How to CLEAN your CAMERA SENSOR SAFELY | the easy way
How to CLEAN your CAMERA SENSOR SAFELY | the easy way
Cleaning your sensor safely is a lot easier than you may think. In this video I share 2 different techniques I use and a simple hidden technique you can use in Lightroom to better check for dust spots.
Awesome sensor brush – https://geni.us/brush4sensor
Full Frame Swab Kit – https://geni.us/fullframekit
APS-C Swab Kit – https://geni.us/apsckit
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NIKON GEAR (Main STILLS camera)
Current landscape camera – Nikon Z7 – http://geni.us/nikonz7
Awesome telephoto lens – Nikon 70-200m f/2.8 – http://geni.us/nikon70200
Fav lens – Nikon 24-70mm Z f4 – http://geni.us/nikon2470
Great wide angle lens – Nikon 16-35mm f/4 -http://geni.us/MCglWI
Amazing Bokeh – Sigma 24mm f1.4 https://geni.us/Sigma24
FUJI GEAR (Main FILM camera)
Fujifilm X-T3 – http://geni.us/fujifilmxt3
Awesome Bokeh – Fuji XF35mm F2 – http://geni.us/fuji35f2
Sharpest long zoom – Fuji 50-140mm F2.8 https://geni.us/fuji50140
Killer wide angle lens – Fuji 10-24mm F4 – http://geni.us/fuji1024
OTHER PHOTO GEAR
Awesome sensor brush – https://geni.us/brush4sensor
GorillaPod – geni.us/Kb9mV
The great printer I use Canon P1000 – http://geni.us/cIIc
Clever camera strap (peak design) – http://geni.us/PDstrap
Great bag for hiking – Tenba 24L – http://geni.us/orPwh
Great bag for travel (carry on) – Tenba 32L – https://geni.us/tenba32l
Super light Benro Travel Tripod UK – https://geni.us/Benrotravel
A must have for tripod (L bracket) – https://geni.us/myLbracket
Lightweight tripod – Benro Mach3 Carbon Fiber Tripod – https://geni.us/benromach3
Paper I use for all my prints – Fotospeed – https://geni.us/fotospeed Use DANSON10 to get 10% off your paper.
Screw on ND filter – https://geni.us/polarproND
#camera #sensor
Thank you, Nigel! This video is a lifesaver for my camera 🫶
Thoughts on using an IR flashlight (265-295nm) to better illuminate spots given how well most organics show up under IR?
I’ve had good experience on Amazon overall, but far too many fakes from unscrupulous sellers hacking the platform. I’d honestly suggest that for this sort of stuff people stick to B&H, Adorama, and or their local reputable camera store (be it a brick and mortar or local online retailer in their country).
Thank you for this thorough description that took my fear away.
Great video. One important thing you didn’t say was that you must throw away the swab after one use.
Wow, this worked. Ordered a DSLR cleaning kit and did it my own, and it was successful. I thought My cmos sensor is cooked pernamently (sorry for slang but I originally thought that it had a crack, based on the shape of the dust cuz it looks like a crack whahahah). Anyway thanks alot.
if that liquid gets to edges of the sensor – game over.
I’ve cleaned my sensor with the air blowing tool. Some spots have disappeared, but the two most dark and stubborn ones remained….
If I hold the sensor against the light and check it thoroughly, even with a magnifying glass, the sensor seems perfectly clean, I can’t spot any dust… Still there are two spots showing up on my brighter photos…. No clue what’s going on.
First I thought it might be my lenses, but that’s not the case since they show up in the same spot with 4 different lenses. Then I thought I might have dead pixels, but they show up way differently than spots of dust… No clue what to do….😊
Thanks for the video. I followed the process and every single dust spot remains. Next idea?
the best tool i ever found for sensor cleaning was the eyelead sensor stick, they seem quite hard to get hold of these days, when I was pro shooting on my 1dx and 5dmkiii in many rough environments i swore by my sensor stick in my bag. expose the sensor dab the dust off, and away you go. i now generally just rocket blower or use the sensor swabs as you did there. don’t think either are as effective as the sensor stick though wish you could still get hold of them 🙁
thank you very helpful
This video is too long for only a few important parts. Too much talk
Very informative and helpful, at least he knows what is he doing. 5*
Thanks very much, four years later.
I have a canon 5D Mark IV. Is the brush safe for the sensor? I ordered the one below from your video info.
Using the Nikon speed light sb 400
Hi. Thanks for the video. Question: when I use à liquid solution for cleaning the sensor, I have to turn off the camera before cleaning?
Thanks, Nigel, I have a grey dot in my photos and was told it was probably on my sensor. Now I have the knowledge to purchase what I need to clean the sensor. Thanks for the tip. I’ve never cleaned it for years and just started using the camera again.
Thank you this really helped! Did my full frame now plan on buying swabs for my crop top. Cheers!
I’m late to the party, but this was SO helpful. Thanks for the Lightroom trick too!
Just cleaned my sensor for the first time. The lightroom tip was a lifesaver. Thank you!
I have DOT that when i zoom in ITS like big and zoom out ITS small is that sensor or lens ?
Just put it into your dishwasher 🙂
Thank you
Very well explained. But as long as you don’t see any obvious dust spots in your photos that you’re normally shot, I don’t think it’s necessary to clean the sensor… nor would I recommed using the method in this video for identifying dust – because with this method you will ALWAYS see dust, no matter how intense you are cleaning your sensor. Especially if you’re using an aperture of f22 or so. In this case you not only see dust from the sensor but also dust from your lens – and I think it is impossible to get all of these components 100% dust-free. For identifying dust, just use a wide angle lens with small aperture and shot the blue sky on a sunny day. It’s more related to normal shooting conditions – if you see dust-spots on this kind of pictures, you should really consinder cleaning the sensor. Otherwise not, in my opinion.
Hygiene Rule #1: Don’t "talk to the sensor". When talking we constantly spray saliva micro-droplets and exhale moisture. Wear a mask. Wipe dust from the work area before beginning.
Nicely described.
I usea Lens Pen set to clean my Sony A 7 works fine wit no expensive shop charges or expensive wet cleaning kits idean my camera bag when I am out on a shoot /holiday – that is it
I was following you until you said "lock up your mirror" which exposes the sensor and then you went on to say "your cleaning the glass on top of the sensor, not the actual sensor" but if you’ve locked your mirror you are definitely cleaning your sensor. Im confused now on which part to clean.
why would the focal length and aperture of the camera matter if the dirt is ON THE SENSOR, surely those settings don’t change it, and all that matters is you get a low iso and low shutter speed so that light bleed doing mask it?
This guy is crazy annoying. Idk why I can’t stand listening to him 😅
This works good if you got spots already in your images (especially in the air). In Lightroom you can repair spots in a first image and then go back to library, select furthermore images to repair by holding CTR and clicking multiple images. Then use the develop presets tool and select (only) the "spot removal" option. Normally you don’t see this option in the develop mode so you can’t make a user preset with it (unfortunately) to use it in the future, assuming the spots stays on the same place. With one click you’ll repair all your images and you don’t have to do them one by one.
9:53 I saw that spec on your sensor while you were cleaning it
All i had to do was flip my camera upside down😂
thought the dude said "sensor swap" instead of "sensor swab" and had a mini panic attack
Thanks. Really helpful. I do ICM so spots show up badly.
Thanks, that was really helpful. Knowing the actual sensor is covered in glass gave me the courage to proceed.
Can you use isopropyl alcohol
*Excellent* video and explanation. Love the slo-mo clip of fluid being dripped on to the sensor cleaning pad. Wish every how-to video was this good.
One comment: Nigel warns against using compressed gas to clean the sensors, bad things can happen. Good point. Against that: I’ve seen the CPS (Canon Professional Services) techs at trade shops cleaning sensors. And versus the blower bulbs recommended, and which I use … the techs all use compressed gas. FWIW.
This helped me a lot. Thanks so much!
Using Sensor Swab kit by Photographic Solutions while watching your video thanks!
I absolutely hate cleaning my sensor. A little bit too much fluid on your swap and you got stripes, a little bit too lens and it releases dust particles. I tried several brands, but it is always the same. Some sensors are worse than others though, just as swaps. But I never saw the perfect swap. And then those ridiculous prices for a piece of plastic. 5 swaps buys me a swaps for my kitchen.
thanks, very useful!
i live in a dust house. i dont know a safe place to go besides the bathroom and im still scared to open and clean my camera there. what do yall recommend?
Hi! You said not to use the compressed air blower on your sensor. But is it okay to use that on your lenses? Or is that bad as well?
Very helpful information here. Thanks for posting.
Im planning on cleaning my D850 sensor for the first time, had it for 4 years. It definitely has dust but been too afraid to clean it, and just photoshopped out the spots, annoying as i take aviation photos so always pointing at the sky where dust is most visible
I have ordered the Just Eclipse fluid and swabs
using just the Visualize spots, my sensor looks completely clean (black screen). But as soon as you dehaze, clarify and lower the exposure you can see tons of spots that will need correcting, I mean its ten times worse. ???
You mentioned it on the video before perfoming the wet cleaning but did not give more information -> How do you "lock"(practicly dissabling ibis) your sensor on nikon z cameras?
Where is this in lightroom 2024? 3:00
Wow, thank you for this video!! i have been cleaning my camera using Sensor Swabs by Photographic Solutions and I will add your steps on doing it as well. Great video sir!!!!