How to check how clean your sensor is.

[John 2]

I have just been photographing some of my wife's pottery for a portfolio she has to submit in support of the University workshop she attends. Background was white art paper which when it came to a white pot, looked lacking in detail. Not a problem. A good dose of structure in Nik Vivesa would soon sort that out. But oh my, it also revealed a spotty white background that would have done a Dalmatian dog justice. So if you want to check out the cleanliness of your sensor, you now know what to do. Now where is that cleaning kit I bought some time back.

[Dave Humphries]

Hi John,

Yes, a defocused, very bright, completely plain image, shot at a narrow aperture (e.g. f/16) is the best way to see any crud.

Plus, as I think you're saying, enhancing contrast in PP also helps a lot.

Good luck with the cleaning, Dave

[Friso]

Hi John,

Yes, a defocused, very bright, completely plain image, shot at a narrow aperture (e.g. f/16) is the best way to see any crud.

Plus, as I think you're saying, enhancing contrast in PP also helps a lot.

Good luck with the cleaning, Dave

Yes, you have to take a photo of a white piece of paper (A4 or A3).

[DanK]

Yes, you have to take a photo of a white piece of paper (A4 or A3).

Any light-colored surface without detail works fine. Some people use the sky. I used to use a plain light-blue computer screen, but it has been taken down by the host, and I haven't created another.

I usually use at least f/22. At that aperture, any debris that one has to worry about is usually obvious.

[Ndukes]

Cleaning is a risky business. I have done it successfully but usually I find it takes hours to get it right. Also, it is VERY tedious. I do not live near a service agent offering a sensor cleaning service. If I did, I would rather pay one to do it.
I find that f11 is around the safe limit above which dust can become visible and usually it is most obvious if I increase contrast in the sky or other plain surface.
If you opt to do it yourself follow all of the well documented advice to the letter. And good luck!

[Friso]

Good advice from me, go to a company for cleaning sensor.

In my camera, canon 70d, there is inbuild function for cleaning the sensor.

[Ndukes]

Good advice from me, go to a company for cleaning sensor.

In my camera, canon 70d, there is inbuild function for cleaning the sensor.

Yes, on my Df also. But it does not remove sticky deposits that get sucked in by a long throw zoom lens or oil splashes from the mirror / shutter mechanism.

[Mike Buckley]

I've found that the easiest way for me to determine whether a sensor is clean is to examine it directly under a bright light while using a magnifier. There are lots of threads posted here about the relative ease, safety and effectiveness of cleaning a sensor without going to the expense of paying someone to do it.

The title of the thread refers to checking how clean the sensor is. What does it say about me that I always check to see how dirty it is?

[John 2]

Probably badly worded but the intended thrust of my original post was not so much about how to clean a sensor. Nor really, even about how to determine how dirty it is but about the fact that it can get quite soiled without it immediately being apparent. I have been quite happily cleaned my D7100 sensor with a dedicated kit on a number of occasions over recent times. However, I'm feeling a little more reluctant about tackling my Fuji given the absence of the moiré filter which apparently might otherwise afford some physical protection against heavy handedness.

[Friso]

And for that kind of stuff I'll go to a company.

[Black Pearl]

Probably badly worded but the intended thrust of my original post was not so much about how to clean a sensor. Nor really, even about how to determine how dirty it is but about the fact that it can get quite soiled without it immediately being apparent. I have been quite happily cleaned my D7100 sensor with a dedicated kit on a number of occasions over recent times. However, I'm feeling a little more reluctant about tackling my Fuji given the absence of the moiré filter which apparently might otherwise afford some physical protection against heavy handedness.

Your sensor still has a physical glass 'filter' in front of it doing other things including offering protection - it the case of your Fuji it simply lacks the layer that deals with moiré.

[John 2]

Thank you Robin. In that case I might just give it a gentle scrub.