Arctic Butterfly ?

Have any of you tried the Arctic Butterfly brush system for dry cleaning sensors ?

The blurb says it is best suited to " light " dust and great for the mobile user as it is compact and only requires AA battery. £70 for the unit is not a fortune if it is as good as they say , even Canon seem to be advising its use on the CPS newsletter.

I am thinking of getting one for "one the road" cleaning but would appreciate others experiences.

I use it about 3 times a month on a 5D and it works like a charm.
If you use it regular you won't get sticky dust which is harder to remove.
Once every 3-4 months I will use the Eclipse with a pad just to make sure.

But the artic is very nice for normal use.

Better than a blower because the blower will just move the dust to somewhere else in the chamber.

The 'Arctic Butterfly' (what a stupid name for any product other than a pretty, but cold lepidopterae) is nothing special. Go to an art supply store and buy a white synthetic 'fan' brush and save yourself a bundle.

They would have you believe that this product is manufactured in the icy-cold enclave of a mad scientist who posesses technologies that are of the highest degree of industrial secrecy when, in fact, these brushes are probably made in China with all the other artist's 'fan' brushes. You can get a good one for about 10-20 dollars at an art dealer. Even though the shape of the brush would lead you to believe this HAD to have been developed for sensor cleaning, it was actually developed for oil and acrylic artists who HAD to softly blend colors on their canvas or add a series of little wisps that look like hair. You will need to wash the brush a few times before using it.

Just read the forums after searching for 'arctic butterfly' and you will find dozens, if not hundreds of posts to this effect.

Hey, while you are at it, why not buy a few hundred of the brushes and sell them as "Polar Moth" sensor cleaning brushes.

--

'Truth is stranger than fiction, for we have fashioned fiction to suit ourselves.' G.K. Chesterton

http://www.jimroofcreative.com

Hi Jim what an interesting idea.....

However I would presume that the ability of this little cleaning brush to rotate at high speed and free itself of both droplet and partical infestation has to be worth something over the artists version.

Do you use one of those art brushes Jim ? and if so to what success ?

Frank ,

thanks for your reply... have you ever tried any of the other brush heads that fit the unit or do you just use the basic item ?

I don't have the arctic butterfly, but I do have other Visible Dist brushes, and they work as advertized. Excellent system that actually works.

As mentioned, they work with dry dust, not sticky dust. If you have that type of dust, then a wet cleaning method is required.

I do plan to buy an arctic butterfly in the next month or so, to add to my current Visible Dust arsenel.

Highly recommended.

--

The greatest of mankind's criminals are those who delude themselves into thinking they have done 'the right thing.'

• Rayna Butler

I thought that these brushes were fine quality artist brushes but after looking more closely at them I think they are cheaper quality makeup brushes...

As for the motor... a blast of canned air will do the same thing or even a good blast from a Rocket blower.

I would spend the 20.00 for an artist's brush (going to be higher quality, plus you can always take up painting if it does not work) and a few bucks on a Giotto Rocket blower. It's cheaper, it'll do the same thing, and it does not require batteries nor have moving parts other than your hands...

--

'Truth is stranger than fiction, for we have fashioned fiction to suit ourselves.' G.K. Chesterton

http://www.jimroofcreative.com

kciuk said:

Hi Jim what an interesting idea.....

However I would presume that the ability of this little cleaning
brush to rotate at high speed and free itself of both droplet and
partical infestation has to be worth something over the artists
version.

Click to expand...

Just put the paintbrush handle between the flat palms of your hands, rub your palms back and forth like you were trying to warm them up, and that'll spin the brush at high speed for the same effect as the Artic Butterfly. No batteries needed.

Having noted the recent advice I do feel that carrying round a pseudo paint brush without the aid of a dust free container, and relying or rotating this between your hands in order to clense it sounds a little like the recipe for disaster.

If the Arctic units are so easily surpassed by the things you mention then I do wonder why Canon would stand up and suggest, and allow demonstration via video link, on their CPS newsletter. Perhaps they see more use in it than some of the other posters. Interesting that Frank Doorhof sees value in it. I begin to think that by the time you have bought the paint brush ( perhsp one not best suited ) and the air tight locking case , you heading for half the price of the all ready prepared and designed travel unit.

Jim you didnt say if you had used one of the paint brushes you mentioned on your sensor ?

jimcreative said:

The 'Arctic Butterfly' (what a stupid name for any product other
than a pretty, but cold lepidopterae) is nothing special. Go to an
art supply store and buy a white synthetic 'fan' brush and save
yourself a bundle.

They would have you believe that this product is manufactured in
the icy-cold enclave of a mad scientist who posesses technologies
that are of the highest degree of industrial secrecy when, in fact,
these brushes are probably made in China with all the other
artist's 'fan' brushes. You can get a good one for about 10-20
dollars at an art dealer. Even though the shape of the brush would
lead you to believe this HAD to have been developed for sensor
cleaning, it was actually developed for oil and acrylic artists who
HAD to softly blend colors on their canvas or add a series of
little wisps that look like hair. You will need to wash the brush
a few times before using it.

Just read the forums after searching for 'arctic butterfly' and you
will find dozens, if not hundreds of posts to this effect.

Hey, while you are at it, why not buy a few hundred of the brushes
and sell them as "Polar Moth" sensor cleaning brushes.

Click to expand...

It's not quite that simple. It is super clean when you get it. The brush itself is easily washable and replaceable. It charges itself--no can of air needed, just flip the switch and the battery powers it out into a butterfly-like fan (whoops, I just called it a butterfly, and it IS white) that you let spin for a few seconds, then apply to the sensor. Between cleanings, it is cased with a plastic sheath and enclosed in a molded and lined snap close container that can be slid into a vinyl container that will snap on a belt or other loop.

I used art and make up brushes for a long time, but found a recent pair were shedding bristles--into my camera. It ruined a shoot on me when one worked its way back onto the sensor. Thus, the Arctic Butterfly.

Whether it's worth the price to you, you decide. Obviously, you have decided against it.

--
Charlie Self
http://www.charlieselfonline.com

jimcreative said:

I thought that these brushes were fine quality artist brushes but
after looking more closely at them I think they are cheaper quality
makeup brushes...

Click to expand...

And you took that cheaper look where? A bad photo? Because your statement is NOT true.

--
Charlie Self
http://www.charlieselfonline.com

CharlieDIY said:

jimcreative said:

I thought that these brushes were fine quality artist brushes but
after looking more closely at them I think they are cheaper quality
makeup brushes...

Click to expand...

And you took that cheaper look where? A bad photo? Because your
statement is NOT true.

--

Click to expand...

change "cheaper look" to "closer look".

--
Charlie Self
http://www.charlieselfonline.com

GodSpeaks said:

I don't have the arctic butterfly, but I do have other Visible Dist
brushes, and they work as advertized. Excellent system that
actually works.

As mentioned, they work with dry dust, not sticky dust. If you
have that type of dust, then a wet cleaning method is required.

I do plan to buy an arctic butterfly in the next month or so, to
add to my current Visible Dust arsenel.

Highly recommended.

--
The greatest of mankind's criminals are those who delude themselves
into thinking they have done 'the right thing.'

• Rayna Butler

Click to expand...

Agree. And with your sig.

--
Charlie Self
http://www.charlieselfonline.com

I've had very good luck with the Copper hill brush and blower. Not quite as "sexy" as the Arctic spinning brush, but a WHOLE lot less $$$$$

--
Tom Ferguson
http://www.ferguson-photo-design.com

Well, that is odd. Just try a google search of "copper hill brush"
--
Tom Ferguson
http://www.ferguson-photo-design.com

I paid $5000 for my dSLR, so paying $100 for a sensor brush is a no-brainer. And the results are well worth it.

--

The greatest of mankind's criminals are those who delude themselves into thinking they have done 'the right thing.'

• Rayna Butler

I bought an art store brush. I keep it in a plastic container that's designed for carrying toothbrushes. The paint brush was around $3. The toothbrush container was around $1. About $4 total. It gets the dust off my sensor. Isn't that the point of it? I don't care if it has a fancy name or fancy packaging. The only thing that matters to me is that it gets the job done. Let's not forget that it's merely a clean brush, brushing dust off the sensor, with the aid of a little static charge. It's not rocket science or magic-- although they would love for consumers to think that it really was rocket science and magic, and that using anything else would be "the recipe for disaster". They want you to have that fear because that kind of fear will drive you to buy their product. The Arctic Butterfly just happens to look cool, come in cool packaging and does a cool battery-operated twirling thing. Is it worth it to spend $70-$100 for it? That's up to you.

I've used the wet method, the Lenspen, and the art brush to clean my sensors. They all do a fine job.

kciuk said:

Having noted the recent advice I do feel that carrying round a
pseudo paint brush without the aid of a dust free container, and
relying or rotating this between your hands in order to clense it
sounds a little like the recipe for disaster.

If the Arctic units are so easily surpassed by the things you
mention then I do wonder why Canon would stand up and suggest, and
allow demonstration via video link, on their CPS newsletter.
Perhaps they see more use in it than some of the other posters.
Interesting that Frank Doorhof sees value in it. I begin to think
that by the time you have bought the paint brush ( perhsp one not
best suited ) and the air tight locking case , you heading for
half the price of the all ready prepared and designed travel unit.

Jim you didnt say if you had used one of the paint brushes you
mentioned on your sensor ?

Click to expand...

I paid 7500.00 (1DsII), 2750.00 (5D) and 1500.00 (20D) for the three that I still shoot.

I will not hesitate to spend money where actual improvement in performance is the end result. I just dumped 1600.00 on the new 16-35 f2.8L II where I really did not have too much complaints about the Canon 17-40 f4L. It does a better job.

BTW, I have a sensor cleaning brush that was given to me by a photo dealer. I have had it for about 2 months but have not used it. I mostly use a blower and wet cleaning when really necessary. My work has not suffered from my avoidance of expensive gimmicks.

Plus, I have a hundred bucks in my pocket.

--

'Truth is stranger than fiction, for we have fashioned fiction to suit ourselves.' G.K. Chesterton

http://www.jimroofcreative.com

which is that given the large sums of money we spend on a good dslr, the cost of the visible dust sensor brush is a pittance. You in particular, with your very large list of equipment should be willing to spend $100 to get the right tool for the job, rather than some cheap dime store fillin.

That is being penny wise and pound foolish, as my mother used to say.

Now I am not claiming anything for the arctic butterfly, as I do not have one, but I do use other visible dust sensor brushes and they do work as claimed.

--

The greatest of mankind's criminals are those who delude themselves into thinking they have done 'the right thing.'

• Rayna Butler

I suppose you could go buy a nice quality art brush.

The motor spins the brush far faster than one could via rubbing between their hands, therefore acquiring a better charge.

The brush is more effective than a blower. It is less invasive than using fluids and pads.

As other have said you could probably come up with a similar system on your own. I'd rather go with what's proven to work and not waste a lot of time experimenting.

I use the deliverd brush with it.

Of course there are other solutions, you can even use 3M tape according to some people
For the price however and usability I love the butterfly.