After reviewing some images in photoshop I noticed what appeared to be somthing on the CCD. No problem....right? Well after checking the manual (Nikon D-100) the only way to get to the CCD is to pop the mirror up. This can only be accomplished with the purchase of an AC adapter. Well after $90.00 for the adapter and a speck grabber everything is fine. My question is do all manufacturers require the use of the same type of adapter? Nobody in Buffalo would touch this problem and was told It would have to be sent back to Nikon at a cost of about half of what my new equipment cost. At least I have this equipment for the future but what a racket this is.
Rich Z
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Cleaning ccd - Money well spent???
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10 posts • Page 1 of 1
by KHatch on April 14th, 2004, 10:00 am
A lot of people clean their own sensors with good success. I have yet to have to clean one. Canon recommends the AC adapter so you don't lose power mid-clean and the mirro comes down, etc. I've heard of people cleaning just with a fully charged battery.
Talk about a racquet, the SensorSwab kits are expensive ($45/12). Other people have made their own by wrapping a PecPad around something like a small rubbermaid spatula thingy. Myself, I paid good money for the equipment so I'll use what's recommended.
I'm surprised your camera didn't come with an ac adapter. Mine doubles as a battery charger too. I doubt a cleaning by Nikon would cost you 1/2 of what a new camera would cost but I've never used Nikon's service.
Some recommendations to help avoid dust on the sensor for anybody:
-Power the camera off before changing lenses. Less of a chance of a staticly charged sensor attracting dust.
-Point the front of the camera down as much as you can when changing lenses.
-Never take your lens off.
-Buy prosumer camera with a fixed lens.
Talk about a racquet, the SensorSwab kits are expensive ($45/12). Other people have made their own by wrapping a PecPad around something like a small rubbermaid spatula thingy. Myself, I paid good money for the equipment so I'll use what's recommended.
I'm surprised your camera didn't come with an ac adapter. Mine doubles as a battery charger too. I doubt a cleaning by Nikon would cost you 1/2 of what a new camera would cost but I've never used Nikon's service.
Some recommendations to help avoid dust on the sensor for anybody:
-Power the camera off before changing lenses. Less of a chance of a staticly charged sensor attracting dust.
-Point the front of the camera down as much as you can when changing lenses.
-Never take your lens off.
-Buy prosumer camera with a fixed lens.
I have no lid upon my head, but if I did you could look inside and see what's on my mind.
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by Rich Z on April 16th, 2004, 5:23 am
Keith,
I meant 1/2 the cost of the AC adapter not the whole camera. My battery charger is only that, a charger. Even at full battery charge the menu won't opperate the miror up function. At first I thought it might be a smudge on a new lens I purchased ( I did find a small smudge on the internal filter, which I cleaned). The store where I got the adapter gave me the same advice....
Camera off and facing down when changing lenses.
Fixed lens camera? I hope you were just kidding.
Thanks for your advice, I guess my experience could be called, Welcome To Digital Photography, LOL
Rich Z
I meant 1/2 the cost of the AC adapter not the whole camera. My battery charger is only that, a charger. Even at full battery charge the menu won't opperate the miror up function. At first I thought it might be a smudge on a new lens I purchased ( I did find a small smudge on the internal filter, which I cleaned). The store where I got the adapter gave me the same advice....
Camera off and facing down when changing lenses.
Fixed lens camera? I hope you were just kidding.
Thanks for your advice, I guess my experience could be called, Welcome To Digital Photography, LOL
Rich Z
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by KHatch on April 16th, 2004, 8:52 am
Rich Z wrote:Fixed lens camera? I hope you were just kidding.
Thanks for your advice, I guess my experience could be called, Welcome To Digital Photography, LOL
Rich Z
Yeah, I was kinda kidding.
It's just a bump in the big digital lurning curve. Remember when you could just blast air through one side and out the other? :laugh:
I have no lid upon my head, but if I did you could look inside and see what's on my mind.
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by jdavis44 on April 17th, 2004, 4:13 pm
I had a few specks on my CCD. I took it to Rowe Photography in Rochester, and they took care of it. They didn't charge me, they said they would. If your in Rochester, I would stop by there.
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by MBEimage on April 19th, 2004, 8:55 pm
I believe the Canon 10Ds can operate the cleaning cycle on a fully charged battery. The D30 and D60 had to be plugged in. That is why the 10D no longer comes with the adapter.
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Cleaning CCD
by Chet on April 9th, 2006, 4:23 pm
in the past I have placed the camera on the manual mode - selected a slow shutter speed of @ 8 - 10 seconds - placed the business end of a vaccum cleander near the lens mount - activated the shutter and voila - the sensor is clean - all that being said, I can't believe there is not "photo tekkie" or cottage industry for cleaning sensors -- I remain cold in Erie
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by KHatch on April 11th, 2006, 5:28 am
A couple of sensor cleaning links:
http://www.cleaningdigitalcameras.com/
http://www.pbase.com/copperhill/ccd_cleaning
Somewhere I have a bookmark that discusses the use of artist's or make up brushes in detail. The trick is to get a nice, soft nylon brush with minimal glue in the bristles for shipping. Blowing air through the nylon bristles creates a static charge in them which will attract the dust to the brush.
I've cleaned the sensor of my 5D this way and works great.
http://www.cleaningdigitalcameras.com/
http://www.pbase.com/copperhill/ccd_cleaning
Somewhere I have a bookmark that discusses the use of artist's or make up brushes in detail. The trick is to get a nice, soft nylon brush with minimal glue in the bristles for shipping. Blowing air through the nylon bristles creates a static charge in them which will attract the dust to the brush.
I've cleaned the sensor of my 5D this way and works great.
I have no lid upon my head, but if I did you could look inside and see what's on my mind.
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Well now...
by MarkK on April 11th, 2006, 7:23 pm
I just got my camera back from Nikon today after noticing a hair-like object across my images two weeks ago. Upon inspection I wasn't suprised to find a hair-like object on my sensor.
I first tried the Giotto Rocket-Air for the first time. I bought it when I bought the camera two years ago and never had to use it until now. I, too, never change a lens with the camera on, always point the camera down when changing lenses, turn it off when you're not going to use it for a few minutes (outfit changes, etc), etc., which might explain why I've gone so long without having to deal with this. Neeedless to say it didn't work.
Next step - take it to the local shop for a look-see. They tried the sensor swab ($35 for the kit) and it didn't even move the object so off it went to Nikon. Cough, cough $240 for a "standard cleaning and once over" cough, cough. Add to that the $100 camera rental for a replacement while mine was away. Sweet mother of mercy.
You can't be too carefull or cautious with these things. I have no idea how the heck a hair got in there but it did. Thank God it wasn't a scratched sensor or I would be in serious trouble.
Nikon suggests using a fresh, fully charged battery to flip open the mirror on my D-70 and on the D-70s as well as the D1X. No adopter needed.
On a lighter note, when I was in the shop the guys behind the counter (people I know and trust. I must, I let them touch my cameras) were telling me about this new method a regular customer promotes when it comes to cleaning the sensor. He calls it the tie-on method. When he notices debris on the sensor, he opens up the mirror and cleans the sensor with the tie he's wearing at the moment. He demonstrated his technique to the counter people and no, he's never had any of his digital cameras in for cleaning or repair.
Anyone brave enough to try this?
Mark
I first tried the Giotto Rocket-Air for the first time. I bought it when I bought the camera two years ago and never had to use it until now. I, too, never change a lens with the camera on, always point the camera down when changing lenses, turn it off when you're not going to use it for a few minutes (outfit changes, etc), etc., which might explain why I've gone so long without having to deal with this. Neeedless to say it didn't work.
Next step - take it to the local shop for a look-see. They tried the sensor swab ($35 for the kit) and it didn't even move the object so off it went to Nikon. Cough, cough $240 for a "standard cleaning and once over" cough, cough. Add to that the $100 camera rental for a replacement while mine was away. Sweet mother of mercy.
You can't be too carefull or cautious with these things. I have no idea how the heck a hair got in there but it did. Thank God it wasn't a scratched sensor or I would be in serious trouble.
Nikon suggests using a fresh, fully charged battery to flip open the mirror on my D-70 and on the D-70s as well as the D1X. No adopter needed.
On a lighter note, when I was in the shop the guys behind the counter (people I know and trust. I must, I let them touch my cameras) were telling me about this new method a regular customer promotes when it comes to cleaning the sensor. He calls it the tie-on method. When he notices debris on the sensor, he opens up the mirror and cleans the sensor with the tie he's wearing at the moment. He demonstrated his technique to the counter people and no, he's never had any of his digital cameras in for cleaning or repair.
Anyone brave enough to try this?
Mark
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