Sensor cleaning: DIY sensor brush

[Leif]

Searching BF I came across this link:

http://www.prime-junta.net/pont/How_to/a_Brush_Your_Sensor/a_Brush_Your_Sensor.html

It shows how to use a Nylon brush as a sensor brush. So, has anyone on BF tried this method and if so where did you obtain a brush from? (I know one BF member has used this technique.)

Leif

[Yelvertoft]

Searching BF I came across this link:

http://194.100.88.243/petteri/pont/...sor.html?page=1

It shows how to use a Nylon brush as a sensor brush. So, has anyone on BF tried this method and if so where did you obtain a brush from? (I know one BF member has used this technique.)

Leif

Hi Leif,

Your link didn't work for me. Are you talking about this article?
http://www.prime-junta.net/pont/How_to/a_Brush_Your_Sensor/a_Brush_Your_Sensor.html

Duncan.

[Leif]

Hi Leif,

Your link didn't work for me. Are you talking about this article?
http://www.prime-junta.net/pont/How_to/a_Brush_Your_Sensor/a_Brush_Your_Sensor.html

Duncan.

Ooops.

Thanks for the correction.

Another question is how do people charge the brush?

Leif

[Mr Saphire]

Hi Lief
I use this method, as I don't like the idea of using the wet wipes. I bought a Windor and newton.Cotman 777 1/2", I think it is synthetic, it wasn’t cheap it was around £9. I washed the brush loads of times in baby shampoo and left it to dry naturally. I then checked there was no oils or grease left on the brush by brushing it across a plain piece of glass a few hundred times, this shows up eventually as smears if it is not clean enough. Give a final wash in shampoo then leave to dry. The only thing I haven’t been able to do is give it a static charge other then using the compressed air, which if you are not careful can contain moister. I find it works great, I just make sure I never touch the bristles with my fingers as they could contain grease. If I find all the dust is not removed I have the Jessops lens vacuum cleaners, on the sucking end I have put a 2” piece of aquarium tubing, the very soft pliable type, this is great because you can bend it into the corners and you are not frightened of damaging the sensor if you touch it.

[Don Hoey]

Ooops.

Thanks for the correction.

Another question is how do people charge the brush?

Leif


You could use Kenair, a Kenro product from a photographic dealer. In the link he appears to be using a similar product. I have used this product for years in a darkroom environment without ever getting moisture on my negs. It is important that you DO NOT shake the can and only use it upright to avoid possibility of moisure. If it has become shaken as in getting it home from the shops give it time to settle before using.

[Ragna]

Leif i use a brush i got from Copperhill you dont use air but rub the brush on a piece of paper to give it a charge.Cost about £11 including postage from America. Only used it once but it seems to work ok. web site is www.copperhillimages.com and to see how it works www.pbase.com/copperhill/ccd-cleaning. its called the S.ensorSweep

[Saphire]

Ragna which one did you go for just the brush or the brush on the fly kit the prices seem to have come down quite a bit.

[Ragna]

Christine i just got the brush,had been looking at the Invisibledust brush but thought this way overpriced.What the brush on the fly kit?

[Ragna]

Christine just checked Copperhill's website and the brush on the fly kite includes a small battery operated blower to charge the brush dont know how good it is but the price seems ok.

[Dave Adshead]

Hi,
I've just cleaned the sensor of my Canon 1D Mk2, myself for the first time, I used the swabs purchased from Intemos, follow the link for details.
www.intemos.com/home.asp

I also use a Tetenal CO2 dust gun, which is a lot safer than the Kenair type products, you don't get the liquid propellant discharging onto the sensor, follow this link.
www.speedgraphic.co.uk/pdfiles/p23.pdf
Dave

[Leif]

Thanks for the replies.

I bought a 3/8" nylon artists brush from a craft supplies shop for about £4 and a rocket air blower from Warehouse Express. After 2 cleans the brush was still dirty, so I tried isopropyl alcohol followed by soapy water, which worked. The original link suggests using canned air to charge the brush. But that seemed wasteful, and expensive, so I used the rocket air blower to charge the brush, and would you believe it, I now have a dust free sensor. Easy peasy!

Leif

[Dave Adshead]

Leif,
Take care with the rubber bulb type of blower, I went to The Gambia earlier this year and used one of those. Gambia was very dry and had plenty of fine sand around, I found that the rubber bulb type use to draw the dust into itself and then expell it onto/ into my camera. Never again, I've thrown mine away.
Dave

[Leif]

Leif,
Take care with the rubber bulb type of blower, I went to The Gambia earlier this year and used one of those. Gambia was very dry and had plenty of fine sand around, I found that the rubber bulb type use to draw the dust into itself and then expell it onto/ into my camera. Never again, I've thrown mine away.
Dave

Hi Dave

Yes, I do the cleaning at home. I would not recommend anyone using a blower to clean the sensor. Even at home there is a risk of a small piece of grit being fired at high speed onto the sensor. But I see no problem with using it to charge the brush. I also use a blower on lenses without problems.

In your case the solution would have been to store the blower in an air tight container such as a food bag, and only use it indoors, away from dust and drafts. I guess you sometimes learn the hard way,

Leif

[Henry B]

Leif,
Take care with the rubber bulb type of blower, I went to The Gambia earlier this year and used one of those. Gambia was very dry and had plenty of fine sand around, I found that the rubber bulb type use to draw the dust into itself and then expell it onto/ into my camera. Never again, I've thrown mine away.
Dave
Dave ,the Giotto Rocket blower has a separate air intake to avoid this very problem,got mine from W/E....hb

[Leif]

Dave ,the Giotto Rocket blower has a separate air intake to avoid this very problem,got mine from W/E....hb

Henry: I saw an identical looking 'rocket' in Jessops on Saturday for £6 (compared to £7 + £1.50 P&P from WE). However, I got mine last week from WE. They are usually the cheapest source!

It might sound odd to describe the rocket as cute, but that's what it is. Sad!

Leif

[Mr Saphire]

Just thought I would let you know I have received the brush on the fly kit from Copper Hill. Ordered the 24th, a 5 day turnround is excellent from the states. The blower is very strong considering its only battery, no more worries of putting moister on the brush. Now I have one to carry with me.

P.S This is Saphire, Mr forgot to log off.

[Ragna]

Christine yes the service is very good and it looks as if the brush on the fly kit is the better deal let us know how you get on cleaning your sensor.

[Saphire]

Christine yes the service is very good and it looks as if the brush on the fly kit is the better deal let us know how you get on cleaning your sensor.

Ragna. The blower works brilliantly in charging the brush. I have used it to clean the sensor and it works perfectly. I have been using the brush method since I got my 300d last year and now my 350d. I think it is a much safer method then using the wet method. It was just the charging of the brush I couldn't do, unless I used the tinned air and no matter how careful I was at not shaking the can, I have still had it splutter liquid. The Kit includes vellum paper as well, the total cost with postage was $30.95 don't know that that is converted. I would recommend the kit for anyone wishing to use this method.