Sensor Dust - Zeelon Anti-Static Blower

After about two years of doing all I could to stop dust reaching my K10D's sensor, it has finally happened and I have a fairly sizeable mark that refuses to be shifted by vibrating the sensor. Amateur Photographer magazine has reviewed the Zeelon anti-static blower in its latest issue. It uses filters to prevent dust being sucked into the blower and hence then blown on to the sensor. The air is negatively charged to repel the dust from the positively charged sensor. Their conclusion is that it works well enough but is possibly over priced at £39.95.

I bought a Pentax digital SLR sensor cleaning kit two years ago but have never needed it until now.

I am a complete novice when it comes to sensor cleaning and it scares me to death!

Is a blower better (safer) than the cleaning kit? Has anyone tried the one above?
Would I be better off using the Pentax kit even though it it two years old?

Thanks,
John

Use the Pentax kit, the blowers can cause more problems than they solve. There is a video on youtube demonstrating its use.

By the way, someone at Pentax has a sense of humour as the part number for the kit is O-ICK1

K.

There is no need for any trepidation, you aren't even going to touch the sensor itself but a piece of glass in front of it. Just make sure the battery is fully charged and follow the cleaing kit's instructions, you will be fine. The blower reviewed in AP wont be any more powerful than any other one of a similar size.

I once had sensor dust but since using a Giottos Rocket occasionally and an Eclipse cleaning set twice (in five years) all has been well.

i have been using the pentax sensor claening system for the past 20 months and its still working fine - its a good piece of kit, easy to use and does a good job. just remember not to put much pressure on the sensor and you will be fine - the youtube video is a good one to watch

Many thanks for your advice, everyone. I have also watched the Youtube video which, along with your help, has given me enough confidence to tackle the job.

John

I have experienced sensor cleaning in other ways. After stupidly changing lenses in dusty cambodia my sensor got literally smothered with dust and grime. I too got scarrrrreeeeeeddd. After some advice I bought a rocket blower off ebay for next to nothing. I soon discovered a little technique that simply cannot fail: mount your K10 on your tripod with the lens facing down to the ground, remove your lense slowly, open up the sensor, and from underneath carefully insert the rocker blower into the camera a good cm distance from the sensor......then blow like mad. This way having your mount facing down all dust that is blown off the sensor and around is blown out of the camera not around other areas of the camera waiting to stick back onto the sensor the next time its open. This method might seem a bit odd, but I can tell you, for me all that dust from cambodia disappeared in a second. I disagree with other comments made. Cleaning a sensor with chemicals is far more risky the a simple blower