[Dr_who]

Hi there, I hadn't notice too many issues with dust but today it was snowing...Yes I know its May! and I noticed a glaring dust partical near the center of the picture. I tried different lenses to make sure it wasn't the lens and it is definatly the sensor. Usually when I had dust on my K10 is was noticable but it was usually faded where this is almost a solid dot.

I took a couple pictures, one from the K7 on the off white wall in the apt, and one from my k10 at the sensor. By just lookin gat the sensor I can't see a thing, when I use the camera i think I can spot a piece of dust at like 200%

I purchased a Pentax sensor cleaning stamp and it didn't help the problem. Any help anyone has for suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

---

Last edited by Dr_who; 05-04-2010 at 02:02 PM.

[Marc Sabatella]

Make sure you know where to look for the dust - the image with be upside down but not backwards. Then get out in the sun or other veyr bright light, use a magnifiying glass if necessary. It's tough to remove what you can't see.

[Wheatfield]

People cringe at this, but the first thing I'd try is to clean the sensor with a shot of canned gas.
If that didn't do it, I'd wet clean the thing.
If that didn't do it, I'd either sent the camera for cleaning/repair, or just learn to live with it.

[blind-bat]

Wet cleaning time. I also found that the Pentax wand did not remove stuck on pollen very well.

[Dr_who]

well I'll have to give that a try. Any recommendations for wet cleaning? I am hoping this really is some sort of stuck pollen and not a nick for dust or something.

[blind-bat]

Try

VisibleDust -- DSLR Sensor Cleaning

or

Photographic Solutions | Sensor Swab Plus with Eclipse | PE2C

[philippe]

Pentax has a very good sensor cleaning kit, so good that Leica is using it in its factory...
Carefully ‘stamp' on the right place, and clean the stamp on an other part of the sticky cleaning paper each time before you ‘stamp' again.
Do not wipe but gently ‘stamp'.
This can be done over and over again till the spot is gone.

---

Last edited by philippe; 05-04-2010 at 10:36 PM.

[Dr_who]

philippe I've stamped the heck outta it. Least 20 times over the day and it hasn't budged or even gotten slightly lighter when taking a picture of my wall. I wondering if maybe the dust somehow snuck in between the sensor and the IF filter

[stevewig]

People cringe at this, but the first thing I'd try is to clean the sensor with a shot of canned gas........

Hey, Wheatfield, mind sharing which actual product you use for this (and where you get it)?

Yes, I know the controversial nature of this methodology.
Thanks

[bymy141]

What I've picked up from an old post and works very well for me is this:

Step 1:
- Try a rocket blower.

If that does not help (30%), step2:
- Buy a small soft makeup brush (will cost only a few cents)
- Clean it with soft soap and let it dry
- Gently swipe the sensor with the brush

If that does not work either (9%), step 3:
- Wet swipe with Green Clean swipes
- Look at the Internet instructions first

If that also fails (the last 1%), step 4:
- Bring it to the nearest camera shop for professional cleaning.

= Bert

[Wheatfield]

Hey, Wheatfield, mind sharing which actual product you use for this (and where you get it)?

Yes, I know the controversial nature of this methodology.
Thanks

I use real Dust-Off whenever possible. There are a couple of computer shops in town here that sell the stuff.
Failing that, I'll just pick up whatever canned gas is available at whatever store I am near and use it, though I tend to trust the Falcon product more than a generic one.
Not that the generic products have ever given me any problems.

[stevewig]

I use real Dust-Off whenever possible. There are a couple of computer shops in town here that sell the stuff.
Failing that, I'll just pick up whatever canned gas is available at whatever store I am near and use it, though I tend to trust the Falcon product more than a generic one.
Not that the generic products have ever given me any problems.

OK, I'm going to try it because if it works it is much faster and more convenient than my existing technique with Visible Dust - which also works, just finicky.

I tried a blast with "Ultra Duster" on to my LCD screen, as a test - but it left a watery deposit so I will not be using that product.

I presume that you give as short a blast as is humanly possible? Anyway thanks for responding.

[Wheatfield]

OK, I'm going to try it because if it works it is much faster and more convenient than my existing technique with Visible Dust - which also works, just finicky.

I tried a blast with "Ultra Duster" on to my LCD screen, as a test - but it left a watery deposit so I will not be using that product.

I presume that you give as short a blast as is humanly possible? Anyway thanks for responding.

About a 1/2 second or so shot.
Do a trial discharge prior to sticking the nozzle into your camera to make sure there is no propellant residue in the nozzle.
The only possible problem that canned gas can cause is that potentially you could Darwin your camera if you hit it with enough propellant to freeze the cover glass and perhaps break it.
I think a person would have to be trying pretty hard to make that happen though.
I use Dust-Off because I know it is a high quality product that doesn't come polluted from the factory.

[Dr_who]

thanks for all the suggestions. I've tried most of them and those I havn't is mainly just cause I can't find a local store that carries x brand this or that. I called a store and left a MSG on machine for tomorrow about getting a professional clean done. Pentax is willing to look at it as well. It should still be under warranty but I'm not sure as they do say certain repairs are not covered. I hope they mean things like submerging your camera in a deep frier or dropping it as to a rogue particle on the if filter or possibly in between the sensor and filter. Of course the idea of it being taken apart worries me too guess I'll know more tomorrow.

Just wanted to say thanks for all the suggestions.

[cbaytan]

People cringe at this, but the first thing I'd try is to clean the sensor with a shot of canned gas.
with it.

Canned gas could practically destroy the sensor because there is always built up moisture inside the can, I tried the clean focusing screens with air cans also with medical operation high pressure tubes, pressured oxygen at the hospital bed sides with no luck, my precious old Canon F1 screens are all being messed up, but I strongly recommend you Giotto rocket blowers. No moisture or dust when blowing with Giottos. I cleaned perfectly my (Now wife's) K200 sensor with them with a soft&very clean brush, nothing else required... Yet.
Best of luck.