I think I've posted this link here before and I'm posting it again.
<http://www.prime-junta.net/pont/How_to/a_Brush_Your_Sensor/a_Brush_Your_Sensor.html>
The reason is that it just plain works and works well. I don't get a
lot of practice at sensor cleaning but I have a large family group shot
coming up this weekend and I decided it was time to clean the sensor. I
do it maybe once or twice a year. The last time was in September before
leaving on the big trip. Somewhere around the Mojave Desert a few dust
spots started showing up at f/11.
I normally clean for no dust visible at f/11 since I don't usually shoot
at smaller apertures. This time I decided to go for squeaky clean at
f/16. I applied my cleaning brush as usual but still noticed a dust
spot at f/16. I decided to get out the Pec Pads and some Eclipse
(methanol). I tried a different approach this time. Roll the Pec Pad
into a cylinder and put a few drops of Eclipse on the end. Apply like a
pencil eraser. Wrong! Pec Pads apparently have lots of dust and thread
cuttings on the end. It made a mess of my almost clean sensor.
Thinking back to when I've used Pec Pads before (wrapped around a tiny
spatula) I think I recognized those threads. I think they're there in
lesser numbers even if you're not using the cut ends like a brush.
Anyhow back to the trusty brush. Sweep this way, turn it over, sweep
that way, rap the brush on the table knife blade, repeat quite a few
times. Ah, clean again. Well, not quite f/16 quality. Looks clean at
100% at f/11 but f/16 still shows a tiny spot at 100%. The spot
disappears at about 50% magnification though. Probably won't show in a
print even if I should decide to shoot at f/16 (unlikely as that is).
Anyhow, I just thought I'd put in another plug for a safe, easy,
inexpensive and very effective way to clean a sensor.
Chuck Norcutt
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