Cleaning the sensor

[woogiekids]

I bought my Nex5N used, and took a pic of the moon this morning to test my IQ on the far end of the zoom. Holy sensor dust batman! What is everyone's preferred method for sensor cleaning? Just a blower?

NEX-5N    ---    210mm    f/22.0    1/25s    ISO 200

 

[Nubster]

I'd start with the blower or compressed air.

If that doesn't work well enough, maybe try some of those sensor wipes on a stick or have it professionally done. I like the fact that the sensor is right there instead of deep inside the body like a DSLR...makes it a little easier to maintain if you choose to do so yourself.

 

[NickCyprus]

Doesn't the Nex have a sensor cleaning function?

 

[Frank Teurlings]

Ensure that the battery level is sufficient, clean running the Nex5N menu, use cleaning brush but not the bladder sensor touch and be careful with compressed air otherwise you water droplets in the camera House. If that does not help go to a photo shop and let it carry out professionally and don't go try yourself if you have no experience with it here. The process is clearly difined on page 152 of the manual.

 

[RalllyFan]

Doesn't the Nex have a sensor cleaning function?

Indeed it does - and it works probably 90% of the time for me. I'd try that before anything. For stubborn spots, I just use a blower.

 

[woogiekids]

I must be dense, because I looked on the menu and didn't see anything for that. I'll check again when I get home. Thanks!

 

[lenshoarder]

Ensure that the battery level is sufficient, clean running the Nex5N menu, use cleaning brush but not the bladder sensor touch and be careful with compressed air otherwise you water droplets in the camera House. If that does not help go to a photo shop and let it carry out professionally and don't go try yourself if you have no experience with it here. The process is clearly difined on page 152 of the manual.

I would not use compressed air of any sort on a sensor. It can be too strong or there will be stuff in it, lubricants or propellants. I would use a hand blower. Get something like a rocket blower or something like that.

As for cleaning it yourself or professionally. It's not that hard to clean yourself. It's a misonmer that the sensor is cleaned. The sensor is behind a piece of glass protecting it. That piece of glass is no more fragile than a lens or a filter. Do people take their filters or lenses to be professionally cleaned everytime there's a bit of dust on it? That glass protecting the sensor is actually pretty tough. How tough? Here's my tale about how I cleaned one of mine.

I tried to destroy the sensor, I really did! - Micro Four Thirds User Forum

 

[RalllyFan]

I must be dense, because I looked on the menu and didn't see anything for that. I'll check again when I get home. Thanks!

It's in the setup menu. When I use it, it doesn't seem like it's doing anything, but my pictures after the fact show evidence of success. If when stopped down to f16, if I do still see a spot or two I'll use the blower (rocket blower).

 

[Luckypenguin]

A blower is often enough to remove the worst of the dust from a sensor. When I have had to physically clean a sensor I've used a Lenspen SensorKlear.

 

[gio]

hold the camera ,lens downward when using the camera cleaning method, if that does not work then it's a blower (a hand operated one, I use the giotto rocket blower) then as a last resort clean the sensor, get some cleaners on a stick from amazon, follow the instructions "et voila", this is a very simple operation, do not be put of by the hype,its a simple process, and much simpler on the NEX as the sensor is right there at the mouth and not recessed down in the camera.

 

[msullivan]

these are excellent suggestions. We will all face having to do this eventually.

 

[gio]

these are excellent suggestions. We will all face having to do this eventually.

it's a lot easier than you think