Dust on sensor

Despite being scrupulously careful when changing lenses, leaving the camera body exposed for a minimum time and removing the lens caps just as I attach the lens, some specks were appearing on the photos. I tried the in-camera sensor dust removal but that didn't shift them and of course leaves the dust in the chamber, so I took the body to London Camera Exchange where they cleaned the sensor while I waited. Apparently because the Pentax sensor is mounted on a moveable mount it is a more delicate operation than with fixed sensors. They charged £29.99 which isn't too bad. I did enquire about DIY cleaning kits but the staff advised that what they use is professional grade and best to leave it to them. What do others do? They did warn me about one thing - always make sure the battery is fully charged before exposing the sensor because if it shuts down then disaster!

I know others regularly clean their own sensors very successfully but I just live with the filth and clone out the specks. Later cameras (K5 is as late as I go) are much better, I find, than the earlier ones like the K100D.

I never change lenses outside, sticking with what's on the camera all day, but inevitably some muck gets in.

I've even got sensor filth on three supposedly sealed compact cameras which is more serious because the specks look much bigger on the tiny sensors and because removal would involve major surgery. Every time I extend the lens on my beloved MX-1 I wince a bit...

I have been very lucky, though I am careful too - even point the camera downwards when changing lenses, in all the time I've been shooting digital and with all the various cameras I have I have only had the following:

1) Canon G10 compact - had a lot of years of severe battering - falling on concrete and tarmac with regular, almost boring, regularity sent flying whilst on a tripod to the ground at Gwrych castle and falling two floors in an old abandoned hospital. It has taken all that abuse in it's stride - built like a ruddy tank - except one of the falls did see the casing come apart a little - couple of milemetres or so. Pressed it back together firm and it soldiered on.

After a while though it did develop some dirt on the sensor. I just lived with it as it pretty much never gets used now - too many other . more up to date cameras.

2) My Pentax K5 11 - whilst in Scotland earlier this year I suddenly noticed something appearing in every shot and on inspection found something on the sensor. I grabbed my blower, like this one, squeezed it and then pointed the nozzle as close as I dared to the sensor and let the bulb bit reflate to act like a vacuum cleaner. Luckily it did the job nicely.

Always cleaned mine myself, usually after a summer spent at many festivals they are due a clean. I use pre soaked swabs I bought from eBay, work a treat.

I frequently run across incredible deals on used camera bodies; everything from camera bodies that are one a few hundred -to ones (medium format) where the sensor alone is worth in excess of ten thousand.

The single largest item I come across is how the sensors are effected. I've seen more than a fair share that can only be cleaned professionally, some that are simply beyond repair. Still, it is typically worth a try, but...

Pentax has one of the best clean sensor functions on the market. Pentax is also far above average when it comes to mapping sensor issues. I've even found a few post processing items that help, particularly if they effected area is off center a bit.

It also depends upon the subject that one is photographing. Blue sky tends to showoff nearly any sensor defect, while most issues will go relatively unnoticed in most subjects.

I don't think 'dust' is a sensor defect or can render a sensor 'beyond repair'..
Dust bunnies reveal themselves at high f numbers (small aperture) they are more noticeable where there is less detail in the scene to hide them, but they can still show up.
I don't think any sensor is unprotected by a glass filter therefore the dust is never actually on the sensor, but on the filter..

It's worth mentioning that no fluids should be used on the sensor assembly, except to slightly dampen whatever is used as a cleaning device. A friend of mine has ruined his sensor by using liquid on it, which got behind the filter and caused blotches as it dried. Cost of repair was enormous. It wasn't a Pentax camera by the way,

Mornin' Rob. My first serious DSLR was the *istD which I took on safari to the Masia Mara. This got quite dusty during my 7 day stay. However I cleand it with a cleaning kit I bought at the then FOCUS show at the NEC.
The *istD and the K10 had one hell of a THRRUUMMPP (that's the only way I can describe it) which you could both feel and hear.
Now of course it seems like the dust cleaning op is "hypersonic"? VHF?. It can't be felt or heard and my ex K5iis and my present K3 & K3ii don't seem to need cleaning. The built in dust removal prog. seems to me to work perfectly. Of course I take some precautions like turning away from the prevailing wind and pointing the camera downwards when changing lenses.
You can buy swabs on sticks with little bottles of cleaning fluid and DIY. It's not hard and works a treat.
CHEERS Vic.

Thanks all, I have decided to to buy a Pentax sensor cleaning kit for future use together with one of those puffer things. I also wonder whether I inadvertently caused the problem when I noticed dust specks on the mirror which I flicked off with a soft brush.