How to clean the CCD

[Mike Werner]

Anyone know how to clean your CCD ?? I have a digital SLR, and often the CCD gets dirty and it shows with small black spots on the photos. You can off course "work" the spots in Photoshop, but it's a pain.

The manual says "bring it in for professional cleaning"... yeah right, every month or so... It says notto use hair brushes, but hairless brushes. That has not proven to be effective. I'm a bit hesitant to use comressed air.

Any suggestions??

[DoctorIt]

Anyone know how to clean your CCD ?? I have a digital SLR, and often the CCD gets dirty and it shows with small black spots on the photos. You can off course "work" the spots in Photoshop, but it's a pain.

The manual says "bring it in for professional cleaning"... yeah right, every month or so... It says notto use hair brushes, but hairless brushes. That has not proven to be effective. I'm a bit hesitant to use comressed air.

Any suggestions??I haven't done it yet, but the Canon 300D has an actual feature within the menus that does an auto clean of the CCD. I would imagine is just locks up the mirror and exposes the CCD. Careful application of compressed air couldn't hurt - use at a distance so as not to blow the camera from your hand, AND just make sure its clean! I have a special head attachment that has a filter. I wouldn't trust the air coming out of any old compressor.

[fish]

Check this thread (http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=47) and this thread (http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=58) for more details on cleaning sensors.

[DoctorIt]

Check this thread (http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=47) and this thread (http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=58) for more details on cleaning sensors.After reading those two threads, I just want to clarify my first advice... I work in a research lab, and we have piped compressed air. The gun/nozzle that I mentioned is something pretty special that we use for all sorts of optics and micro-surface cleaning. Sorry, should have been more specific.

[Mike Werner]

Thanks.


Sorry for not having spotted the other threads... please don't whip me!!:wink