Sensor Cleaning

NOTE: - READ WHOLE ARTICLE THEN CLEAN

While I was researching a sensor loupe I came across a review of a related, excellent product I have used for years. The review read:

"...If you use too much liquid it dries as very obvious spots; too little liquid and you have visible smears. Despite using the recommended liquid and, in the end, all the swabs I never got a sensor I was even vaguely happy ..."

This has happened to me, but purely due to my own inexperience. I mean - sensor cleaning - how hard can it be? Right?

Well, it's not hard, but it is tricky.

Before you start make sure you have the right equipment

I use the following

     from Visible Dust

• 1.0x Orange Swabs
• 1.0x Green Swabs
• VDust fluid
• Dust Snapper
• Quasar Sensor Loupe

     from Giotto 

• Q.Ball Air Blower

A micro-fiber cloth (any will work)

And a lens/sensor brush (make unknown, bought it years ago)

Check you need to clean. f/22 shows up dust and debris best. shoot a light coloured ares (the ceiling works well here)

Now to the cleaning - REMEMBER follow manufacturers guidelines

As the review quoted above said - too much cleaning fluid = spots, however, too little does not cause smears. Smears are mainly caused by swabs being reused. Think about a piece of kitchen roll, you use it to wipe up some spilt red wine, and now you use the same piece of kitchen roll to remove a spill on your cream carpet. What's going to happen? You're going to transfer the red wine and make matters worse. So the solution is simple - use a swab, then bin it! Using 3 swabs to clean a sensor properly is much cheaper than trying to clean the sensor with just one swab and introducing smears.

For the record the one time I introduced smears like this it took 8 swabs to clean up my mess!

Smears can also be caused by the swab coming in to contact with the wall around the sensor. Oil or debris are picked up and transfered as you 'clean'.

There are many excellent guidelines and "How-To's" out there, but my favourite is;

http://visibledust.com/help_troubleshooting.php

(Select "Wet Cleaning Manual (pfd)")

My Technique

Using my sensor loupe I examine the mirror (very carefully!! Watch your eyes!!) and the sensor.

I then conduct a dry clean (blower & brush) of the mirror and sensor. Sometimes I have to use a dry swab on the mirror to remove stubborn specks.

I like to lean my camera downover allowing debris I brush or blow out to fall naturally on the Dust Snapper.

With a sensor loupe you can also spot fine hairs caught in the seams of the camera. You don't have to remove these as they shouldn't interfere with images. However if, like me, you can't stand ANY debris around your mirror and sensor these can be removed with a pair of tweezes and a VERY steady hand. If you are no good at Operation it's best to avoid doing this.

Now check again with the sensor loupe. If there is still evidence of debris present this is the time to wet clean.

1. I take a swab and add 2 drops of fluid towards the bottom of the swab, but still on the flat of the swab. I don't squeeze the bottle, I allow the drops to fall naturally. I find this avoides over saturation
2. In one movement run the swab over the sensor. Take the loupe and view. If the sensor is clear then your done (give yourself a round of applause). 
3. If specks can still be seen throw away the used swab and repeat the above steps until the sensor is clean.

If smears do appear do not panic. You can rectify it, but you must be patient and repeat the steps. All that has happened is that one of the swabs has had some debris on it. It happens to the best of us. You may need to buy additional fluid (such as Visible Dust's Smear Away)

Once the sensor is clean replace the lens and take another photo on f/22 - Yay!! It's clean!!

Now go and shoot!!

I don't want to clean!

It can be daunting to clean your own sensor. Some local camera shops and photography groups run workshops to demonstrate sensor cleaning. My "local" is WEX

If you still don't want to clean your own sensor, then you can contact your local photography store and ask them to recommend someone, or you can contact the manufacturer for their cleaning service.

A local reputable cleaner will probably need your camera for 24hrs and cost around £50. Using the manufacturer's service means your camera may have to be sent away for a longer period of time and may be significantly more costly.

In summary ...

The best of us get debris in our cameras. There is no way to stop it, but there are ways to limit it.

• When cleaning your camera, clean your lenses too, with the same care and dilligence.
• When changing lenses use a blower to ensure both the lens and the chamber are clear.
• As you change the lens point the camera down over (limiting debris 'falling in' to the camera)
• Regularly check the state of the mirror and sensor by taking a photo at f/22 on a light coloured back ground (ceiling shots).

"Can't You Do My Photos For Free? I'm A Struggling ...."

So back to the other question."Can't you do my photos for free? I am an upcoming model/singer/performer/actor, so you'll get loads of coverage".

In the last 72 hours I have honestly had 6 requests like this. Each one was met with a firm no, and an explanation of why. Of those six people two have bookings for a shoot with me.

Here is why I say no;

All over the internet you will see images which - on the whole read

"I am an artist. This does not mean I will work for free, I have bills to pay. Thank you for understanding"

Or pages giving a blow by blow account of why photographers charge.

Citation example 

While very true and extremely accurate these often fall on deaf ears, so I tend to get the individual to think about what they are asking me.

Career Investment

To do my job I invested heavily in camera bodies, lenses, insurance, software, computers, lighting equipment, storage cards, advertising, web presence, vehicle ... the list goes on. I spent years of my 'spare time' honing my skills, getting out there and talking to people, and working on my portfolio. In one case I even faced a fear and appeared on national TV.

For each and every one of us we must invest something in our own careers if we are to succeed. Be that time, money, effort or, in most cases, all of the above. I then ask what they are willing to invest in their career. Often I am met with;

• 'I have spent x years studying' - me too. 
• 'I have very little money' - me too
• 'All the other photographers I've spoken to will, but I like your work best' - ask yourself why my work is more appealing
• 'But you'll get loads of coverage' - In which magazine/art gallery/etc will that be?

Some times the person making the request calls me back, hours, days or even weeks later, telling me that they have thought about what I have said and am I still available to do the work - paid. 

Reasonable Enough

I consider myself quite reasonably priced. I don't display my prices on my site for one simple reason, I like to try and be as accommodating as possible for every budget. For example I did a very local wedding for £450 - a single photographer, venue in walking distance, and a handful of images on CD. The bride and groom were ecstatic. They had 2 weddings to pay for, one in the UK and one in the bride's home country. The wedding abroad was the 'big' one, so they wanted to keep UK costs to a minimum - no reception, no honeymoon, just simple service followed by the flight abroad. 

So, before you ask a photographer to do something for free for your career ask yourself this - What are you willing to invest in your career? And what returns do you expect to see on your investments?

"My Friend Has A Camera, So Why Should I Pay You?"

A frequently asked question, and ranks alongside "I am a young actor/model/singer/performer and have limited funds. Can't you just do the shots and give them to me? You'll get loads of exposure" (we'll address this question later)

This is a true account of a wedding which recently took place. It was sent to me by another photographer;

“A good friend of mine went to a wedding last Friday. The wedding was for 40 people, cost around £4200 for the venue. The bride spent over £1500 on a Charlotte Balbier wedding gown, she had a Jenny Packham hairpiece and amulet, she wore Jimmy Choo shoes of more than £1000.

The cake was “Amazing” and apparently there were “flowers and huge swags everywhere”. The earrings cost “an arm and a leg”. There was a horse-drawn carriage and fireworks at the end of the day.

However, the couple decided they didn't need a wedding photographer as a 'friend' had a camera and could do the job. First of all the camera battery died during the vows, but it was ok as she had a spare. Unfortunately she was using a 'cheap and cheerful' CF card which became corrupted leaving only 23 images available from the 'thousands' taken. All 23 images are of the flowers.”

This couple are left with no photographs of the people who shared their wedding day, but they do have some lovely photos of some flowers they once bought.

Moral of the tale?

Professional photographers offer a 'professional service', and as with every professional service there are charges. Those charges are there for very good reasons, but ask yourself this - “What price memories?” because in the end photographs are memories made tangible.