Tiny specs on sensor / how to clean it?

[Antonio Ribeiro]

Hi guys,

Today on a shoot I came across a few tiny specs on my Scarlet's sensor. They don't seem to come off with Canair. Can anyone advise me on the best way to clean it? With DSLR sensors I had a great cleaning kit, expensive too. But I wouldn't like to use it unless I am 100% sure it's not going to screw anything up. On the other hand, I cannot afford to send the camera to RED.

There must be another way, right?

Thanks
Antonio

 

[Stephen Williams]

DSLR sensor cleaning kit is the way to go, get a 1.3 crop swab.

Hi guys,

Today on a shoot I came across a few tiny specs on my Scarlet's sensor. They don't seem to come off with Canair. Can anyone advise me on the best way to clean it? With DSLR sensors I had a great cleaning kit, expensive too. But I wouldn't like to use it unless I am 100% sure it's not going to screw anything up. On the other hand, I cannot afford to send the camera to RED.

There must be another way, right?

Thanks
Antonio

 

[Brian Robbins]

Don't use canned air. If it won't come off with a rocket blower, then try a non abrasive wipe with a few drops of optical cleaning fluid wrapped around a sensor wand, just swab it off. If you can determine with your sensor scope that the specs are indeed still there after this and that they're not imperfections in the glass or scratches on the OLPF itself..then use a medical q-tip dipped in acetone and then repeat the sensor wand/ wipe step to swab away the acetone. A DIY cleaning kit of that nature...sensor scope, pack of pec pads, bottle of eclipse cleaning fluid, sensor wand, bag of q-tips will run you under 100$.

--You said sensor, not OLPF, so assuming you took your camera apart or your noticing that these dots are behind the OLPF...you can still use the wand, pad w/ a few drops of cleaning fluid to clean the sensor itself but be very careful doing it. If you don't have experience cleaning actual sensors, then I'd not suggest cleaning the sensor itself but the OLPF is no big deal.

Hi guys,

Today on a shoot I came across a few tiny specs on my Scarlet's sensor. They don't seem to come off with Canair. Can anyone advise me on the best way to clean it? With DSLR sensors I had a great cleaning kit, expensive too. But I wouldn't like to use it unless I am 100% sure it's not going to screw anything up. On the other hand, I cannot afford to send the camera to RED.

There must be another way, right?

Thanks
Antonio

 

[Antonio Ribeiro]

That's great guys. This is the cleaning fluid and swabs I have: Sensor Swab by Photographic Solutions, Inc.

This was originally bought to clean my Canon 5D's sensor. Any good for the RED?

 

[Dominick Pietrzak]

In the RED FAQs: http://www.red.com/faqs

What RED recommends: DDSS-DUSTER3: link

 

[Will Keir]

Good question, I've wondering the same. Luckily, Canned air has worked so far.

Hi guys,

Today on a shoot I came across a few tiny specs on my Scarlet's sensor. They don't seem to come off with Canair. Can anyone advise me on the best way to clean it? With DSLR sensors I had a great cleaning kit, expensive too. But I wouldn't like to use it unless I am 100% sure it's not going to screw anything up. On the other hand, I cannot afford to send the camera to RED.

There must be another way, right?

Thanks
Antonio

 

[Chris McKechnie]

Use the arctic butterfly when an air blower doesn't work. http://visibledust.com/products3.php?pid=3