[micromacro]

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I got my used K200K with dirty sensor, used the blower, cleaned the sensor with wet swabs, checked the sensor again, and it was spotless, but for a very short period of time. Shortly after cleaning I noticed spots on pictures again. I'm careful with changing the lenses, and clean all the old lenses I buy before trying them on camera. I set the dust removal option on, did not help much.
Where might be the problem ?
1. I did not clean inside the camera well enough, and the dust is traveling to the sensor. The camera inside was very dusty, I'm afraid that blower itself did not remove all.
2. Somehow my camera is not sealed properly (?)
3. It's a common problem with this Pentax model.

I can not think about something else. Dirty sensor is so annoying, how to get rid of dust for sure?

[Na Horuk]

I think that is a common problem for all digital cameras. Keep in mind that the blower doesn't "remove" the dust from the camera, merely moves it around. With use (mirror slap, zooming, focusing) this dust can get back on the sensor. Especially due to natural sensor static. Even if you have a WR camer and WR lens, dust will get in there eventually.

[patrick9]

How do you hold your camera when changing lenses? It helps to hold it facing mostly down. I have mine tilted just enough to look over and see the orange dot. That also puts a tilt on the lens to help keep dust off the rear element. I never change lenses out in the open especially if windy I did it once never again. Even myn DL has only had to be blown out a couple of times over several years of use. It is not weather sealed nor does it have dust removal.My K-30 in 18 months of use has already been blown out twice. When blowing make sure to hold the camera face down only so the dirt /dust falls out and not just somewhere else in the camera so as to find itself back on the sensor.

[micromacro]

I cleaned the camera as instructed, face down to blow out the dust. I did not noticed however it was efficient. The dust inside of the camera is "old", meaning sticky to be removed by blower only. I thought why not to clean gently with the vacuum instead? Since it's hard to find any camera vacuum tutorials , I assumed it's not a way. But it has to be some way to eliminate the dust inside efficiently. If not, that sensor cleaning saga will last forever and ever.

I try to change lenses holding camera face down, but not all the time. And I never change lenses outdoors, only indoors.

[rbefly]

Hello micromacro,
Yes, dust on the sensor is a DSLR fact of life, but there are ways to reduce the number of cleanings needed. As mentioned, don't just blow the stuff around, hold the camera overhead, lens opening facing down, then vigorously blast the entire mirror-box compartment.
Another trick is to blast (Rocket blower) the back of every lens, along with the camera. Mounting a dusty lens onto a clean camera isn't good!
Although some don't like sensor brushes, I use mine regularly and it seems to work. First I blast the bristles with the blower, this (apparently) generates a tiny electrical charge, enough for the dust to be attracted to the brush and stick.
Last, I use a magnifying glass and small flashlight (there's also a 'sensor loupe' made for this purpose) to REALLY check for dust after cleaning. Many times I've found a speck or two that the cleaning missed.
Good luck!
Ron

[micromacro]

Hello micromacro,
Yes, dust on the sensor is a DSLR fact of life, but there are ways to reduce the number of cleanings needed. As mentioned, don't just blow the stuff around, hold the camera overhead, lens opening facing down, then vigorously blast the entire mirror-box compartment.

No matter how aggressively I used the blower, most of the dust is not removable with the blower only.

Another trick is to blast (Rocket blower) the back of every lens, along with the camera. Mounting a dusty lens onto a clean camera isn't good!

I have to admit that I'm a lens cleaning frick All my lenses are cleaned, and don't clean photo gear without jewelry magnifier on my head under sufficient light. It helps to spot any tiny dust.

Although some don't like sensor brushes, I use mine regularly and it seems to work.

I've tried to use brush lightly, but did not get much success with that either. It would be great to know how professional techs clean cameras inside sufficiently.

[SpecialK]

Also make sure the camera is turned off when changing lenses. I think the electrically-charged sensor is a dust magnet. I found this greatly reduced the problem back in my K100 days...

[micromacro]

Also make sure the camera is turned off when changing lenses.

Does anyone change the lenses with camera on? I thought it's not the way to change lenses.

[SpecialK]

Does anyone change the lenses with camera on? I thought it's not the way to change lenses.

It's not. Many people do, I'm sure.

[clem]

I still have a K-10 that had a speck of dust on the sensor. After trying everything one would normally do to remove the dust, I sent it to the professionals at C.R.I.S. to get it repaired. Somehow, the dust had lodged itself between the no pass filter and the sensor. The bad news is I had to have the sensor and no pass filter replaced (cost $700). When I received the newly repaired camera from C.R.I.S., I went to a small room with tile floor on a calm day and the door closed, waited 15 minutes for everything to settle and with the body pointing down, put the 18-250 mm zoom lens I had purchased when I bought the K-10 on the camera body and will never take it off again. The good news is I have never had a dust on the sensor problem since then, and the camera still works just fine.

[micromacro]

No way I spend $700 to fix $135 camera I'd rather buy a good lens for that money.
It sounds like I may have the same problem since the sensor gets dusty too soon while another camera does not have that problem at all, although I use both with the same care.

[Kozlok]

I use the Clean Skies brushes I got from e-bay (here). You blow the brush with canned air, causes static buildup on the brush, does a good job of picking the dust up and removing it from the camera. There's two brushes in the kit. The first one you use to clean out the mirror box so that stuff doesn't end up on you sensor. this method works best for me. I clean my sensor every month or so.

[johnyates]

+1 Brush/canned air method.
Simple, inexpensive, Effective.
Highly recommended.

[micromacro]

I've never tried canned air, thanks.

[stevebrot]

I've never tried canned air, thanks.

Don't squirt it into the camera!!! It can cause local damage to focus screens, mirrors, and other stuff as well as drive dust into the inner workings.


Steve