Canon's unsuccessful sensor cleaning on a 5D Mark IV

[notapro]

Hello, Everyone.

I received my 5D Mark IV today from a Canon factory service repair center (New Jersey).

I sent it in to have the sensor cleaned.

Attached is an image of how things turned out.

Mightly disappointed, I must say.

Canon is taking it back to give things another go. I'm going to print an image of the photo and include it in the box. Maybe it will help the Canon person know what to do differently.

Anyone have this sort of thing happen?

 

[YuengLinger]

I'd be unhappy, but if it involved sending back and forth by mail I might ask for a credit or refund and just clean it myself at home.

Do you, by any chance, have a shot of how it looked BEFORE the cleaning?

 

[notapro]

Hello, YuengLinger.

I don't have a shot of the sensor before I sent it to Canon. There were a few spots (around 5-7) at the top of the frame, which I'm guessing would be at the bottom of the sensor.

I have a 5D Mark III I can use while the newer body is out of service, so I'll go with sending the Mark IV to Canon as many times as they'll take it. They're paying the shipping and handling on the return.

The last time this happened was with a Rebel T3i (my first camera). I purchased it from a "big box" retailer, and after the second unsuccessful sensor cleaning by their lab (who knows what or where the lab was), they replaced the camera. That first Rebel had around 20 dust spots that would appear at f/13 (I was photographing airplanes).

I've cleaned successfully the sensor on my Mark III, but I wanted to avoid the potential frustration of another sensor cleaning, especially since Canon (US) only charges $64.44 (including shipping and hanlding) for a "7-point Image Sensor Cleaning".

I'm hopeful, but not optimistic, about what Canon will do the second time around. On the Mark III, one camera shop said the sensor was clean, despite my showing them an image with the multiple spots visible in the frame. Another camera shop was going to clean the sensor, but stopped, saying there was nothing to clean. They said my photograph/image of the dirty sensor wasn't accurate and that maybe the spots were from something other than the sensor.

I was annoyed, so I purchased stuff and cleaned it myself. A bit frustrating due to the learning curve, but it ended well.

For now, I'll hope for the best.

 

[Ryananthony]

I couldn't imagine sending one of my cameras to canon every time I wanted the sensor cleaned.

 

[niels123]

That looks not good! Some years ago, I had my 5D III sensor's damaged due to the shutter making contact with it when it moved. This was a factory error that affected a small percentage of camera's and the sensor was replaced under warranty. These horizontal 'stripes' on my damaged sensor look quite familiar to what I see on your sample pic :-\

 

[tpatana]

I'm happy I learned to clean with my Rebel, so now I'm not afraid to clean my 5D4 or 1DX.

 

[cpsico]

What was it cleaned with a sand blaster?

 

[Valvebounce]

Hi cpsico.
Nah, that's not sand blasted, that would be a more uniform matt finish, that looks more like the old engineers favourite, the oily rag!
Seriously though, that is disgraceful! If I received that I'd be getting a refund on the cost and carriage and doing it myself, much like tpatana I'm happy I learned to clean on my 300D, now I'm not afraid to clean my 7D's or 1DsIII.

Cheers, Graham.

What was it cleaned with a sand blaster?

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

canon does not wet clean sensors, they use a dry method. That looks like it might be oil or grease, but where did it come from?

They will send a return shipping label, just call or email.

 

[notapro]

Canon has agreed to take the camera back and perform a cleaning service again. Canon is also paying the shipping costs.

I certainly hope for a better result. Is it true that Canon does only a dry cleaning of their sensors?

If I end up going for a wet cleaning on my own, I plan to use Visible Dust swabs (green) and Dust Patrol's Gamma Optical Cleaning Fluid.

For those who wish to share how many swabs they use for a wet cleaning to get their sensors fully clean, I'd be curious to know your number. I went through five to get my 5D Mark III clean, but the first time I tried a wet cleaning, I used around 15 swabs. It was a bit of a learning curve for me.

Incidentally, the attached photo for this post was taken at f/22. In the past, I used f/32, but I'll be all right with a sensor that looks clean at f/22.

 

[Talys]

Canon has agreed to take the camera back and perform a cleaning service again. Canon is also paying the shipping costs.

I certainly hope for a better result. Is it true that Canon does only a dry cleaning of their sensors?

If I end up going for a wet cleaning on my own, I plan to use Visible Dust swabs (green) and Dust Patrol's Gamma Optical Cleaning Fluid.

For those who wish to share how many swabs they use for a wet cleaning to get their sensors fully clean, I'd be curious to know your number. I went through five to get my 5D Mark III clean, but the first time I tried a wet cleaning, I used around 15 swabs. It was a bit of a learning curve for me.

Incidentally, the attached photo for this post was taken at f/22. In the past, I used f/32, but I'll be all right with a sensor that looks clean at f/22.

I'd just take it to a local shop to have it cleaned, if you're not comfortable with doing it yourself.

Cleaning the sensor is very easy to do though. I have never used anything close to 15 swabs. More like... 2, and a grabby stick? But my sensors don't look anything like yours, either. That looks like it's been dragged through a swamp. I guess.. what on earth is on that sensor? I can only assume that it's not dust, because the horizontal line -- well, I just can't see how dust would smear like that.

Second, maybe I'm wrong, but it doesn't matter whether you use f/22 or f/32 (just expose it for longer at f/32). The way I test mine -- and if there's a better way, please do tell -- I set it to max aperture, set the shutter to a couple of seconds (long enough to get a white exposure on a white target), point a constant light at something big and white, and then press the shutter and swirl the camera around.

Where there's dust, there should be no light shining through, ergo dark spot. It doesn't really matter if the white target is dirty, because the camera is moving around (and not in focus anyhow).

 

[notapro]

Hi, Talys.

I've not had much luck with camera shops. They've told me dirty sensors were clean (two different shops). I've had estimates from other places of up to $100.

That's why I cleaned my T3i and 5D Mark III. At just under $65 for Canon to do the service, I thought I'd try it out for the 5D Mark IV. I'll shoot at f/8 to f/20 with some frequency, so having a sensor with no spots at smaller apertures is important for me. I can use the Mark III in the meantime.

For those of you who do your own cleaning, you're getting a fully clean sensor at f/22 or smaller aperture?

 

[[email protected]]

For those of you who do your own cleaning, you're getting a fully clean sensor at f/22 or smaller aperture?

I think I have good days and bad days in cleaning sensors. On a good day, it's a one or two swab affair. Last week i wasted maybe 8. I'd put too much fluid on the swab, and I wound up with droplets. Interestingly, the pattern of the droplets dragged across the shutter by the next swab made a result that looks very much like yours.

I should add an eye dropper to my cleaning kit to make sure I get just the right amount of fluid on the swab.

I might waste a few swabs, but I always get it so that I can see no dust in subsequent tests.

 

[pwp]

I'm lucky that my studio is 15 minutes drive from our local CPS. They offer over the counter while you wait sensor cleans for members. I've had bodies back in my hands in my hands as quick as three minutes. Since my first digital body, the original 1Ds, every sensor clean has been perfect. It's probably been three or four years since I've needed a sensor clean, something I attribute to the sensor clean technology in the newer bodies, and increased care with lens changes. Windy dusty environments are an obvious no-no, and making the change as quick as practical must help. If I know I have a job in a dirty location like an oil refinery or a mine, I'll take three bodies, one with 16-35, one with 24-70 and one with 70-200. No lens changes required!

-pw

 

[niels123]

In The Netherlands we have a company called Chipclean. They only clean sensors (and occasionally do some AFMA); they do an excellent job and use some secret method that makes the sensor anti-static to dust, so it stays clean much longer compared to when Canon cleans it.

 

[Jopa]

What was it cleaned with a sand blaster?

Pressure washer with some soap most likely.

I bet it's not that funny for the owner though

 

[sanj]

This is bad.
I have gotten my sensor cleaned about 10 times on various cameras (before every big trip) but can't trust the cleanliness.
Canon is wonderful at service generally but cleaning is something I do not trust them with. Sad.

 

[GammyKnee]

I've never used a sensor brush, but I imagine if you used a dirty brush (especially one that had caught some oil), that's what it might produce. Shameful job by the service center.

Up to this point I've used the roll-your-own swab method (reusable sensor wand plus pec pad). Sometimes I get a lovely clean result fast, but sometimes I go for swab after swab, always having just one more spec to clean up.

I've now got one of those Eyelead gel cleaning sticks; I haven't had to use it yet (little bit cautious), but my plan is is that if a wet clean is perfect apart from one annoying spec in a bad place I can just mop it up with the stick.

 

[weixing]

Hi,

I certainly hope for a better result. Is it true that Canon does only a dry cleaning of their sensors?

Canon service center in my country once told me that they don't do contact cleaning... they only use air to clean.

Have a nice day.

 

[tpatana]

What was it cleaned with a sand blaster?

Pressure washer with some soap most likely.

I bet it's not that funny for the owner though

They saw these tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrdkFXsr5Us