Any recommendations for how best to use an Arctic Butterfly?

[Shawn L]

A bought an Arctic Butterfly (724 SB) to rid my camera of the Canon-supplied extras it shipped with (really, they couldn't clean this before shipping it!?). I seem to have successfully moved the dust particles around on the sensor, but I'm not sure I've removed any of them.

I've made two passes, both dry. Would getting some cleaning solution on the bristles help? Or are two passes too few (do I need more patience)? Is there a different product I should try, instead?

As I'm completely new to this, any insights, comments, or suggestions are most welcomed

Thanks.

Shawn L.

[compupix]

I've used Photographic Solutions Sensor Swab Plus, pre-moistened with limited success. When I really need the sensor clean, I take it to Canon.

[victorwol]

When I really need a dirty sensor, I take it to Canon 

[Shawn L]

Thanks, Drew & Victor.

Is there a Canon location near you, or do you send it in?

Sending it in seems very, very unappealing to me.

Also, I've heard some people mentioning getting their camera back with a sensor as dirty as it was when they sent it in.

If you don't mind me asking, which Canon facilities have you had good success with?

FWIW, I'm in the San Francisco area.

Shawn L.

[victorwol]

That's me... I have not gotten any good results from Canon on the matter. Inspecting the camera with a loupe looks clean. But testing with a white frame at f22 and up always shows dirt and guild residues on the cleanings by Canon in VA at least. I clean myself now. If I need a deep clean of the camera, or have dirt on the pentaprism or something that requires take the camera apart. I send it it. They are good, it just I get better results doing it myself. It takes some practice to get it right. But now takes me about 15 minutes to get a pristine sensor. You just can't trust what you see with the loupe, one need to actually take a photo and analyze it to be sure.

[Shawn L]

Wow, I totally misread your first message, Victor (I missed the "need" part). My bad

If you don't mind sharing, what methodology do you use when you clean?

Shawn L.

[compupix]

I've never had any problems with the Irvine, CA facility. I drop it off. Sometimes I wait for it. Sometimes I ask them to ship it back to me.

[Shawn L]

Thanks again, Drew

Shawn L.

[seanature]

For routine cleaning, I do use the Arctic Butterfly, though it can take several passes.

Do spin the brush for about 10 seconds between each pass to make sure the bristles get "charged." Don't use a lot of force with the brush on the sensor. It's the end of the bristles that attract the dust, so lightly glide them over the sensor. If you use too much force, the part that attracts dust will be dragged behind and actually make less contact with the sensor.

I generally make four passes. I start twice from each end of the sensor and I lift the brush out just before I reach the other end. (If you go all the way across, I've found you just get more dust in the edges, where it's really hard to remove.)

Sometimes dust specks seem to get welded to the sensor and you will need to do a wet cleaning procedure to remove them. I use Eclipse fluid, though I don't like the Eclipse sensor swabs. Their quality control doesn't seem to be what it once was. Their swabs seem to shed fibers that require more work with a blower bulb or the brushes to remove. The Visible Dust people make V-Swabs that seem to work well.

If you do use the Eclipse sensor swabs, avoid the pre-moistened ones. I got two boxes once that were bone dry and didn't discover that until I was on assignment, well away from civilization. Maybe I'm the only one whose ever had a bad experience with them, but I figure that if you're selling products to clean sensors -- sensors that, if scratched, cost $2,000 to replace -- their quality control should be better than that.

One final note, you will not be able to remove every single speck of dust and you will drive yourself insane if you try. My goal is to get it down to a mere handful, which I can easily remove in post processing.

[Shawn L]

Sweet. Thank you, seanature.

Shawn L.

[compupix]

Yes. The Eclipse swabs do dry out in their packaging. Use the pre-moistened ones soon after purchase.