Ok, so what is this and how do I fix it?

Wheatfield · 05-21-2009, 07:51 AM

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Originally posted by hinman

Wheatfield, I am no expert on this area. But if I hear some contradicting discussions, I rather give out the warning to forum members. I am no chemist but if not the proper type and mis-use of canned air, things can happen

I'm not trying to change anyones minds here, but when I read the dire warnings it's generally someone saying that something bad may happen, not that something bad did happen.
I'm in the camp that has been using Dust-Off as a dust remover for something like 4 decades.
I've used it for cleaning negatives (far more delicate than any digital sensor), lenses (about as delicate as a digital sensor), even the inside of enlarger colour heads and photo lab equipment.

Never once have I damaged anything with the stuff. As a consequence of my personal experience, I'm of the opinion that the alarmists are just plain wrong, and are spreading urban legends and regurgitating the same tired old warnings because they don't know any better.
I've never once had to wet clean a sensor, which is, to me a last resort cleaning method since it involves touching the surface of the imaging device with a foreign object, something I am loath to do, as that can cause real damage if done incorrectly.
Note that I do use Dust-Off exclusively, as it is made to a higher standard than the knock offs.

WMBP · 05-21-2009, 08:36 AM

Originally posted by Wheatfield

I just use a couple of gentle puffes of canned air. It seems to work, but it gives people the willies for some reason.

The reason is that the canned air is propelled by gas that can leave a residue on your sensor and really muck things up.

Digital Sensor Cleaning - Part I

I use a standard $2 bulb syringe that you can get at any drug store. Not as good as the Rocket Blower probably but seems to get the job done.

Will

Wheatfield · 05-21-2009, 08:50 AM

Originally posted by WMBP

The reason is that the canned air is propelled by gas that can leave a residue on your sensor and really muck things up.

Digital Sensor Cleaning - Part I

I use a standard $2 bulb syringe that you can get at any drug store. Not as good as the Rocket Blower probably but seems to get the job done.

Will

More baseless fear mongering.

WMBP · 05-21-2009, 09:31 AM

Originally posted by Wheatfield

More baseless fear mongering.

Wheatfield,

I'm glad you have not had any problems using canned air. I know people who never use a seatbelt while driving in a car and many of them are still alive. Some people are luckier than others. And for all I know, there may be different kinds of canned air and some of them are simply pressured air with no propellant. But the products folks usually buy are full of propellant and are fairly obviously dangerous. You said you use Dust-Off. I understand it's been used forever for cleaning negatives and apparently that's a safe use. But Dust-Off, as I'm sure you know, isn't an air blower at all. Got in the news because stupid kids found they could get high off the propellant. I just searched Dust-Off's web site. They list a large number of what look to me like great uses for the product, safe uses. Perhaps there's a page that recommends Dust-Off for cleaning digital camera sensors, but I couldn't find it.

Choosing The Right Duster

Photography

I've seen the propellant drip out of a can if I hold the can wrong. Even Dust-Off's site warns about this. And the stuff that drips is actually the stuff you're blowing out of the can. Perhaps Dust-Off, very carefully used, is unlikely to harm your sensor. Your experience suggests that it is. But other brands might not be so safe. And many folks might not use spray blowers correctly. Given the potential harm, it seems to be prudent simply to recommend that spray blowers/dusters NOT be used.

I'm not alone in this view. Perhaps it's an old wives tale, but it's one that seems to be subscribed to almost universally. Google "digital camera sensor cleaning." You'll find warning after warning after warning against it, and I don't mean from chumps like me but in online sources that appear to have some technical authority. I wouldn't say the issue is particularly controversial.

You will of course continue to use what works for you. I would add that I myself have been known to do things that I feel are perfectly safe for me to do, because I know what I'm doing. (I'm thinking of certain kinds of brain surgery on computers.) But I don't recommend them to folks who ask basic questions, indeed, I don't recommend risky behavior to anybody.

In any case, I can't imagine why anybody would use canned spray dusters when (a) the K20D operating manual specifically cautions against its use (p. 254: "Do not use a spray-type blower") and (b) it doesn't seem to be necessary. Like you, I've never had to clean my sensors. If a cheap bulb blower like I've got doesn't work, get a Giotto's Rocket Blaster. If that doesn't work, you may need to hand-clean the sensor, get an Arctic Butterfly or whatever it's called, or send it in for cleaning.

And given that the operating manual advises against the use of "spray-type blowers" I'd want to double-check the warranty before using one.

Will

Wheatfield · 05-21-2009, 09:44 AM

Like I said, I'm not trying to change anyone's mind, I'm just saying what's worked for me over 40 years of photography and just about 10 years of DSLR use.
Most of the websites I've seen on the subject have something to sell. I suspect the owners manual warning is the company operating in CYA mode so that in the event someone is stupid enough to spray liquid propellant all over the inside of their camera and manages to damage something, the company won't be in a warranty/ liability situation.
I'm not buying into the seatbelt metaphor any more than I'm buying into the drunk driving metaphor that was in one of the links posted above.
Neither one has anaything to do with cleaning cameras, it's just noise unrelated to the topic at hand.
I think Dust-Off is safe, so I use it.
My experience backs me up.
You want to believe urban myths and scare mongering liability disclaimers instead, that's certainly your perogative.
For myself, I'm more pragmatic. I do what I find works.

hinman · 05-21-2009, 10:09 AM

Originally posted by Marc Sabatella

I find that a blower does better if you can actually *see* the dust spot to be sure you're aiming right at it. So don't just open it up and blow in the general direction of the sensor - look carefully at the sensor in good light - with a magnifyng glass if necessary - then keep blowing right at it until it goes away. Sure, if it's stuck on with grease, that might not help, but at least it gives you the best chance. If after a minute of concentrated effort you still see the dust spot on the sensor, then I'd resort to trying direct contact. So far, for me, that has never been necessary - once I've been able to actually *find* the dust, I've always succeeded in removing it with a simple blower.

Marc, I am with you on the use of blower, and I highly recommend the blower as it solves my dust problem for most cases. Giottos has two sizes and I have both

I have the smaller one in my camera bag and the bigger one at home for the tougher job. The bigger one is stronger. If you watch the Curt Fargo's demonstration of the wet method, he uses the bigger blower and he uses it with a swift motion across the sensor. I prefer to hold the camera facing downward and puff air from below in a swift motion across the sensor. I leave the blower tip at about 1" to 2" clearance from the lens mount. I will recommend the blower as the 1st method to attempt and use the wet method in combination with the blower only as a last resort when needed.

When I bought the big Giottos blower from micor-tools, Curt wraps it in a strong industrial plastic bag to seal the blower and he recommends a clean storage for the blower for the obvious reason in avoiding dust accumulation in the blower.

There are cases that the dust or pollen are sticky on the sensor and repeated trials on using both blowers fail to remove the dust, and I use the wet method as the last resort. For most of my needs, the blower works.

Thanks,
Hin

Mister Guy · 05-21-2009, 12:40 PM

Originally posted by Wheatfield

Like I said, I'm not trying to change anyone's mind, I'm just saying what's worked for me over 40 years of photography and just about 10 years of DSLR use.
Most of the websites I've seen on the subject have something to sell. I suspect the owners manual warning is the company operating in CYA mode so that in the event someone is stupid enough to spray liquid propellant all over the inside of their camera and manages to damage something, the company won't be in a warranty/ liability situation.
I'm not buying into the seatbelt metaphor any more than I'm buying into the drunk driving metaphor that was in one of the links posted above.
Neither one has anaything to do with cleaning cameras, it's just noise unrelated to the topic at hand.
I think Dust-Off is safe, so I use it.
My experience backs me up.
You want to believe urban myths and scare mongering liability disclaimers instead, that's certainly your perogative.
For myself, I'm more pragmatic. I do what I find works.

It's very unlikely to damage your sensor beyond anything a wet cleaning can't fix, but if you hold any compressed gas with a propellant at too steep of an angle (or god forbid upside down) you can easily see the plume of condensation coming out. If you spray that directly on your arm, it's cold enough to cause skin damage. Spraying those icicle droplets directly onto the sensor is likely to leave watermarks. Yes, I acknowledge that's a warning against improper use, but some people don't know that it IS improper use.

Do me a favor Wheatfield, before you say it's impossible, flip a can of Dust Off over and, while upside down, spray it against a clean glass and look for condensation spots. Or, if you're up for fun, spray it against your arm upside for a couple seconds and see if it's unpleasant....

Wheatfield · 05-21-2009, 01:11 PM

Originally posted by Mister Guy

It's very unlikely to damage your sensor beyond anything a wet cleaning can't fix, but if you hold any compressed gas with a propellant at too steep of an angle (or god forbid upside down) you can easily see the plume of condensation coming out. If you spray that directly on your arm, it's cold enough to cause skin damage. Spraying those icicle droplets directly onto the sensor is likely to leave watermarks. Yes, I acknowledge that's a warning against improper use, but some people don't know that it IS improper use.

Do me a favor Wheatfield, before you say it's impossible, flip a can of Dust Off over and, while upside down, spray it against a clean glass and look for condensation spots. Or, if you're up for fun, spray it against your arm upside for a couple seconds and see if it's unpleasant....

Why don't you go run your car into a building and see if it gets a dent?
Or does your post serve any purpose at all?

Old Timer 56 · 05-21-2009, 05:42 PM

I guess we are agreed that it's dust on the sensor. I won't get into the canned air battle except to say that I used it for years - to blow dust off my transparencies. For my K10D I use the Pentax Sensor Cleaning Kit in conjunction with the Visible Dust Sensor Loupe. The Pentax kit works like a charm, is safe (it's made by Pentax after all), and easy to use. I usually use the Giotto Rocket Blower first and that does the job most of the time. But in truth I seldom have to use any of this stuff, mainly because I rarely change lenses and almost never outdoors.

Richard

RickL · 05-21-2009, 07:37 PM

Ok, well the blower wouldn't get it off. I have a feeling that it could be a sticky piece of pollen which there seems to be an abundance of at the moment. I've ordered a set of swabs and E2 cleaner after watching the video and will give that a try. I think after reading, I just don't see the need to try the canned air. I won't get into the debate of whether or not it could harm anything. I just don't think I want to take the chance, and since the blower wouldn't get it, this might not have either. Thanks everyone for the suggestions, I do appreciate every one of them.

res3567 · 05-21-2009, 09:03 PM

Originally posted by Wheatfield

As you can see in post #10, someone is stridently against canned air because you may damage something. Personally, I think the propect of damage is greater with a Rocket Blower simply because of how it has to be manipulated to work.
I'm more concerned about whacking a component with the blower tip than I am of spraying propellent onto a sensor.
Having said that, if you are going to use canned gas, be aware that it can spray propellant. It isn't all that cold coming out, genuine Dust-Off is tetrafluoroethane, which has a boiling temperature of -26ºC. However, liquid propellant may well be cold enough to damage the cover glass on the sensor (though I doubt it, I've used my DSLRs in far colder conditions).

If you are going to use canned gas, make sure to do a couple of test puffs away from the camera before you clean your sensor with it, and don't do more than short puffs to ensure you don't boil propellant into the nozzle. Long blasts of the stuff don't work well anyway, as the pressure drops quite rapidly in the can.

Wheatfield, I agree with you and I have used your methods repeatedly.

I see on this forum a lot of people swear by the Rocket blower and that can be a good cleaning tool as well.

To me it is "safer" because it does not have chemicals as a propellant.

But, like you said, canned air can be just as if not more effective if you take the steps you described which is what I have been doing with great results.

Damn Brit · 05-21-2009, 09:36 PM

Are you actually using the blower with the mirror up and the camera in such a position that the opening is facing down?

RickL · 05-21-2009, 10:08 PM

Yes, I locked the mirror up, camera facing down, just as in the video that was linked to earlier in the thread. I've tried it several times, gone out to take a pic and see that the spot is still there. So, I ordered some of the swabs and cleaner that were used in the video, in hopes that it will be able to get rid of it. There is a lot of yellow pollen on my windshield, and it's pretty sticky stuff, so I am assuming that's what it is.

wwwmorrell · 05-22-2009, 01:12 AM

PENTAX Image sensor cleaning kit O-ICK1

This is what the pentax techs use to clean their lens.

Used it several times, works perfectly.

NEW PENTAX Image sensor cleaning kit O-ICK1 - eBay, Other Accessories, Photographic Accessories, Cameras. (end time 25-May-09 20:42:05 AEST)

CronoDL · 05-22-2009, 05:01 AM

I would just do a wet cleaning and skipped the canned air. Wet cleaning is very easy once you do it once or twice. Google up the copperhill method. Make a swab, get some pecpads and some E2 fluid, and you're good to go. I've done it numerous times on different SLRs with stubborn dust, and I haven't had any problems.

05-21-2009, 10:09 AM	#21
hinman Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Fremont, CA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,473	Originally posted by Marc Sabatella I find that a blower does better if you can actually see the dust spot to be sure you're aiming right at it. So don't just open it up and blow in the general direction of the sensor - look carefully at the sensor in good light - with a magnifyng glass if necessary - then keep blowing right at it until it goes away. Sure, if it's stuck on with grease, that might not help, but at least it gives you the best chance. If after a minute of concentrated effort you still see the dust spot on the sensor, then I'd resort to trying direct contact. So far, for me, that has never been necessary - once I've been able to actually find the dust, I've always succeeded in removing it with a simple blower. Marc, I am with you on the use of blower, and I highly recommend the blower as it solves my dust problem for most cases. Giottos has two sizes and I have both I have the smaller one in my camera bag and the bigger one at home for the tougher job. The bigger one is stronger. If you watch the Curt Fargo's demonstration of the wet method, he uses the bigger blower and he uses it with a swift motion across the sensor. I prefer to hold the camera facing downward and puff air from below in a swift motion across the sensor. I leave the blower tip at about 1" to 2" clearance from the lens mount. I will recommend the blower as the 1st method to attempt and use the wet method in combination with the blower only as a last resort when needed. When I bought the big Giottos blower from micor-tools, Curt wraps it in a strong industrial plastic bag to seal the blower and he recommends a clean storage for the blower for the obvious reason in avoiding dust accumulation in the blower. There are cases that the dust or pollen are sticky on the sensor and repeated trials on using both blowers fail to remove the dust, and I use the wet method as the last resort. For most of my needs, the blower works. Thanks, Hin Last edited by hinman; 05-21-2009 at 06:06 PM.

05-21-2009, 09:03 PM	#26
res3567 Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Houston Tx. Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,876	Originally posted by Wheatfield As you can see in post #10, someone is stridently against canned air because you may damage something. Personally, I think the propect of damage is greater with a Rocket Blower simply because of how it has to be manipulated to work. I'm more concerned about whacking a component with the blower tip than I am of spraying propellent onto a sensor. Having said that, if you are going to use canned gas, be aware that it can spray propellant. It isn't all that cold coming out, genuine Dust-Off is tetrafluoroethane, which has a boiling temperature of -26ºC. However, liquid propellant may well be cold enough to damage the cover glass on the sensor (though I doubt it, I've used my DSLRs in far colder conditions). If you are going to use canned gas, make sure to do a couple of test puffs away from the camera before you clean your sensor with it, and don't do more than short puffs to ensure you don't boil propellant into the nozzle. Long blasts of the stuff don't work well anyway, as the pressure drops quite rapidly in the can. Wheatfield, I agree with you and I have used your methods repeatedly. I see on this forum a lot of people swear by the Rocket blower and that can be a good cleaning tool as well. To me it is "safer" because it does not have chemicals as a propellant. But, like you said, canned air can be just as if not more effective if you take the steps you described which is what I have been doing with great results. Last edited by res3567; 05-21-2009 at 10:20 PM.

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05-21-2009, 07:51 AM	#16
Wheatfield Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: The wheatfields of Canada Posts: 15,981	Staff note: This post may contain affiliate links, which means Pentax Forums may earn a small commission if a visitor clicks through and makes a purchase. If you would like to support the forum directly, you may also make a donation here. Originally posted by hinman Wheatfield, I am no expert on this area. But if I hear some contradicting discussions, I rather give out the warning to forum members. I am no chemist but if not the proper type and mis-use of canned air, things can happen I'm not trying to change anyones minds here, but when I read the dire warnings it's generally someone saying that something bad may happen, not that something bad did happen. I'm in the camp that has been using Dust-Off as a dust remover for something like 4 decades. I've used it for cleaning negatives (far more delicate than any digital sensor), lenses (about as delicate as a digital sensor), even the inside of enlarger colour heads and photo lab equipment. Never once have I damaged anything with the stuff. As a consequence of my personal experience, I'm of the opinion that the alarmists are just plain wrong, and are spreading urban legends and regurgitating the same tired old warnings because they don't know any better. I've never once had to wet clean a sensor, which is, to me a last resort cleaning method since it involves touching the surface of the imaging device with a foreign object, something I am loath to do, as that can cause real damage if done incorrectly. Note that I do use Dust-Off exclusively, as it is made to a higher standard than the knock offs.

05-21-2009, 08:36 AM	#17
WMBP Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Dallas, Texas Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,482	Originally posted by Wheatfield I just use a couple of gentle puffes of canned air. It seems to work, but it gives people the willies for some reason. The reason is that the canned air is propelled by gas that can leave a residue on your sensor and really muck things up. Digital Sensor Cleaning - Part I I use a standard $2 bulb syringe that you can get at any drug store. Not as good as the Rocket Blower probably but seems to get the job done. Will

05-21-2009, 08:50 AM	#18
Wheatfield Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: The wheatfields of Canada Posts: 15,981	Originally posted by WMBP The reason is that the canned air is propelled by gas that can leave a residue on your sensor and really muck things up. Digital Sensor Cleaning - Part I I use a standard $2 bulb syringe that you can get at any drug store. Not as good as the Rocket Blower probably but seems to get the job done. Will More baseless fear mongering.

05-21-2009, 09:31 AM	#19
WMBP Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Dallas, Texas Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,482	Originally posted by Wheatfield More baseless fear mongering. Wheatfield, I'm glad you have not had any problems using canned air. I know people who never use a seatbelt while driving in a car and many of them are still alive. Some people are luckier than others. And for all I know, there may be different kinds of canned air and some of them are simply pressured air with no propellant. But the products folks usually buy are full of propellant and are fairly obviously dangerous. You said you use Dust-Off. I understand it's been used forever for cleaning negatives and apparently that's a safe use. But Dust-Off, as I'm sure you know, isn't an air blower at all. Got in the news because stupid kids found they could get high off the propellant. I just searched Dust-Off's web site. They list a large number of what look to me like great uses for the product, safe uses. Perhaps there's a page that recommends Dust-Off for cleaning digital camera sensors, but I couldn't find it. Choosing The Right Duster Photography I've seen the propellant drip out of a can if I hold the can wrong. Even Dust-Off's site warns about this. And the stuff that drips is actually the stuff you're blowing out of the can. Perhaps Dust-Off, very carefully used, is unlikely to harm your sensor. Your experience suggests that it is. But other brands might not be so safe. And many folks might not use spray blowers correctly. Given the potential harm, it seems to be prudent simply to recommend that spray blowers/dusters NOT be used. I'm not alone in this view. Perhaps it's an old wives tale, but it's one that seems to be subscribed to almost universally. Google "digital camera sensor cleaning." You'll find warning after warning after warning against it, and I don't mean from chumps like me but in online sources that appear to have some technical authority. I wouldn't say the issue is particularly controversial. You will of course continue to use what works for you. I would add that I myself have been known to do things that I feel are perfectly safe for me to do, because I know what I'm doing. (I'm thinking of certain kinds of brain surgery on computers.) But I don't recommend them to folks who ask basic questions, indeed, I don't recommend risky behavior to anybody. In any case, I can't imagine why anybody would use canned spray dusters when (a) the K20D operating manual specifically cautions against its use (p. 254: "Do not use a spray-type blower") and (b) it doesn't seem to be necessary. Like you, I've never had to clean my sensors. If a cheap bulb blower like I've got doesn't work, get a Giotto's Rocket Blaster. If that doesn't work, you may need to hand-clean the sensor, get an Arctic Butterfly or whatever it's called, or send it in for cleaning. And given that the operating manual advises against the use of "spray-type blowers" I'd want to double-check the warranty before using one. Will

05-21-2009, 09:44 AM	#20
Wheatfield Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: The wheatfields of Canada Posts: 15,981	Like I said, I'm not trying to change anyone's mind, I'm just saying what's worked for me over 40 years of photography and just about 10 years of DSLR use. Most of the websites I've seen on the subject have something to sell. I suspect the owners manual warning is the company operating in CYA mode so that in the event someone is stupid enough to spray liquid propellant all over the inside of their camera and manages to damage something, the company won't be in a warranty/ liability situation. I'm not buying into the seatbelt metaphor any more than I'm buying into the drunk driving metaphor that was in one of the links posted above. Neither one has anaything to do with cleaning cameras, it's just noise unrelated to the topic at hand. I think Dust-Off is safe, so I use it. My experience backs me up. You want to believe urban myths and scare mongering liability disclaimers instead, that's certainly your perogative. For myself, I'm more pragmatic. I do what I find works.

05-21-2009, 12:40 PM	#22
Mister Guy Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 244	Originally posted by Wheatfield Like I said, I'm not trying to change anyone's mind, I'm just saying what's worked for me over 40 years of photography and just about 10 years of DSLR use. Most of the websites I've seen on the subject have something to sell. I suspect the owners manual warning is the company operating in CYA mode so that in the event someone is stupid enough to spray liquid propellant all over the inside of their camera and manages to damage something, the company won't be in a warranty/ liability situation. I'm not buying into the seatbelt metaphor any more than I'm buying into the drunk driving metaphor that was in one of the links posted above. Neither one has anaything to do with cleaning cameras, it's just noise unrelated to the topic at hand. I think Dust-Off is safe, so I use it. My experience backs me up. You want to believe urban myths and scare mongering liability disclaimers instead, that's certainly your perogative. For myself, I'm more pragmatic. I do what I find works. It's very unlikely to damage your sensor beyond anything a wet cleaning can't fix, but if you hold any compressed gas with a propellant at too steep of an angle (or god forbid upside down) you can easily see the plume of condensation coming out. If you spray that directly on your arm, it's cold enough to cause skin damage. Spraying those icicle droplets directly onto the sensor is likely to leave watermarks. Yes, I acknowledge that's a warning against improper use, but some people don't know that it IS improper use. Do me a favor Wheatfield, before you say it's impossible, flip a can of Dust Off over and, while upside down, spray it against a clean glass and look for condensation spots. Or, if you're up for fun, spray it against your arm upside for a couple seconds and see if it's unpleasant....

05-21-2009, 01:11 PM	#23
Wheatfield Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: The wheatfields of Canada Posts: 15,981	Originally posted by Mister Guy It's very unlikely to damage your sensor beyond anything a wet cleaning can't fix, but if you hold any compressed gas with a propellant at too steep of an angle (or god forbid upside down) you can easily see the plume of condensation coming out. If you spray that directly on your arm, it's cold enough to cause skin damage. Spraying those icicle droplets directly onto the sensor is likely to leave watermarks. Yes, I acknowledge that's a warning against improper use, but some people don't know that it IS improper use. Do me a favor Wheatfield, before you say it's impossible, flip a can of Dust Off over and, while upside down, spray it against a clean glass and look for condensation spots. Or, if you're up for fun, spray it against your arm upside for a couple seconds and see if it's unpleasant.... Why don't you go run your car into a building and see if it gets a dent? Or does your post serve any purpose at all?

05-21-2009, 05:42 PM	#24
Old Timer 56 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: New York Posts: 168	I guess we are agreed that it's dust on the sensor. I won't get into the canned air battle except to say that I used it for years - to blow dust off my transparencies. For my K10D I use the Pentax Sensor Cleaning Kit in conjunction with the Visible Dust Sensor Loupe. The Pentax kit works like a charm, is safe (it's made by Pentax after all), and easy to use. I usually use the Giotto Rocket Blower first and that does the job most of the time. But in truth I seldom have to use any of this stuff, mainly because I rarely change lenses and almost never outdoors. Richard

05-21-2009, 07:37 PM	#25
RickL Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Missouri Photos: Gallery Posts: 103 Original Poster	Ok, well the blower wouldn't get it off. I have a feeling that it could be a sticky piece of pollen which there seems to be an abundance of at the moment. I've ordered a set of swabs and E2 cleaner after watching the video and will give that a try. I think after reading, I just don't see the need to try the canned air. I won't get into the debate of whether or not it could harm anything. I just don't think I want to take the chance, and since the blower wouldn't get it, this might not have either. Thanks everyone for the suggestions, I do appreciate every one of them.

05-21-2009, 09:36 PM	#27
Damn Brit Guest	Are you actually using the blower with the mirror up and the camera in such a position that the opening is facing down?

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05-21-2009, 10:08 PM	#28
RickL Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Missouri Photos: Gallery Posts: 103 Original Poster	Yes, I locked the mirror up, camera facing down, just as in the video that was linked to earlier in the thread. I've tried it several times, gone out to take a pic and see that the spot is still there. So, I ordered some of the swabs and cleaner that were used in the video, in hopes that it will be able to get rid of it. There is a lot of yellow pollen on my windshield, and it's pretty sticky stuff, so I am assuming that's what it is.

05-22-2009, 01:12 AM	#29
wwwmorrell Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Mount Buller, Australia Posts: 397	PENTAX Image sensor cleaning kit O-ICK1 This is what the pentax techs use to clean their lens. Used it several times, works perfectly. NEW PENTAX Image sensor cleaning kit O-ICK1 - eBay, Other Accessories, Photographic Accessories, Cameras. (end time 25-May-09 20:42:05 AEST)

05-22-2009, 05:01 AM	#30
CronoDL New Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Queens, NYC Posts: 1	I would just do a wet cleaning and skipped the canned air. Wet cleaning is very easy once you do it once or twice. Google up the copperhill method. Make a swab, get some pecpads and some E2 fluid, and you're good to go. I've done it numerous times on different SLRs with stubborn dust, and I haven't had any problems.