prsjnb wrote:
ChrisA wrote

This family-run business also trades under the name of 'Just' and is located less than 10 miles from where I live. They also sell pre-wetted swabs which, depending on the size of sensor to be cleaned, can cost up to £37.00 for 12. Whilst this may seem expensive, it is, IMHO, important to consider the whole 'package' and not simply the 'check-out' price.

The pre- and post-sale support this business offers is, in my experience, outstanding and refreshingly honest: by which I mean they will discuss your concerns and needs with you and not try to seduce you into buying products you don't need. For example, the fist time I spoke to them on the phone I was invited to drop in, which I did. I was given a warm welcome, provided with tea and given the undivided attention of the owner for at least 30 minutes. During this time he explained the whole cleaning process to me, demonstrated the same using a sensor that had been removed from a camera and reassured me that as the sensor is protected by a filter, there is very little risk of causing harm. He concluded by reiterating whet he had told me when I first e-mailed him with test images taken to show dust particles on my camera sensor: you don't need to clean it yet as under normal shooting conditions any dust present will not be be visible on the captured image and to avoid becoming an overly neurotic 'pixel peeper'. He then spent another 30-minutes showing me examples from his portfolio and the various ways an amateur can earn cash to subsidise their LBATotal cost to me £0.00.

A couple of days later I returned and said I had been much encouraged but would still like to see a demonstration of the cleaning cleaning process on an actual camera body (mine). This he then proceeded to do and 15 minutes later, including the taking of before and after 'test' shots, I had a spotless sensor. Total cost was, I believe, £20.00.

Subsequently I purchased from them a Dust-Aid Platinum (dry) Sensor Cleaning Kit and Eclipse (wet) Sensor Swabs, which I have used successfully, alone or in combination, to clean my GX10 and K20D sensors when absolutely necessary.

Small businesses offering exceptional service like this need and deserve our support: otherwise all that will remain will be the 'stack-em-high and sell them cheap (not) box shifters' who are not interested in serious, or refuse to allow, 'try before you buy', do not stock the wide range of accessories and ancillary equipment that we require (cf the related thread on local independent dealers on this thread) and are incapable, in the main, of giving informed advice and/or after-sales support; as is often the case when buying on ebay.

Jon