Cleaning my camera . . .

[dugarner]

I have a few smears and pieces of dust on my camera and they weren't bothering me much. Now, it is getting worse---several small pieces of hair (or something similar), ten or eleven pretty big orbs of dust. They must be on the mirror or sensor because I can see them in the same place regardless of which lens I use.

I do not live in driving distance of a camera shop and I can't send my camera away for cleaning as I don't have a stand-in and don't want to pay shipping on top of $$ for the service.

Has anyone purchased a camera cleaning kit and done it successfully? I've seen different kits recommended on various professional sites, and my camera came with an instruction manual for cleaning it myself.

What do you think? Have you used any particular product? It's getting pretty bad, to the point where I have to use the healing tool on every single shot.

TIA!

[earlofoxford]

I was in the same position, Sarah, but am lucky enough to live near a great store that did it overnight. My dust / whatever was on the sensor because, like you, I was having to use the healing tool on most shots. I'm too chicken to try cleaning the sensor. Sorry my post isn't any help but wanted you to know I feel your pain.

[katrinak]

I'll be completely honest here Sarah...I followed an online video on cleaning my camera...

And well...I made it worse. I bit the bullet, sent it in. Used an old camera for the two weeks it was gone and got a clean camera back for less than $50 all said and done.

If you have great patience (I don't) you might have more success.

[dugarner]

Ugh. Now, come on, Katrina and Linda . . . you're supposed to say something like, "Oh, you go, girl, order the Newfangled Awesome Do-the-Cleaning-Yourself-Kit and get it ON."

I suspected as much. I don't have an extra camera. This is it. That's my major problem. Had I a point and shoot, I'd be happy sending it in, but hubby's 1st generation super-beat-up iPhone just doesn't cut it.

I also live in Cripple Chicken, Idaho (no offense to those living in Idaho!) and am at least two hours from the nearest camera shop. Maybe this calls for a special "shopping" trip to Shreveport or Dallas. I just want it cleaned before our Colorado trip in June.

Thanks for the advice!

[bjrobie]

definitely worth it to send it in and get it done "right." I thought my "spot" was dust or dirt. Instead it was a defect on the mirror of my camera. I ended up with my camera being fixed under warranty and I didn't have to pay for the cleaning. The three weeks without the camera made me go nuts, but to have it running again without fixing every photo was more than worth it.

[dugarner]

Originally Posted by bjrobie

definitely worth it to send it in and get it done "right." I thought my "spot" was dust or dirt. Instead it was a defect on the mirror of my camera. I ended up with my camera being fixed under warranty and I didn't have to pay for the cleaning. The three weeks without the camera made me go nuts, but to have it running again without fixing every photo was more than worth it.

Barb, I'm starting to think I agree with y'all. I have noticed over the past six months or so that all my photos in portrait orientation are strangely off-center. I can center my subject in the very center of my viewfinder, and when I chimp the shot, the subject is far to the right and slightly cut off. I understand you lose some of the long side of the shot in digital ratio (I don't have a 4X6 setting on my camera), but this is ridiculous. My dad said I may have bumped the mirror.

My camera's not under warranty any more, but I did dig up a potential store here in town. You'd think a place called "Bob Sale Gift and CAMERA" would have popped in my subconscious, but it didn't. I looked them up and they are rumored to have camera repair services. I'm going to check them out.

If they don't pan out, I'll just go to Jackson or Shreveport and have someone do it over there. I'd rather drop it off and make another trip to pick it up than mail it off.

[katrinak]

I'd call the store first, most will simply send it to the manufacturer and charge you for the convenience Not many stores still fix in house.

[Amy L]

Mine needs cleaning, too. I'm planning to get a new point-and-shoot for my birthday next month and send it in then. I've heard that you shouldn't try it yourself, so I'm afraid to.

[carollee]

I think call the store and it deserves a nice girlfriend day trip into the city.

I had a spot on my photos recently, changed lenses, didn't fix it so I knew it was in the camera. They did a blow thing on it and fixed it on the spot for me.

[Yvon]

The only thing that I use to clean my camera (Nikon D60) is a thing which I have t squeeze, and there will be air going out. That's how I remove dust or something.
But if it is to much, and I can't do it with the 'air-thingie' I'd go to the store where I bought it. It's just a 5min. drive from my town.

Sorry for the horrable explanation. Don't know how it is called in english :S

[Blossom]

My DH has done some cleaning of our cameras with some liquid he bought and got shipped from China and using the air pump. It was a very time consuming job and I think it is nothing he really enjoyed doing (he had to do 3 as this is the DSLR's we have)

[blkcow]

Sarah....I was at my "local" camera store the other day (2.5 hr drive..1 way!) to buy a new lens...(thats a whole nother story!)...and thought I would just have them clean my camera as a preventative measure. I was able to be without it for awhile and had prepared. I was not experiencing any smudges or spots.....they said not to have it cleaned until I experience problems like you are suggesting. So this really has nothing to do with your post...but I did think it was interesting.....I was willing to pay, but they were honest and said not to bother!!

[dugarner]

Pam, I am glad they had the sense to tell you not to do it---that's the kind of place that immediately earns my repeat business.

While I was reading your post, I got the idea to call my "local" camera store [20 hours by car]---an independent shop in my hometown in Maryland that does the best processing I've ever seen (short of WHCC or MPIX). They are friendly, fast, and helpful. So I called them, and they do 24-hour turnaround sensor cleaning for only $20. Shipping, cleaning, and everything will total $32---less than half what I'd have to pay to send it to Sony. I guess it pays to go "local" when you can! So I think I have an acceptable alternative, even though I'll be without a camera for about a week. I just need to tell my kids not to do anything cute for a week!

[hendon]

Originally Posted by dugarner

While I was reading your post, I got the idea to call my "local" camera store [20 hours by car]---an independent shop in my hometown in Maryland that does the best processing I've ever seen (short of WHCC or MPIX).

Sarah, seriously, I can not imagine where you live that it is a 20 hour drive to your local camera store! Seriously, I could just about drive the length of New Zealand in 20 hours!! Geeeesssssh!

[dugarner]

Originally Posted by hendon

Sarah, seriously, I can not imagine where you live that it is a 20 hour drive to your local camera store! Seriously, I could just about drive the length of New Zealand in 20 hours!! Geeeesssssh!

Donna, well, that's why I put local in quotes, yes? It's a little deceptive. I currently live in northeast Louisiana, and the camera store is in Severna Park, Maryland, where I grew up, about 1,000 miles away. Give or take, depending on how many shopping detours one takes between here and there.

I have a good friend who lives in Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada. When he gave us driving directions from here to there (we were curious), he said, drive 32 hours to Moscow, Idaho, then turn right and go 14 more hours.

What's that old saying---an American thinks 100 years is a long time, a Brit thinks 100 miles is a long distance?