Nikon Z50 doesn’t have a built in sensor cleaner.

[NikonBW]

Hi everyone. It’s my first post here and I just wanted to inform any who are ordering the Z50 that it is lacking a sensor cleaner. I’m only posting this as some may have ordered or are going to order the camera based on reading the specs on the Nikon USA or Canada website shortly after the announcement was made.

For several days from the announcement date the Nikon website had the specs wrong and it listed it with a sensor cleaner. I was ready to order it myself but then I downloaded the brochure and it didn’t list a sensor cleaner. So this past Thursday I called Nikon Canada and emailed Nikon USA about this. The Canada rep said only one person there had seen the camera and he believed it didn’t have the sensor cleaner so the specs might be off. The USA reps never responded.

Well next day both websites changed the specs showing that there is no sensor cleaner. I took screenshots of the changes on the website if anyone cares to see.

I am not trying to knock the camera as I am still considering it but quite disappointed by this ridiculous omission on a camera of this level supposedly equal to the 7000 series. I’ve been wanting to go mirrorless for awhile and need a very light camera because of weakening health. I’ve been shooting only Nikon for 30 years and want to stay with them for many reasons but am hesitant with this camera because of this omission. I’ve never shot mirrorless before but when the sensor is exposed all the time unlike SLR I tend to think a sensor cleaner is important.

I was surprised at the discrepancy on their website and got to the bottom of it but haven’t really seen this talked about too much so I just thought I’d put the information out there so whoever is buying this camera can make an accurately informed choice.

 

[Mako2011]

I am not trying to knock the camera as I am still considering it but quite disappointed by this ridiculous omission on a camera of this level supposedly equal to the 7000 series. I’ve been wanting to go mirrorless for awhile and need a very light camera because of weakening health. I’ve been shooting only Nikon for 30 years and want to stay with them for many reasons but am hesitant with this camera because of this omission. I’ve never shot mirrorless before but when the sensor is exposed all the time unlike SLR I tend to think a sensor cleaner is important.

They are starting to phase out the ultras sonic cleaner as it seems they are finding out the feature really doesn't work that well and never has. I've had the feature on many a camera...and wet cleaning is still required so I don't mind the absence of it going forward.

If you currently have a DSLR with the feature...take a shot at f22 of a blues sky and post it here. You'll find lots of dust I bet

--
My opinions are my own and not those of DPR or its administration. They carry no 'special' value (except to me and Lacie of course)

 

[Murray Bowles]

Dang! So many people (on all cameras) claimed it worked great. I used to take it in to a camera store, who'd no doubt do the compressed-air treatment I wouldn't dare. But there are no camera stores these days...

 

[WhateverNickname]

Yes it does not and it does not really matter. Even with it I need to use a blower more often than not.

Its absence as well as no ibis makes were cleaning easy again.

My only concern is how to do in camera hot pixel mapping now, since nikon so far binded that function with the sensor cleaning mechanism.

 

[KnightPhoto2]

But then why do Z6/7 have it if it isn't at least partially effective? My Z6 BTW doesn't seem to be getting noticeably dusty.

A wide open sensor without the dust shaker seems like static electricity will attract dust to the sensor. I would have liked Canon's feature of a closing shutter when you remove the lens.

 

[WhateverNickname]

Because everybody would have gone mad if they did not have it.

The solution if canon is not better, in fact if dust is trapper in because of the lens rear element ... canon solution might cause more harm then anything else.

we just need to live with it, no mirror = more dust.

 

[EricTheAstroJunkie]

Problem solved, pointless reason to not buy a camera. If it's really THAT bad, rocket blower and then wet clean, takes MAYBE 2 minutes. I never had much luck with the in-camera sensor cleaner anyways.

 

[scokill]

Hi everyone. It’s my first post here and I just wanted to inform any who are ordering the Z50 that it is lacking a sensor cleaner. I’m only posting this as some may have ordered or are going to order the camera based on reading the specs on the Nikon USA or Canada website shortly after the announcement was made.

For several days from the announcement date the Nikon website had the specs wrong and it listed it with a sensor cleaner. I was ready to order it myself but then I downloaded the brochure and it didn’t list a sensor cleaner. So this past Thursday I called Nikon Canada and emailed Nikon USA about this. The Canada rep said only one person there had seen the camera and he believed it didn’t have the sensor cleaner so the specs might be off. The USA reps never responded.

Well next day both websites changed the specs showing that there is no sensor cleaner. I took screenshots of the changes on the website if anyone cares to see.

I am not trying to knock the camera as I am still considering it but quite disappointed by this ridiculous omission on a camera of this level supposedly equal to the 7000 series. I’ve been wanting to go mirrorless for awhile and need a very light camera because of weakening health. I’ve been shooting only Nikon for 30 years and want to stay with them for many reasons but am hesitant with this camera because of this omission. I’ve never shot mirrorless before but when the sensor is exposed all the time unlike SLR I tend to think a sensor cleaner is important.

I was surprised at the discrepancy on their website and got to the bottom of it but haven’t really seen this talked about too much so I just thought I’d put the information out there so whoever is buying this camera can make an accurately informed choice.

1st post about this? This would be near the bottom of a list of things to worry about.

 

[NCB]

But then why do Z6/7 have it if it isn't at least partially effective? My Z6 BTW doesn't seem to be getting noticeably dusty.

A wide open sensor without the dust shaker seems like static electricity will attract dust to the sensor. I would have liked Canon's feature of a closing shutter when you remove the lens.

Z6/7 have a sensor which moves anyway (IBIS). Adding a dust shaker is trivial.

With Z50 it would add more to the cost. Moreover, if the sensor doesn't move then it's probably a bit more robust for cleaning. Personally never found them that effective, in the sense that if you have a bit of dust then clean-sensor often does nothing.

 

[justmeMN]

NCB wrote: With Z50 it would add more to the cost.

Even the US$450 (with lens) Canon M100 has built-in sensor cleaning.

 

[Gene J. Paull]

Yes it does not and it does not really matter. Even with it I need to use a blower more often than not.

Its absence as well as no ibis makes were cleaning easy again.

My only concern is how to do in camera hot pixel mapping now, since nikon so far binded that function with the sensor cleaning mechanism.

I had read somewhere that running clean sensor twice on Nikon cameras would engage the hot pixel mapping - however, this is unconfirmed. Obviously, without a sensor cleaning mechanism, one could not do this. For me, the hot pixel mapping is more important than the sensor cleaning - does anyone know if the Z6/Z7 have a hot pixel mapping feature?

 

[FrankG]

I am not trying to knock the camera as I am still considering it but quite disappointed by this ridiculous omission on a camera of this level supposedly equal to the 7000 series. I’ve been wanting to go mirrorless for awhile and need a very light camera because of weakening health. I’ve been shooting only Nikon for 30 years and want to stay with them for many reasons but am hesitant with this camera because of this omission. I’ve never shot mirrorless before but when the sensor is exposed all the time unlike SLR I tend to think a sensor cleaner is important.

They are starting to phase out the ultras sonic cleaner as it seems they are finding out the feature really doesn't work that well and never has. I've had the feature on many a camera...and wet cleaning is still required so I don't mind the absence of it going forward.

If you currently have a DSLR with the feature...take a shot at f22 of a blues sky and post it here. You'll find lots of dust I bet

Except the inbuilt ultra-sonic system seems to be working quite well with my D850 for some reason. Magic. Several times I have had dust "bunnies", tried the self-clean before doing anything more drastic and it has often worked. One more reason I am very pleased with my D850. Doesn't always shift everything so then I usually will resort to a wet clean with Eclipse fluid etc - or use my "Arctic Butterfly" fitted with the super brush.

The D850 is the only one of Nikon's DSLR's that I have owned that I can say that about. With all the rest (D200, D7000, D7100, D800, D810 and even the D500) it didn't really seem to achieve any useful cleaning at all - I always had to wet clean those.

Frank

 

[Mako2011]

I am not trying to knock the camera as I am still considering it but quite disappointed by this ridiculous omission on a camera of this level supposedly equal to the 7000 series. I’ve been wanting to go mirrorless for awhile and need a very light camera because of weakening health. I’ve been shooting only Nikon for 30 years and want to stay with them for many reasons but am hesitant with this camera because of this omission. I’ve never shot mirrorless before but when the sensor is exposed all the time unlike SLR I tend to think a sensor cleaner is important.

They are starting to phase out the ultras sonic cleaner as it seems they are finding out the feature really doesn't work that well and never has. I've had the feature on many a camera...and wet cleaning is still required so I don't mind the absence of it going forward.

If you currently have a DSLR with the feature...take a shot at f22 of a blues sky and post it here. You'll find lots of dust I bet

Except the inbuilt ultra-sonic system seems to be working quite well with my D850 for some reason.

Show a recent f22 of the sky. You might be surprised

 

[WhateverNickname]

Thats is my only concern, I hopelijk do not neeed to send t back in the event that happens.

 

[FrankG]

I am not trying to knock the camera as I am still considering it but quite disappointed by this ridiculous omission on a camera of this level supposedly equal to the 7000 series. I’ve been wanting to go mirrorless for awhile and need a very light camera because of weakening health. I’ve been shooting only Nikon for 30 years and want to stay with them for many reasons but am hesitant with this camera because of this omission. I’ve never shot mirrorless before but when the sensor is exposed all the time unlike SLR I tend to think a sensor cleaner is important.

They are starting to phase out the ultras sonic cleaner as it seems they are finding out the feature really doesn't work that well and never has. I've had the feature on many a camera...and wet cleaning is still required so I don't mind the absence of it going forward.

If you currently have a DSLR with the feature...take a shot at f22 of a blues sky and post it here. You'll find lots of dust I bet

Except the inbuilt ultra-sonic system seems to be working quite well with my D850 for some reason.

Show a recent f22 of the sky. You might be surprised

I won't be surprised as actually I always carefully check using a sky shot at F25 or F32. Tends to reveal even the smallest dust bunnies.

Frank

 

[Mako2011]

Except the inbuilt ultra-sonic system seems to be working quite well with my D850 for some reason.

Show a recent f22 of the sky. You might be surprised

I won't be surprised as actually I always carefully check using a sky shot at F25 or F32. Tends to reveal even the smallest dust bunnies.

Frank

We might be. Do you have a recent example? Do you often wet clean? Do you use zoom lenses often and/or routinely change lenses? How does your D500 compare?

--
My opinions are my own and not those of DPR or its administration. They carry no 'special' value (except to me and Lacie of course)

 

[FrankG]

Except the inbuilt ultra-sonic system seems to be working quite well with my D850 for some reason.

Show a recent f22 of the sky. You might be surprised

I won't be surprised as actually I always carefully check using a sky shot at F25 or F32. Tends to reveal even the smallest dust bunnies.

Frank

We might be. Do you have a recent example? Do you often wet clean? Do you use zoom lenses often and/or routinely change lenses? How does your D500 compare?

You mean a recent example of an F25 blank sky shot ?? Sorry but I'm not in the habit of storing those!

I don't know whether I have any examples of "before and after" actual photos with dust bunnies visible in the "before", I'd have to do some digging. I tend to delete shots showing dust bunnies anyway so good examples might be scarce.

I don't "often" wet clean any digital sensor. Probably only 2 or 3 times a year on average. My D850 hasn't had a wet clean for at least a good month.

I have been swapping lenses around on that camera a lot recently as I have been messing around testing out a newish 300 F4 PF I got recently, with and without converters, also experimenting with a few other lenses including various zooms. I only got the D850 (an almost mint used example) a few months ago. It seems to get dust bunnies like any other DSLR but then just lose them again, often after a single power cycle. I have to admit I was surprised when I saw this at first - never happened with any of my other DSLRs!

The self-clean on my D500 I would rate as usually seeming ineffective. If it ever works at all I don't notice. I usually end up having to wet clean that sensor.

Frank

 

[Snapshotx7]

Yes it does not and it does not really matter. Even with it I need to use a blower more often than not.

Its absence as well as no ibis makes were cleaning easy again.

My only concern is how to do in camera hot pixel mapping now, since nikon so far binded that function with the sensor cleaning mechanism.

I had read somewhere that running clean sensor twice on Nikon cameras would engage the hot pixel mapping - however, this is unconfirmed. Obviously, without a sensor cleaning mechanism, one could not do this. For me, the hot pixel mapping is more important than the sensor cleaning - does anyone know if the Z6/Z7 have a hot pixel mapping feature?

 

[Mako2011]

Except the inbuilt ultra-sonic system seems to be working quite well with my D850 for some reason.

Show a recent f22 of the sky. You might be surprised

I won't be surprised as actually I always carefully check using a sky shot at F25 or F32. Tends to reveal even the smallest dust bunnies.

Frank

We might be. Do you have a recent example? Do you often wet clean? Do you use zoom lenses often and/or routinely change lenses? How does your D500 compare?

You mean a recent example of an F25 blank sky shot ?? Sorry but I'm not in the habit of storing those!

It's a common practice to see if it's time to clean the sensor. I was suggesting you have a "look" and see how dirty it actualy is at the moment and let us know... as I'm suggesting the self cleaning won't help

I don't know whether I have any examples of "before and after"

Don't need one...just grab the camera and take a quick shot at f22 to see. I only do it before after an important shoot so the camera is ready for the next....as it always shows the need to clean

I don't "often" wet clean any digital sensor. Probably only 2 or 3 times a year on average. My D850 hasn't had a wet clean for at least a good month.

Then perhaps the ultra sonic isn't working all that great if that many cleanings are still needed. It really is why Nikon is looking to phase that feature out as it doesn't really cut down on number of wet cleans most need.

The self-clean on my D500 I would rate as usually seeming ineffective. If it ever works at all I don't notice. I usually end up having to wet clean that sensor.

Thanks for the feedback

 

[FrankG]

Except the inbuilt ultra-sonic system seems to be working quite well with my D850 for some reason.

Show a recent f22 of the sky. You might be surprised

I won't be surprised as actually I always carefully check using a sky shot at F25 or F32. Tends to reveal even the smallest dust bunnies.

Frank

We might be. Do you have a recent example? Do you often wet clean? Do you use zoom lenses often and/or routinely change lenses? How does your D500 compare?

You mean a recent example of an F25 blank sky shot ?? Sorry but I'm not in the habit of storing those!

It's a common practice to see if it's time to clean the sensor. I was suggesting you have a "look" and see how dirty it actualy is at the moment and let us know... as I'm suggesting the self cleaning won't help

It's night time here in the UK, has been for several hours. I may do a check tomorrow sometime.

I don't know whether I have any examples of "before and after"

Don't need one...just grab the camera and take a quick shot at f22 to see. I only do it before after an important shoot so the camera is ready for the next....as it always shows the need to clean

Yes I know - so do I.

I don't "often" wet clean any digital sensor. Probably only 2 or 3 times a year on average. My D850 hasn't had a wet clean for at least a good month.

Then perhaps the ultra sonic isn't working all that great if that many cleanings are still needed. It really is why Nikon is looking to phase that feature out as it doesn't really cut down on number of wet cleans most need.

That's the frequency I usually need with other DSLRs. Since I got the D850 a few months ago it has only had 1 wet clean and that was over a month ago. Time will tell how it goes on.

The self-clean on my D500 I would rate as usually seeming ineffective. If it ever works at all I don't notice. I usually end up having to wet clean that sensor.

Thanks for the feedback