows on the left in a photo, on the sensor it's on the right. They are backward on the sensor.
08-03-2011, 07:32 AM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by twitch Quote
Pentax lollipop is perfect to clean this up.
QuoteOriginally posted by twitch Quote
$50 is not so bad for something you want to touch your sensor with, don't cheap out on sensor cleaning. It will last a couple of years and dozens of cleans.
+1

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-dslr-camera-articles/121739-those-...ml#post1259109

08-04-2011, 02:42 AM   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by gut1kor Quote
even I have a crescent shaped dust particle near the centre of the frame. It will only appear in photos at > f8 aperture against a bright background (even in bokeh). I am comfortable removing these spots in lightroom in few photos than touching the sensor with swab or whatever.
Hi

Firstly please realise the sensor, while it is a delicate piece of engineering, is more robust than you would think. The fear of doing damage to it only makes your hands shaky, so take a deep breath, relax and get to work in the knowledge that it actually takes some doing and some extraordinary stupidity to ruin the little blighter.

I am not a great fan of the famous blower as, in my experience, the blower will not always shift the crap and if it does the dirt will just be blown in to a new location inside the chamber. Turbulence created by the mirror slap and pump action from expending tele lens tubes will than make it re-appear back on to the sensor one day.

I have been using the PENTAX O-ICK1 "orange lolly" (as I like to call it) for many years with nothing but total success. And I use it when ever I discover dirt on the sensor. I check regularly and the reason simply is this; You never know what the particle that is stuck on your sensor actually consist of. It could be anything, from a piece of Salami, (just kidding) a sweaty piece of skin flake a particle of a ferrous nature (which could rust with humidity) to just an ordinary bit of dust. The point is, since you do not know what it is, it is better to remove it quickly before it has a chance to "weld" itself to the sensor surface over time in which case a wet cleaning method will be the only way to get rid of it. For the last 4 years I never had to do this. So please, in my opinion, don't ignore or live with it and let the dust linger. I go so far to say that every wet clean is the result of an unknown speck of crap that got stuck to the sensor because it was given time and therefore a chance to "ferment" through humidity and condensation.

When using the "orange lolly" follow this way:
Make sure the surface of the lolly which will make contact with the sensor is clean by dabbing the supplied paper. To make sure you don't dab the same spot of paper again next time, overlay a grid of little squares roughly the size of the lolly head by scoring the paper lightly with a Stanly knife. (You can't use a pen for this) and then tick off the used one with anything sharp. This way you always know which part of the paper was used and you don't wast paper either.

When applying the lolly press down firmly with A LOT OF GENTLE FEELING (I think you know what I mean). You will feel a very slight vibration and a little hum coming through the shaft of the stick. This is normal and I think it comes from the SR system.

Now when it comes to lift the lolly off, slowly tilt the shaft to one side and then lift off, don't lift the thing off by moving it up straight as it will make it harder to disconnect. Do not drag the lolly head across the sensor surface either. Now dab the next unused paper square and repeat the process until you feel happy all trouble spots of the sensor are covered. Check for dust and if necessary repeat the process. (Sometimes you need to go over several times).

That's it you are done. There is really nothing to it. (Oh, one more thing, shine a bright desk lamp into the opening so you can see what you are doing.) After you have done this several times you will wonder why you were so scared of it before.

QuoteOriginally posted by gut1kor Quote
.If you still wanted to clean get some professional cleaning done on it.
Sorry, utter nonsense. They only use the same tools and method available to you. It amuses me to no end every time I read these scaremongering comments by people who profit enormously by selling you cheap cleaning implements at 2000% inflated prices.

They have you believe the sensor is as fragile as a soap bubble, well it is not.

Just use your common sense when you approach this cleaning task, respect the fine piece of engineering the sensor is, follow the instructions and you will be fine. I started to clean my cameras sensors starting with the K-10D right through to the K-5, must have done this a 100 times and more and never, repeat never, hat anything go wrong!

If you use the right tools it is actually not easy to kill the sensor.

There is only one caveat: If you have two left hands, full of thumbs and have the shakes, then perhaps it would be better to let someone else do the job.

Greetings
08-04-2011, 11:18 PM   #11
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You can try a wet clean (they sell kits for that) or just keep trying the in camera sensor shake with the blower and hopefully that knocks it loose.
08-06-2011, 09:12 PM   #12
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Sensor Swabs are easy and reasonably priced.
08-07-2011, 02:19 AM   #13
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I received my Kr just a few days before a cruise. I took a lot of shots whilst away and I am working through them on the pc and have noticed a grey blob in the upper left quadrant on every photo. I must assume that it was on there when I received the camera. After reading your very informative post, and now realizing that dust is inevitable, should I bother going back to the supplier or buy the kit and try cleaning it myself? My only concern was whether it could be a fault with the sensor and by cleaning it I would invalidate the guarrantee.

Mike - Kr 18-55 kit lense, 28-200 Sigma zoom, Hanimex TZ 855 flash
08-07-2011, 06:30 AM   #14
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QuoteOriginally posted by Chicken George Quote
I received my Kr just a few days before a cruise. I took a lot of shots whilst away and I am working through them on the pc and have noticed a grey blob in the upper left quadrant on every photo. I must assume that it was on there when I received the camera. After reading your very informative post, and now realizing that dust is inevitable, should I bother going back to the supplier or buy the kit and try cleaning it myself? My only concern was whether it could be a fault with the sensor and by cleaning it I would invalidate the guarrantee.

Mike - Kr 18-55 kit lense, 28-200 Sigma zoom, Hanimex TZ 855 flash
Hi
As long as you don't use sandpaper or hammer and chisel (just kidding) and use recommended procedures I can't see how a warranty will be compromised. After all dust is a matter of certainty with all DSLRs and you will have to clean the sensor many times from now on. Better get used to it. And let me assure you, there is nothing to it and once you have done it a few times you will wonder what all the fuss is about.

Greetings
08-07-2011, 07:17 AM   #15
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QuoteOriginally posted by Chicken George Quote
I received my Kr just a few days before a cruise. I took a lot of shots whilst away and I am working through them on the pc and have noticed a grey blob in the upper left quadrant on every photo. I must assume that it was on there when I received the camera. After reading your very informative post, and now realizing that dust is inevitable, should I bother going back to the supplier or buy the kit and try cleaning it myself? My only concern was whether it could be a fault with the sensor and by cleaning it I would invalidate the guarrantee.

Mike - Kr 18-55 kit lense, 28-200 Sigma zoom, Hanimex TZ 855 flash
Just be careful is all. I would suggest only using tools and materials intended for the job and follow the instructions.

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