Dust

Just a quick brain picker pls.

My GX10 is my first DSLR, had it 9 months now and I'm starting to get dust spots spots on my images. The question is how easy is it to clean the sensor and what is the best method.

Cliff

Hi Cliff,
Easy to do if you know what to do, try here www.dust-aid.com and watch the small video, there are other ways to clean sensor's of which others will no doubt chip in with..

It is very easy and there are a few options about. I dont know what the precise Samsung menu option is but choose 'sensor clean'. Make sure your batteries are fully charged. The mirror goes up and the shutter opens. What you are cleaning is not the sensor itself but a glass filter in front of it. My method is to blast it with a Giottos Rocket Blower, dont use compressed air in a can because the propellant can come out. If that doesn't do the trick (some dust can be quite sticky, pollen perhaps?) I use Eclipse fluid and swabs. It isn't as daunting a process as it might seem.

link

It is easy to clean. Make sure the battery is fully charged before you start! You can try blowing the dust out with a Rocket cleaner, but I prefer to use an Arctic Butterfly brush, from Visible Dust to clean my sensor. Pentax also have a cleaning kit.
If you choose to use a liquid cleaner make sure it is suitable for your camera - some will damage the coating on the sensor.

If you choose to go with Gartmore's suggestion then you need E2 fluid not normal Eclipse fluid, which can damage tin oxide sensors!

Thanks for pointing that out Gwyn, I included the link so that GX10cliff could choose the right stuff. Funnily enough they used to list Eclipse E2 as the cleaner for the DS but that has changed to Eclipse. Cant see any ill effects though, over a year or so of use. Maybe the other way round is a problem.

E2 is diluted so as not to damage tin-oxide sensors. It won't harm non tin-oxide sensors. Eclipse is pure and can damage tin-oxide sensors, but is fine for other sensors.

My sensor was caked in rubbish and I bought one of these. Cleared it off nicely and havent had to do it again since.

I have one of these and it was sold as a Lens Pen! The felt end seems to leave a black residue on my finger so don't use that on the sensor , as for the brush, I would not have though of using that and still wouldn't.

Have you tried activating the sensor shake option? I usually do this a few times before applying the rocket blower, this should reduce the liklihood of dust being blown into the focus screen. The option should be under the custom menu (it is on the K10D).

I wont use anything other than my arctic butterfly!,,,,,used many things in the past but find "The Fly!" is by far the easiest and most effective thing for the job!.......................Ken

and dont use the blower if at all possible,you just end up with debris up inside the viewfinder!

They do different versions, one for lenses, one for the sensor and even one for lcd screens.
As I said ..worked fine on mine.

I use a Lens Pen to clean the sensor on my K110 with no problems.

As beakynet advises activating the sensor shake option works on my K200, I would think that holding the body of your K10 flat, sensor down, and 'shaking' the sensor should work.

Failing that there's always hot water and a Brillo pad!!!

Thank all, that's an amazing response. I have tried to use the cameras sensor shake system to remove it with no success. Will take a look at all mentioned methods and with a bit of courage (single malt probably) have a go. Keep you posted as to how it goes.

Thanks again
Cliff

I find plain steel wool is better, quite often the soap in the Brillo pads leaves a residue that gives a pink cast to my pictures.

The Lens Pen can leave some residue, but it is better than a blower or Arctic Butterfly at removing slightly stuck-on particles and marks. An ordinary cotton bud can be used for this as well. Breathe on the sensor before cleaning with either. Don't scrub hard with anything.

Take a test shot (over-exposed white sheet of paper at f16*) and repeat as necessary.

The residue (carbon powder from Lens Pen or cotton fibres from bud) can be removed with an Arctic Butterfly!

* Smaller apertures than this reveal even more rubbish, but ignorance is bliss! You will never get the sensor perfectly clean.