Visible Dust for Sensor Cleaning? I DON'T THINK SO! Look1 Picture!

I had pretty much the exact same results with both of my MkII bodies the first time I used the brush. I had not cleaned my sensor in almost 2 years and I'm convinced it eventually gets an oily film or something on it. I did a wet clean with the swab and all was well. I can't really fault Visible Dust. I think if you clean it more often the brush will work but if you wait until an oily film accumulates it will need a wet cleaning.

• John

Hope you never get into "high-end" audio

I have been using Visible Dust products for years with no problems. This looks to me like you got close to the mirror mechanism in the chamber and picked up some lubricant on the brush. This is a known (and documented) issue with the 5D.

First thing, do not panic. Use the so called Copperhill method the clean the sensor. It will probably take repeated cleanings to get the stuff of the sensor but it is doable. Given the mess on your sensor, it will take some time but it is fixable.

You are probably not likely to order another Visible Dust product at this point, but they do have swab like thing that will clean that stuff up.

My experience has been that Visible Dust is more expensive than other sensor cleaning solutions, but I have a lot of faith in their products. I would not touch the sensor with an off the shelf $5 artist brush. No way.

jack

--
A few of my photos:
http://web.mac.com/kurtzjack/iWeb/ or
http://www.sportsshooter.com/members.html?id=4177

Seems as if their are a lot of unhappy people using this product

Andy...

http://www.northscape.co.uk

http://www.cleaningdigitalcameras.com

--
thezero

Seems as if their are a lot of unhappy people using this product

??

Why do you say that?

There's always a few folks who for the odd reason or two have "issues" with products that work perfectly fine for thousands of others.

You always have to consider the source on these things.

Instead of "buyer beware" the slogan should be "reader beware."

--
Sal Sessa / Dallas, TX USA
http://www.salsessa.com

I would not touch the sensor with an off the shelf $5 artist brush. No wa

Amen.

--
Sal Sessa / Dallas, TX USA
http://www.salsessa.com

Hey,

I had someone professionally clean it for me after my attempts were not entirely successful; an experienced commercial camera technician. He too lamented that this was the hardest camera he had ever had to clean, and he took all night.

And it still wasn't quite clean.

Groeten
Mike

ouch, thats bad......well you dont have enough time to get ahold of some sensor swabs and eclipse...maybe their is a camera shop open near you that has a one of those pens...ive never used them...so i dont know...but Im sorry that had to happen...ill pass the word around....

the company that makes sensor swabs and eclipse warranties your camera if it ruins it...So if you have never used the products you may want to look into it... its was Leaf and Leica recomend to clean their sensors

Heyy And I thought you were from Canada.

I live in the 'suburbs' of Rotterdam. If you're ever in the vicinity of that place, we could then perhaps meet up and I'll see if I can help out with some cleaning tips and we can see how our techniques differ from eachother. And after that we could of course discuss Canadians and take pictures. It's sometimes nice to be a tourist in your own city.

groetjes,
Guillaume.

mwillems said:

mwillems wrote:
Hey,

I had someone professionally clean it for me after my attempts were
not entirely successful; an experienced commercial camera
technician. He too lamented that this was the hardest camera he had
ever had to clean, and he took all night.

And it still wasn't quite clean.

Groeten
Mike

Click to expand...

I didn't trust my manual dexterity.

So I bought the 1.6 FOV brush from VisibleDust...not the FF. I was very careful to not touch the chamber walls, but I went very slightly onto the top of the frame holding the sensor and immediately got a smear.

Fortunately, by dumb luck or some premonition that I would likely screw up...I also boughtVisibleDusts' liquid SensorClean and long swabs with a tip on just one end.

And like everybody else, an hour or more later, I again had a clean sensor.

I think the mistake is that VisibleDust does not ADEQUATELY warn users of the possible existence of the lubricants...and cite the bodies that have a high probability of the problem.

Live and learn.
--
Joe Sesto

As per their instructions you must degrease the chamber of the 5D and all 1 series cameras. If you don't the brusch may pick up lubricant and smear it on your sensor. Looks like that's what happended. They do instruct this clearly on their web site.
Derek Hill

Hi Guillaume..

Yup: I am Canadian - but Dutch. Grew up not far from Rotterdam as it happens (Schoonhoven/Gouda: Krimpenerwaard). And in the UK. And all over the world.

Which is where I carry my 5D and my 350xt. And the next time I am in the netherlands (on average, once or twice a year) I'll let you know!

[OT]

Now I must go back to fighting with E-TTL II in my studio - what a pain, trying to get the right exposure. One subject perfect: the next subject the highlights are all blown out. Wish I knew why.. I need to go to manual flash control!
[ OT]

chamber clean stuff from them.

As you can tell...I only read the instructions on the brush...and either missed the chamber cleaning part...or the instruction is just on the chamber cleaning page.

I religiously Rocket blow before and after every time I use the 5D and as there was no dust visible on the walls, didn't think to clean the chamber walls.

It would seem that lubricant traps some dust, and to completely remove it might exacerbate the accumulation of dust on the sensor.

(That's an after thought...I just didn't see the need initially...but I will go back and re-read their instructions on all 3 aspects, chamber, brush, swab.)
--
Joe Sesto

go to this site..

http://www.cleaningdigitalcameras.com

someone else posted it and I just read through it. Its good.

it also says you MUST degrease the mirror cage before using the brush on the canon 1 series digitals due to the paint used to coat them.

it also mentions it should be done from time to time on all cameras because the grease and lubes can flow and mix with dust..then sticking to your sensor

OP is on a Visible Dust jihad. Posting this message all over the place.

Damn, I cannot for the life of me find the thread/page on the Visible Dust "Buster".

Yes, there seems to be an issue with the cost of these brushes in that Visible Dust wasn't in fact manufacturing them, just choosing brushes that met a certain standard.

The person that researched this found several suitable replacement brushes over the admittably expensive Visible Dust.

The one that he found most effective was an uncommon $25 make-up brush.

Any one else stumble accross this article/thread?

I have always had very good luck with my sensor brushes.

-CJ

Savas Kyprianides said:

OP is on a Visible Dust jihad. Posting this message all over the
place.

Click to expand...

I just sent an email to VisibleDust expressing my displeasure at their inadequate instructions and warnings.

I bought their Sensor Brush, Chamber Clean and Sensor Clean materials about 1 year ago.

There was no need for them until 2 weeks ago. Before starting to clean the sensor I went to their website, selected the INSTRUCTION page for using the Sensor Brush...and there was absolutely no warning about cleaning the chamber (again, I have Chamber Clean) first or the lubricant problem.

Earlier I was asked if I hadn't seen the lubricant warning on the VisibleDust site.

I hadn't seen it because the 5D/lubricant warning is on the PRODUCT description page. I already own the Chamber Clean product, and the warning was not there when I bought it to my recollection. Why would I look there? It was not also on the Sensor Brush INSTRUCTION page, where I did look and where it belongs IMO. It is on the PRODUCT page to sell it, not as a warning or when and how to use it.

And why are they so cheap that they can't put a simple printed instruction sheet in with the shipped products? Is the Internet accessible everywhere? Hardly.

Why do they scatter the 3 different ways to clean the Sensor Brush all over their site, but not include all of them on the Sensor Brush INSTRUCTION page, or include them with shipped product?

I think their customer information policies are typical of somebody selling a very common cleaning product. There warning placement and instructions are not those I expect of a tech company selling cleaning products to be used on delicate equipment that costs from $1200 - $8000 USD.

They should suffer the negative credibility consequence of putting more emphasis on the sales aspect and neglecting the customer's welfare by failing to provide adequate and accessible instructions and warnings.

I have been in the insurance business for decades and I can tell you from considerable prior experience that such oversights are actionable. (Though not likely in this case as we usually just lose time, convenience and opportunity...and they are in a foreign country.)

Regardless it is not a trivial matter...and they should understand that.

--
Joe Sesto

I guess you won't believ it, but in Norway the Visible Dust Full Size Pro 1.0x Kit costs $260, and if you buy only the two brushes in the kit it costs $227...

I got the Cooperhill-kit ordered from USA and it cost $61 incl. shipping and I guess it does the same job.

--
Bjorne

Number 1) When posting a rant...SPELLCHECK. This makes you look less stupid.

Number 2) The Visible Dust product is only as good as the user. Apparently you have not yet reached the level that the product requires. I have it, and it works fine...AND I shoot in some really bad conditions, changing the lenses and found that the brushes, when used CORRECTLY work just fine...AS ADVERTISED.

Number 3) If you don't have something positive to contribute, then shut up.

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It is all about the moment…
once passed…never retrieved…
once captured…never forgotten.

This IS the essence of photography