Sensor Dust > Wiped Out

Well, I did go to J-One to send in my dad’s Canon AE-1 Program. Asked Jason to give my sensor a pump of air to remove those stubborn gremlins. My small blower didn’t succeed in it. Jason used this blue colour rubber blower with a metal tip. Just a few pumps and my sensor was clean. My dad ended up getting the blower for me.

It’s from (and made in) Switzerland, made from rubber and lasts a darn long time. The brand’s A*F and the model is No. 18666. If you haven’t heard of it, that’s because it’s not as popular as the Giottos Rocket Air Blower which I did want at one time. This one is used by Swiss watch crafters. Well, it’s also used in photographic equipment. The best part about it is the fact that it lasts so long. Jason’s one has been used for (he claimed) 15 years. His looks really grubby, but the best part is it’s stronger than the new ones there! Meh, I’ll pump mine everyday to make it stronger.

Here’s a test after blowing the sensor:

There are probably some tiny particles sticking to the sensor but with regular blowing, they will disappear.

It’s more expensive than the aforementioned Giottos Rocket Air, but I’d say it’s well worth it. It doesn’t have a long nozzle like the Rocket Air, but that’s because it’s already strong enough and doesn’t need one. The control of the air stream from vigorous to gentle is very nice. Highly recommended!

Next cleaning product? LensPen (ProPack I) and maybe Peca Premium Grade Optical Tissue (it’s lintfree!) along with Peca Formula MC cleaning fluid. Just maybe.

Sensor Dust!!!

Using a dSLR has many consequences, the main one being the price of the body. And of course the price of lenses, packs, flashes, accessories, etc. The other problem dSLR users face, as I have only just learned, is sensor dust.

Sensor dust is obviously, dust particles that stick onto your sensor, thus the name. This occurs during the changing of lenses, and also if the rear of your lens isn’t clean, and when the sensor is started up, it has an electrostatic charge, which will get the dust to stick onto it. Until it gets wiped out (or blown, in this case), that is. I’ve got a whole lot of them…

How do you detect sensor dust? Get a white piece of paper, set your camera to maybe aperture priority, set exposure compensation up bu 0.7 or 1, then fire the shutter, shaking the camera at the same time. Shaking the camera will not blur out the dust, as it is directly on the light sensor. Instead, it’ll be clearer.

Here’s a look at my results.

I thought “what the fish!” at this point already.

Some aren’t very visible due to resizing, but I tell you, it’s there.

Could be going to Amcorp Mall tomorrow to send in my dad’s old Canon AE-1 Program 35mm Mechanical SLR tomorrow to J-One, it’s in need of refurbishing and cleaning up. However, if it has a power source, it still starts up perfectly So, ok, if I do go, I’ll ask uncle Jason from J-One to maybe blow (my blower isn’t powerful enough) or (if he has the sensor brush), give my sensor a swipe or two. And maybe I’ll buy my own blower.

Dammit, I hate dust.