Cleaning CCD w/ Pure Air from SCUBA Tank.

Patrick Hayden · Mar 30, 2002

Having worked in a 2 dive shops during school back in the early 80's

I knew the great care taken in making sure the air that is filled in SCUBA tanks is purifed, dryed and oil free.

Therefore just like a hand blower I blew air on the CCD and sure enough I now have a perfectly clean CCD!!

Disclaimer: Don't try this at home. If you see your mirror & shutter blades flying don't call me!

--Pat-

Patrick Hayden · Mar 30, 2002

Patrick Hayden said:
Having worked in a 2 dive shops during school back in the early 80's
I knew the great care taken in making sure the air that is filled
in SCUBA tanks is purifed, dryed and oil free.

Therefore just like a hand blower I blew air on the CCD and sure
enough I now have a perfectly clean CCD!!

Disclaimer: Don't try this at home. If you see your mirror &
shutter blades flying don't call me!

--
Pat-

tony b35095 · Mar 30, 2002

Patrick Hayden said:
Patrick Hayden said:

Having worked in a 2 dive shops during school back in the early 80's
I knew the great care taken in making sure the air that is filled
in SCUBA tanks is purifed, dryed and oil free.

Therefore just like a hand blower I blew air on the CCD and sure
enough I now have a perfectly clean CCD!!

Disclaimer: Don't try this at home. If you see your mirror &
shutter blades flying don't call me!

--
Pat-

Click to expand...

Pay,

I applaud you for trying this....

I am planning on moving up to a 1D in the months to come... From A D-30....

I figure it's best to let everything calm down with availibility, and Issues with focusing, etc. Hopefully the price will calm down a little too

One thing I was worried about was dust on the sensor.... And the need to send the unit back to Canon, with all the horror stories about the camera coming back worse, or scratched etc... I have not had the problem with the D-30 But As I understand it, it's much less of a problem with a CMOS Sensor than it is with a CCD, because smaller positive charge it carries...

I was thinking of something very similar to what you have done. A Nitrogen bottle from a welding supply store... I have one I use to Blow dust off my electronics.... Nitrogen is clean, and mosture free, And will not oxidize like Air... It's very stable and safe.. And as far as lasting, a small tank I'm sure would have to be considered a lifetime supply as far as cleanig your CCD...

Of course the pressure can be up to 1600PSI, and has to be regulated down to a safe amount.. What would you say would be a proper setting for the CCD 15Lbs? That's what I'm figuring

Tony B.

Michael Long · Mar 30, 2002

Try this: http://www.curtis.com/care/ComputerCare/CK22.htm

Janne I. Turunen · Mar 30, 2002

Has anyone tried a vacuum cleaner?

Patrick Hayden · Mar 30, 2002

You would be better getting Nitrogen from a health supply shop.
It's very very important that all OIL is removed.

I didn't have a pressure regulator on my air supply. I only crack the valve open for a nice gentle CLEAN air flow.

Pat-

Tony B said:
Patrick Hayden said:

Patrick Hayden said:

Having worked in a 2 dive shops during school back in the early 80's
I knew the great care taken in making sure the air that is filled
in SCUBA tanks is purifed, dryed and oil free.

Therefore just like a hand blower I blew air on the CCD and sure
enough I now have a perfectly clean CCD!!

Disclaimer: Don't try this at home. If you see your mirror &
shutter blades flying don't call me!

--
Pat-

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Pay,

I applaud you for trying this....

I am planning on moving up to a 1D in the months to come... From A
D-30....

I figure it's best to let everything calm down with availibility,
and Issues with focusing, etc. Hopefully the price will calm down a
little too

One thing I was worried about was dust on the sensor.... And the
need to send the unit back to Canon, with all the horror stories
about the camera coming back worse, or scratched etc... I have not
had the problem with the D-30 But As I understand it, it's much
less of a problem with a CMOS Sensor than it is with a CCD, because
smaller positive charge it carries...

I was thinking of something very similar to what you have done. A
Nitrogen bottle from a welding supply store... I have one I use to
Blow dust off my electronics.... Nitrogen is clean, and mosture
free, And will not oxidize like Air... It's very stable and safe..
And as far as lasting, a small tank I'm sure would have to be
considered a lifetime supply as far as cleanig your CCD...

Of course the pressure can be up to 1600PSI, and has to be
regulated down to a safe amount.. What would you say would be a
proper setting for the CCD 15Lbs? That's what I'm figuring

Tony B.

Patrick Hayden · Mar 30, 2002

Think :

1st: On the low presure side of a VAC. you will eat your CCD or at least scratch it!

2nd: On high pressure side of VAC. you will blow in tons of junk onto your ccd!

I would not try it.

Pat-

Janne I. Turunen said:
Has anyone tried a vacuum cleaner?

Sean Palmer · Mar 30, 2002

Janne I. Turunen said:
Has anyone tried a vacuum cleaner?

Hello Janne,

Yes I have use a vacum cleaner and yes it did work, I had to make a reducer to go from the large bore pipe down to a good quality puffer brush head, and kept the vacumn at the other side of a closed door, it seemed to me to be a better idea taking the dust particles out of the body rather than blowing them about.

Sean,

Burkina · Mar 31, 2002

You guys are way wrong shipped. What you need to get the job done is some jam and a regular kitchen knife with serated edges. Using the knife's sharp edge, smear the jam across the CMOS sensor ands let it dry out a while. Then get your dog to lick the whole lot off. Fixed for life !

tony b35095 said:
regulated down to a safe amount.. What would you say would be a
proper setting for the CCD 15Lbs? That's what I'm figuring

Tony B.

Don Schultz43010 · Mar 31, 2002

Hi Guys:

I use a three ft. long piece of poly hose 3/8" I.D. I keep in my camera bag, and apply suction to it with my mouth (no comments required), It works as good as a vacuum cleaner and can also be used anywhere you have power for the sensor cleaning mode. I'm working on a way to use the sensor cleaning mode with battery power.
Don.

Burkina said:
Burkina said:

regulated down to a safe amount.. What would you say would be a
proper setting for the CCD 15Lbs? That's what I'm figuring

Tony B.

Click to expand...

Patrick Hayden · Mar 31, 2002

Are you not concerned that you will touch the CCD with your hose and damage the CCD?

Think how small each cell on the CCD is.

All it takes is just one little mark/nick and no cleaning will do!

Pat-

Don Schultz said:
I use a three ft. long piece of poly hose 3/8" I.D. I keep in my
camera bag, and apply suction to it with my mouth (no comments
required), It works as good as a vacuum cleaner and can also be
used anywhere you have power for the sensor cleaning mode. I'm
working on a way to use the sensor cleaning mode with battery power.
Don.

Burkina said:

Don Schultz43010 said:

regulated down to a safe amount.. What would you say would be a
proper setting for the CCD 15Lbs? That's what I'm figuring

Tony B.

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Michael Porter · Mar 31, 2002

What I would like to know is the method that Canon techs use in-house when a camera is sent back for sensor cleaning. What air pressure? What swabs? What solutions? What techniques?

I can't believe this is top secret information. The information on that page in the 1D repair manual would be of great interest to 1D owners.

James Gluckin MD · Mar 31, 2002

http://www.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1019&message=2442160

A solution I used..

Regards,

Jim

Patrick Hayden said:
Having worked in a 2 dive shops during school back in the early 80's
I knew the great care taken in making sure the air that is filled
in SCUBA tanks is purifed, dryed and oil free.

Therefore just like a hand blower I blew air on the CCD and sure
enough I now have a perfectly clean CCD!!

Disclaimer: Don't try this at home. If you see your mirror &
shutter blades flying don't call me!

--
Pat-

--Some of my photos at:www.eyecareforyou.com/photos/default.htm

Jeffrey Behr · Mar 31, 2002

...than it needs to be. Just use (gently, folks, GENTLY, and don't move the can, move the camera while you're blowing) the cans of compressed air available at Costco, Fry's El. and probably a million other places.
--I love my D30 and my D60 too!

SpeedGraphic · Mar 31, 2002

Just turn the camera on, set it to manual mode and set the shutter to B. Then, press and hold the shutter release while cleaning the sensor. Everything should be fine as long as your battery is reasonably charged.

Don Schultz said:
Hi Guys:

I use a three ft. long piece of poly hose 3/8" I.D. I keep in my
camera bag, and apply suction to it with my mouth (no comments
required), It works as good as a vacuum cleaner and can also be
used anywhere you have power for the sensor cleaning mode. I'm
working on a way to use the sensor cleaning mode with battery power.
Don.

Don Schultz43010 · Mar 31, 2002

Hi SpeedGraphic:

I was hoping for something better than me holding the shutter button down but thanks, that surely is one way.
Don.

SpeedGraphic said:
Don Schultz said:

Hi Guys:

I use a three ft. long piece of poly hose 3/8" I.D. I keep in my
camera bag, and apply suction to it with my mouth (no comments
required), It works as good as a vacuum cleaner and can also be
used anywhere you have power for the sensor cleaning mode. I'm
working on a way to use the sensor cleaning mode with battery power.
Don.

Click to expand...

Timothy Schaffer · Mar 31, 2002

That's funny because that is what canon has on their website as an example of what not to use.

Jeffrey Behr said:
...than it needs to be. Just use (gently, folks, GENTLY, and don't
move the can, move the camera while you're blowing) the cans of
compressed air available at Costco, Fry's El. and probably a
million other places.

--
I love my D30 and my D60 too!

RichW · Mar 31, 2002

Dont't ever use one of those cans of compressed air! They spit out liquid when you least expect it and will give you a bigger mess than you really want!! Do a search for all the horror stories!

Rich

Tim Schaffer said:
Jeffrey Behr said:

...than it needs to be. Just use (gently, folks, GENTLY, and don't
move the can, move the camera while you're blowing) the cans of
compressed air available at Costco, Fry's El. and probably a
million other places.

--
I love my D30 and my D60 too!

Click to expand...

mpeltier · Mar 31, 2002

If you go to any medical supply store you should be able to pick up a bulb syringe (dont have a clue if I spelled that correctly). Its used to suction out a neonates airway at birth. It is also usefull for blowing off dirt/dust off of the CCD and to pull dirt/dustt off of the CCD. I bought it for 5 dollars and I use it all the time. Before I put lens caps back on, etc. It might be a little safer than compressed ait from a scuba tank I think. What do they run 2200 PSI or so?

Patrick Hayden said:
Having worked in a 2 dive shops during school back in the early 80's
I knew the great care taken in making sure the air that is filled
in SCUBA tanks is purifed, dryed and oil free.

Therefore just like a hand blower I blew air on the CCD and sure
enough I now have a perfectly clean CCD!!

Disclaimer: Don't try this at home. If you see your mirror &
shutter blades flying don't call me!

--
Pat-

Michael Porter · Mar 31, 2002

Before you slap on one of your trusty old lenses, be sure to check out the rear element for dust. Blow it out nice and clean.

The mirror on the 1D flapping at 8 fps makes a nice little fan and the dust may end up on the CCD sensor. It's a lot easier to clean the lens than the sensor.

Cleaning CCD w/ Pure Air from SCUBA Tank.

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