DSLR sensor cleaning

[alex]

has anybody gone through having their camera cleaned, the sensor in particular? my 20D came out before Canon started enabling the censor vibration at startup (to help shake off dust particles) and it's accumulated quite the dust collection over the last few years. I also, stupidly, figured I'd use some compressed air to help with the situation, but let's just say that there's a reason why they say not to do that. anyway, I need this thing taken apart & properly cleaned, if possible. does anybody have any experience with sending hardware out to somebody else to be serviced like this? any recommendations?

[Halt! Hammerzeit.]

You don't need to take it apart. Just put it in cleaning mode, and get some cleaning swabs.

This one has been getting pretty good reviews around the photo forums: http://www.copperhillimages.com/shoppin ... n.php?id=3

But as far as sending it out, I did it once to Canon through warranty service. It did the job, but they had my camera for 3 weeks

[alex]

I worry about damaging the sensor if I do it myself.. though I certainly like the price on that -- shipping it out to somebody else to do it would likely be stupid expensive.

[Halt! Hammerzeit.]

The sensor is protected by a filter--making it pretty hard to damage the sensor itself. And with a use once and throw-away product, you really can't fuck it up.

[WrenchHead]

Someone I know ruined their 40D when the mirror came back down out of cleaning mode while they had a swab in there.

I've cleaned mine before and it's dusty as hell right now. I'm going to use a q-tip, because I'm a cheap bastard. You have to know what you're doing, but the collective 'you' people on strangetalk are probably as intelligent as the kid at the camera store who'll charge you 30 bucks to do the same thing.

[Talenos]

In Ames, I would just go to the ITC building I think. There was a guy there who would clean all the sensors and stuff.

[Halt! Hammerzeit.]

Someone I know ruined their 40D when the mirror came back down out of cleaning mode while they had a swab in there.

I've cleaned mine before and it's dusty as hell right now. I'm going to use a q-tip, because I'm a cheap bastard. You have to know what you're doing, but the collective 'you' people on strangetalk are probably as intelligent as the kid at the camera store who'll charge you 30 bucks to do the same thing.

It costs $100+ at a camera store to have them clean it, at least around here.

[WrenchHead]

You can get 6 of these for under 2 bucks a pop:

http://cgi.ebay.com/6pcs-D-SLR-Sensor-C ... 7C294%3A50

It bothers me that in the photo the person is cleaning the MIRROR and not the sensor.

[alex]

This one has been getting pretty good reviews around the photo forums: http://www.copperhillimages.com/shoppin ... n.php?id=3

copper hill method, ftw.
time consuming & somewhat nerve-wracking, but it seems to work great. danke.

[Turbo]

my roommate might know something about this, he works at what used to be Walden Photo in Ames and does quite a bit of this stuff as a hobby.

[daoist]

Someone I know ruined their 40D when the mirror came back down out of cleaning mode while they had a swab in there.

I've cleaned mine before and it's dusty as hell right now. I'm going to use a q-tip, because I'm a cheap bastard. You have to know what you're doing, but the collective 'you' people on strangetalk are probably as intelligent as the kid at the camera store who'll charge you 30 bucks to do the same thing.

I don't know anything about cleaning cameras, but as far as cleaning VCRs and DVD players, you're absolutely right too.