D750: Unable to Clean Dust off Sensor

V

voxmagna

Senior Member
I have posted this to warn others. It worries me when you are out shooting and a seemingly unsolvable event occurs - either you get a setting configuration you accidentally set or in my case a dust spot on the sensor.

Whilst on holiday with my D750 and 24-85mm lens combo, I got back to our hotel and saw a dust spot on 50 shots. When outside it is virtually impossible to spot this on the preview screen in daylight. After working out my own tests and an algorithm to confirm a sensor dust spot whilst eliminating the lens and mirror I then went to the D750 menu to raise the mirror and remove the dust from the sensor. As part of my 'algorithm' I need to understand from the preview image where to look on the sensor but I'm sure I'll work that out if the sensor image is inverted and what focus setting best shows up sensor surface dust. I can fix my shots in Photoshop. But from now on I will open the lens and shoot a test shot to check for dust or lens blemish before taking a bunch of shots.

Then I find the mirror up option is grayed out! Fortunately I was able to search the internet to discover this option is only available with a freshly charged battery as in very charged! My battery had done 50 shots and was showing 3 bars with plenty of capacity left. For holiday shots I normally fit a fully charged battery which will last a day. Be warned! If you are out without a spare fully charged battery you will not be able to raise the mirror to clean the sensor using the menu options!

I think I found an emergency work around if you are very careful: Put the D750 into Manual shooting mode and turn the shutter speed dial to find the 'bulb' setting. Press and hold the shutter release to lift the mirror and expose the sensor. But note you must not release the shutter button whilst attempting to clean any dust from the sensor! Once you have identified where a dust spec is likely to be, it should be a fairly quick procedure to remove it.

Therein is a question for the DSLR pros. If there is a dust particle, blowing it off with a brush would seem to move it away where it could come back, vacuum suction seems a good idea, but is there a cleaning tool or product that causes a dust particle to stick to it without leaving contamination behind on the sensor surface?

Thanks - Vox
 
Danno

Danno

Senior Member
I do not have a D750, I have a D7200. I say that because with my camera the menu says it needs a minimum 50% charge. I would be very reluctant to clean the sensor with the camera turned on for fear that I might draw in more dust. I would also only use a rocket blower initially... no compressed air.

I did have a very stubborn dust spot a few months ago and I bought a gel stick. Specifically this one.

https://photographylife.com/product/sensor-gel-stick

This link has the whole story on the tool and method and also warns against some of the knock offs out there.
 
hark

hark

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
Turn the body so the opening faces the floor and use a blower brush. That will allow any particles to fall out. This is the video that Jake posted for me when my D600 wound up with the oil spots. It shows how to blow off the dust, too. If you require a wet cleaning for stubborn spots, you ALWAYS want to blow off any particles first. And to help make a wet cleaning easier, a loupe such as this one works well. https://amazon.com/gp/product/B0091SS310/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1


 
J

jay_dean

Senior Member
Theres a bloke camera repair shop in the next town along who swears that Rocket Blowers cause more harm than good, as they draw in dust/particles etc then blow them over the lens/sensor. He uses compressed air aerosol. Its not stopped me using mine from time to time, but i dont go anywhere near the sensor
 
4

480sparky

Senior Member
Cleaning a sensor with the wet method is actually so stupendously simple and easy, once you do it you'll be kicking yourself for not learning how the day you bought your first DSLR.

As for using a vacuum, think about it: it will not only suck up dust, but it will suck in a LOT OF AIR. And that air will need to be replaced. So you'll end up sucking a bunch of dusty air right into the camera.

As for rocket blowers, there's a right way and a wrong way to use them. The right way is to face the camera mount down at a 45° and and blow up, holding the blower at a 90° angle to the camera. This will allow the dust that's blown out to fall straight down, while the end of the rocket blower is held off to the side of the cascade of dust.
 
D

Don Kuykendall_RIP

RIP :(
Canned air can be very dangerous. The propellent can be blown instead of air if you tilt the can to much so beware.

I am a firm believer/user of the Sensor Gel Stick. I have been using one for several years now and it is fast, easy, and safe to use
 
V

voxmagna

Senior Member
Wow I didn't expect so many helpful replies.
I would be very reluctant to clean the sensor with the camera turned on for fear that I might draw in more dust.
Click to expand...

The D750 has to be powered to raise the mirror. It is kept up by battery power and the reason why they want you to have a charged battery else it could drop down unexpectedly whilst you have the cleaning tool over the sensor. Hence my caution using the Bulb open shutter. But sensibly you should check the battery level first and clean any dust as quickly as possible.

I've ordered an led illuminated sensor magnifier loupe to try because I think if you can't see the sensor surface you are cleaning in the dark. I hadn't appreciated the downside of using my vacuum cleaner to suck out dust! However, remember that if the vacuum orifice at the end of a soft tip can be small compared to the space it is used in. The force to extract dust close to the suction tip will be high compared to the forces needed to pull in dust some distance away. Your camera dust cleaning kit will be a clear ziplock seal bag with a fine air filter patch through which you move the suction tip. Hmm, I will try and make something or some dslr cleaning service already does it that way.
 
Horoscope Fish

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
Rocket blowers have never really done anything for me. I use a sensor brush or a swab and an lighted loupe so I can see what I'm doing. I've never needed anything else.

Cleaning a sensor is not rocket science nor does it require a Level 1 Clean Room.
 
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L

Lawrence

Senior Member
voxmagna said:
I have posted this to warn others. It worries me when you are out shooting and a seemingly unsolvable event occurs - either you get a setting configuration you accidentally set or in my case a dust spot on the sensor.

Whilst on holiday with my D750 and 24-85mm lens combo, I got back to our hotel and saw a dust spot on 50 shots. When outside it is virtually impossible to spot this on the preview screen in daylight. After working out my own tests and an algorithm to confirm a sensor dust spot whilst eliminating the lens and mirror I then went to the D750 menu to raise the mirror and remove the dust from the sensor. As part of my 'algorithm' I need to understand from the preview image where to look on the sensor but I'm sure I'll work that out if the sensor image is inverted and what focus setting best shows up sensor surface dust. I can fix my shots in Photoshop. But from now on I will open the lens and shoot a test shot to check for dust or lens blemish before taking a bunch of shots.

Then I find the mirror up option is grayed out! Fortunately I was able to search the internet to discover this option is only available with a freshly charged battery as in very charged! My battery had done 50 shots and was showing 3 bars with plenty of capacity left. For holiday shots I normally fit a fully charged battery which will last a day. Be warned! If you are out without a spare fully charged battery you will not be able to raise the mirror to clean the sensor using the menu options!

I think I found an emergency work around if you are very careful: Put the D750 into Manual shooting mode and turn the shutter speed dial to find the 'bulb' setting. Press and hold the shutter release to lift the mirror and expose the sensor. But note you must not release the shutter button whilst attempting to clean any dust from the sensor! Once you have identified where a dust spec is likely to be, it should be a fairly quick procedure to remove it.

Therein is a question for the DSLR pros. If there is a dust particle, blowing it off with a brush would seem to move it away where it could come back, vacuum suction seems a good idea, but is there a cleaning tool or product that causes a dust particle to stick to it without leaving contamination behind on the sensor surface?

Thanks - Vox
Click to expand...

I think I would rather be with George Custer at Little Big Horn than try these things you have here with the sensor of a D750

The sensor of your camera is a very delicate thing and should not be tampered with unless you know what you are doing. As someone said learning how to clean it properly (that is using the right gear and technique) is very easy. Trying what you suggest here is highly risky. I actually shuddered when you wrote this:

"Put the D750 into Manual shooting mode and turn the shutter speed dial to find the 'bulb' setting. Press and hold the shutter release to lift the mirror and expose the sensor. But note you must not release the shutter button whilst attempting to clean any dust from the sensor! Once you have identified where a dust spec is likely to be, it should be a fairly quick procedure to remove it."

Being brave is definitely a trait that was needed at Little Big Horn but reckless might have got everyone killed.
 
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4

480sparky

Senior Member
Lawrence said:
.............The sensor of your camera is a very delicate thing .............
Click to expand...

Actually, you're not cleaning the sensor.... you're cleaning the glass that covers it. I don't think there's a DSLR out there that has nothing between the sensor and the shutter.

Digital Sensor Cleaning - Part I

The sensor is far more robust that the leaves of a shutter. If you've ever actually seen how thin and flimsy they are, you'd be astounded.
 
W

Whiskeyman

Senior Member
Don Kuykendall said:
Canned air can be very dangerous. The propellent can be blown instead of air if you tilt the can to much so beware.
Click to expand...

I will "yell this out to the countryside." I used canned air to clean a Zeiss lens for my Hasselblad many years ago and this very thing occurred. The lens was ruined, and I had no-one to blame but me!! :p

WM
 
D

Don Kuykendall_RIP

RIP :(
Whiskeyman said:
I will "yell this out to the countryside." I used canned air to clean a Zeiss lens for my Hasselblad many years ago and this very thing occurred. The lens was ruined, and I had no-one to blame but me!! :p

WM
Click to expand...

Also the force of the air can be high enough to do damage to the internals of the camera. Canned air is great for the keyboard of your nasty computer and a few other things but never for your camera.
 
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