[JeffJS]

The Visible Dust swabs and solutions worked for me when my K-x sensor came back filthy.

If I come across something that cannot be tac'd up by the O-ICK1, I might consider that. I just hate throwing good money after bad.

[hangu]

Just wondering, how would they be able to know if the sensor had been touched, as long as no scractches or such good be seen?

Pentax probably would not inspect your sensor if you had sent the camera back for other warranty services. So even if you had damaged your sensor by attempting to clean it, you can still get them to repair other parts of the camera. The warranty for the entire camera is not voided by cleaning the sensor, they will still repair broken buttons or LCD issues, but they will not repair the sensor once you've cleaned it if they find cleaning residue or excessive scratches caused by cleaning it.

[GeneV]

If I come across something that cannot be tac'd up by the O-ICK1, I might consider that. I just hate throwing good money after bad.

The swabs aren't cheap, but I tried the other methods, and it was the only thing that got the darn thing clean.

[kari]

I know this is completely off topic, but Kari, how about some pictures from Antarctica...? We'd all like to see our brand in action down south.

It's a subactarctic island actually. I uploaded some pictures on Flickr: karischoonbee's Photostream

[GeneV]

It's a subactarctic island actually. I uploaded some pictures on Flickr: karischoonbee's Photostream

Lovely shots!

Although the sensor in the 2nd picture doesn't look quite clean, it doesn't look bad either, especially if you took this at f22 or some similar small aperture.

My k100 sensor has one spot, maybe more, that absolutely won't come off, so I just have to live with it.

Paul

Post production should take care of any dust or what-have-you in your pictures that show up

[jlaubza]

Let's see now, you're on a sub antarctic island - no industrial pollution to speak of, no desert sand to get around, so where does all that dust you have to clean off your sensor come from?

Now if you were in Joburg, I'd understand but Marion Island?? And I see you are using a KX, which so far, for me, has done a much better job at keeping dust off the sensor than my GX10 has ever done.

I'm really curious - I thought the air was really clean down there.

Keep warm. Great shots on your site by the way.

[kari]

Let's see now, you're on a sub antarctic island - no industrial pollution to speak of, no desert sand to get around, so where does all that dust you have to clean off your sensor come from?

Now if you were in Joburg, I'd understand but Marion Island?? And I see you are using a KX, which so far, for me, has done a much better job at keeping dust off the sensor than my GX10 has ever done.

I'm really curious - I thought the air was really clean down there.

Keep warm. Great shots on your site by the way.

I guess we're not cleaning the base often enough.

[eddie1960]

After being chastised by a mod for going off, I feel I need to explain my position clearly for everyone. The Pentax Forum is one of the most popular sites on the web. Googling any Pentax terms will yield the Pentax Forum as one of the top if not the top hit, so it's important that people aren't misled by faulty information on how to clean the sensor. Most people do not know just how sensitive that little piece of hardware is and using your breath and ear bud is just plain wrong. I can't believe there are actually people arguing for it. Once you've damaged your sensor, that is it. You can not repair it, only replace it at a ridiculous fee. It is not covered under warranty.

No matter how careful you are while breathing on your sensor, you will get saliva and other junk onto your sensor. It may be minuscule and unnoticeable but it is there. Once in a while, you will even get a big wad of saliva out, it's inevitable. You can pretend that's not the case with you because your breath is magical and you're perfect. While you're at it, you can also make the case that you don't fart and burp either. If anyone has ever used a respirator before, they know it tends to smell a bit funky after heavy use, it's not just condensed water out of your breath. Maybe the breath technique will work for you a few times but you're playing Russian Roulette and it's not worth it. I've never needed more than a few blasts from a $10 rocket blower to clean out sensor dust. Common techniques to clean sensors include using rocket blowers, ordering specialized cleaning kits or letting the professionals handle it. Do your research of course, because $170 is a steep price, most places should do it for $50 or so.

I'm fairly positive *she* didn't mean a q tip since the whole premise was "clumsy cleaning techniques" that didn't require specialized tools. An ear bud is an object more commonly found on a person than a q tip. Also, when did an earbud become slang for q tips? Earbuds come in variable consistencies, perhaps *she* is lucky that her earbud is also made of microfiber material but there's no guarantee that your earbud is up to par.

Typically ignorant of other languages, did you not think that perhaps english was not her native language and ear bud is a perfectly acceptible term for a qtip. qtip is a brand name not a generic as is kleenex which is a tissue. God given how abusive and sarcastic your comments are I'd probably think twice before buying anything from you.
If I was stuck in the antarctic 1500 miles from anywhere i'd come up with a solution to the problem as well, and executed carefully it shouldn't cause harm ( i worry more about the Windex comment to be honest it isn't an optical cleanser, at least condensation from breath is no worse than the condensation going from cold to warm (which I'm guessing is what happens every time she goes out and comes in most of the year)
I'd be inclined to use a brush and possibly the pentax kit but then i can walk over the bridge from my house to one of the biggest camera stores in the country and pick them up off the shelf, maybe a 10 minute walk each way.

[eddie1960]

hangu, BTW I saw you retracted later in the thread, but be aware we are from everywhere before you harangue someone over their use of language clarify the meaning

[eddie1960]

and nice pics kari, have you been freed from the island yet?

[hangu]

Typically ignorant of other languages, did you not think that perhaps english was not her native language and ear bud is a perfectly acceptible term for a qtip. qtip is a brand name not a generic as is kleenex which is a tissue. God given how abusive and sarcastic your comments are I'd probably think twice before buying anything from you.
If I was stuck in the antarctic 1500 miles from anywhere i'd come up with a solution to the problem as well, and executed carefully it shouldn't cause harm ( i worry more about the Windex comment to be honest it isn't an optical cleanser, at least condensation from breath is no worse than the condensation going from cold to warm (which I'm guessing is what happens every time she goes out and comes in most of the year)
I'd be inclined to use a brush and possibly the pentax kit but then i can walk over the bridge from my house to one of the biggest camera stores in the country and pick them up off the shelf, maybe a 10 minute walk each way.

Before going on your little tirade, did you pause for a moment to consider that:

• English might NOT be MY native language?
• That I might not be ignorance of other languages since I do speak more than one language fluently?
• This thread is several months old and a PM would have sufficed?

Clearly not on all 3 points, as you just went off on a ridiculous little tirade all based on an assumption that I was a typical "dumb American" giving everyone else a hard time over the English language.

For the record, I have no issue with Kari's usage of the English language. My main issue is with the fact that human breath is a terrible method to clean a camera sensor. I've expounded on that numerous times and other members have chimed in with support. If you seriously think that human breath is no worse than condensation, then you've clearly never met anyone with bad breath before.

hangu, BTW I saw you retracted later in the thread, but be aware we are from everywhere before you harangue someone over their use of language clarify the meaning

Eddie, BTW I never retracted anything, but be aware we are from everywhere, so before you harangue someone over a non-existent issue, just ask yourself, why do I have such an issue with Americans that I'm projecting it on someone who isn't even American? Hmm?

[eddie1960]

I still think the way you went at her was excessive and stand buy my words, i agreed breath is not the best way, and said i would use a blower/kit myself but observed there are exceptions to any rule,
I could say more but it would be wasted breath have a good life

[hangu]

I still think the way you went at her was excessive and stand buy my words, i agreed breath is not the best way, and said i would use a blower/kit myself but observed there are exceptions to any rule,
I could say more but it would be wasted breath have a good life

Fair enough, I agree. I can be aggressive/excessive at times.

[eddie1960]

Fair enough, I agree. I can be aggressive/excessive at times.

It's the New Yorker coming out in you, happens to us all when we spend enough time there
and seeing you were from NYC I could have guessed you weren't from there, in the many times I've been there I've rarely met a native new yorker, but have had many friends from there (too many of whom are now dead a side effect of spending to much time with musicians)