[Todd Adamson]

I am not new to cameras, and have cleaned many many sensors, using various methods. But all of my cameras have had "fixed" sensors....no automated shake to remove dust. I am wondering how having a shakable sensor affects best suggested cleaning methods, if at all.

I know everyone has their own method, and there are sometimes disagreements over this....hehe....personally, I had bad experiences early on with Copper Hill method, and while I have tried Visible Dust method (not with their brushes, but one of my own, pre-cleaned and prepped for the purpose), it didn't do as good of a job as I would like.

So I eventually landed on the LensPen SensorKlear brush. I have cleaned sensors probably over 100 times this way (basically blow it out good with the Rocket Blower, then scrub it down good with the SensorKlear); no problems, I rarely have to do it twice, and it's quick, easy, and cheap. When I scrub the glass with the SensorKlear, I apply a fair amount of pressure....hard to describe how much, I guess...I don't push like I am trying to write with a pen on a triplicate form or anything, but I'm not shy about scrubbing it to make sure I'm getting everything. Can I treat the K-7 or K-5 sensor this way, or are there delicate mechanics to the "floatiness" that I will screw up?

[Wheatfield]

I make people cringe, but here's my method
Dust-Off brand canned gas if I start seeing specks during normal shooting.
I rarely wet clean, and I suspect the Pentax sensor system is more robust than fixed sensors since if you use a little too much pressure, the sensor has some "give" built into it.
The sensor is positioned via electromagnets, so if you use a little more force and the sensor moves, it will just return to it's center position when allowed.

[Rondec]

You can treat the sensor the same as if it wasn't floating. Rocket Blower works 99 percent of the time for me. On my K20, I did have to use a wet cleaning method one time on my K7, I haven't needed to do that at all. Arctic Butterfly works too. The big thing that I have noticed with the K7 is that it doesn't need to be cleaned very often. I change lenses pretty frequently (not in sand storms) and have not needed to clean it more than once every six months since getting it.

[alexeyga]

If common sense is your friend, Dust-off will do it for 99.99999% of all dust-related issues... for the rest I'm happy enough with the Eclipse kit of swabs and a bottle of cleaning liquid...

After helping a friend to sell a D300 with over 70K shots, that has never been cleaned, there's very little that can make worry in regards to dust... Well... maybe that K10d (with less than 10K) that i've picked up once locally as a bundle that had cat's hairs in it...

[Todd Adamson]

Coolio, thanks.

[shadowfixer]

It was my understanding that canned gas of that sort could have other impurities in it. I use a bulb blower, and when/if that doesn't work, the Arctic Butterfly.

[alexeyga]

It was my understanding that canned gas of that sort could have other impurities in it...

You forgot to add that cans of compressed air do tend to spit out liquid gas and it can ruin your sensor in a fraction of a second... That's why common sense must be your best friend to begin with.

That said, even the cheapest can of gas has less "impurities" than that rocket blower everybody are so joyful about... What really should be avoided is the production-environment compressed air as it usually contains oil... among other things that shouldn't be in contact with imaging sensors and optics...

[eddie1960]

the trick with canned air is always hold and store upright so liquids are settled to the bottom, and spray away from the camera first to clear any impurities
and if it's bad enough that this doesn't work a proper cleaning kit like the Pentax one (there are others of course but i can buy this on a few blocks from my house)

[rawr]

No need to do anything fancy. Here's how I clean my camera sensor. Works a treat.

[KxBlaze]

I am currently looking at a can of Dust-Off and it says "Do not use on camera mirrors" but if others have done it with success then it can't be all bad. In either case it scares me too much to try it so I stick with the in-camera option and a rocket blower and have never had anything that could not be removed with those 2 options.

[Stjonnypopo]

Isn't the problem with canned gasses that the air that comes out rapidly expands and is very cold?

[inferno10]

If there's dust that won't go away after trying DR or a dust blower, I clean my sensor using SensorFilm.

You Tube

You Tube

- Jason

[eddie1960]

No need to do anything fancy. Here's how I clean my camera sensor. Works a treat.

lmao hopefully no-one takes this seriously

[bicameral2]

If there's dust that won't go away after trying DR or a dust blower, I clean my sensor using SensorFilm.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoWLoz4JKZI

- Jason

Where did you get this product?

[Kerrowdown]

If it's really bad, which I admit doesn't get that way often, for all it costs, when I'm in one of the bigger cities, I just pop and have it done professionally.