Dust removal with household vacuum cleaner?

Actually, my 1D MkII survived the vacuum cleaner operation, no problems.

How was this done ?

I bought a 3 m of 3/8"polyethylene tubing. One end into the vacuum cleaner hose, with toilet paper (!) as a seal around it. The other end was a) serrated with a pocket knife to avoid sucking onto the sensor and b) wrapped in a lens cleaning tissue, with some holes produced with a large diameter needle.

 

During the operation, the business end of the device was held couple of milimeters off the sensor, with occassional touching the sensor (OK, I know that technically it is a filter). Worked as a charm.

Wow, this seems to be a controversial subject! *lol*

 

Reading this thread, there are quite a few that obviously have succeeded cleaning the camera using a household

vacuum cleaner. Hmm, who to believe in this issue - the ones who says it works fine or those who think it sucks?

 

At the moment I'm pretty confused. Yesterday I had my second parking ticket in a short period of time on my old

classic Vespa. 1400 swedish kronor (a bit more than 200 USD) - money that I would prefer using on professional

camera cleaning instead. Now I just have to do it myself...

 

Regards

 

/ Fredrik, a very poor photographer at the moment...

Ok, first let me say that I no longer use this setup, not because it didn't work but because I realized that I live just a couple miles from the Canon Service Center in Southern California and they clean my sensors for free, usually same day. Now for Harry. As you stated, Sharper Image is now out of business and I bought the vacuum at a garage sale four years ago but I will look for a link or at least see if I can find a model number so you can look for it on the bay. The vacuum is designed for use in a car and it's quite small. I modified a Hepa filter bag that I got at Home Depot to fit the vacuum and I ported the exhaust through another filter with a diffuser. I also used a foam diffuser on the suction end. In addition, the vacuum motor was located 25 feet from the bench that I actually use to clean my camera and other electronics which addresses some of Sarah's concerns about recirculated dust. And finally, for Steve and Carl, the vacuum hose is grounded at the suction end using a standard 3M wrist strap modified to fit over the end of the hose.

 

I don't think the idea here was ever to stick the nozzle in the mirror box but rather to use the vacuum suction at a safe distance to remove the dust stirred up from a bulb blower so that it doesn't settle back in the mirror box. I still use the vacuum with a small brush attachment (and the grounding strap) to clean the exterior of my bodies and lenses.

 

I set about making this system after I saw something like it being used at a watch repair shop. The technician was using something very similar (but somewhat more professional looking) to prevent dust from settling on the face of a watch while replacing the crystal.

You are all missing the obvious solution. I have a couple of snails in my aquarium that slide along the glass and suck off the algae. When my sensor gets dirty, I just grab one out of the aquarium, stuff it inside the camera, put the body cap on for hour and presto I have a spotless sensor. It is threads like this that keep me coming back to PN.

GungaJim Downs > Great idea! But don't they leave smudging "snail tracks" on the sensor? You mean this is a safer method than using a household vacuum cleaner? Btw, where do you buy those camera snails?

Could this be something? Only $3.99!

 

http://www.autobarn.net/elcl45wtoz.html

 

"Formulated for use on precision instruments, equipment and components"

 

"Safely cleans plastic surfaces, magnetic and paper tape components"

 

"Effectively removes dust, lint, and light oil from tape heads, tuners,and sensitive equipment"

 

"Non-conductive"

 

"Cleans and degreases points, contacts, switches, relays, plugs, printedcircuits and diagnostic test equipment"

 

"Evaporates quickly and completely"

 

"Harmless to most plastics"

 

"Leaves no residue"

 

"Contains no CFCs or chlorinated solvents"

 

"Authorized for use in federally-inspected meat and poultry plants"

"Hmm, who to believe in this issue - the ones who says it works fine or those who think it sucks?"

 

Of course it sucks! It's a vacuum cleaner!

Use the rocket blower. Use may have to blast it 50 times but it works.

Jan suggested using a Dyson. I'd second this as it has other advantages too - they are fitted with HEPA filters that basically mean there is no dust exiting the machine, and they have a clear bagless cylinder so you can see the bits of camera that have been accidentally sucked out. You can get these out of the cylinder, give them a quick rinse off under the tap, and refit. Job done!

You're ALLLLLLLLLL wrong, using a vacuum cleaner to clean your DSLR is simply ridiculous!.. I stuck my 1D mkIII through the car wash the other day, and there ain't a spec of dust on my sensor. Much better than Dysons.. (He's English y'know.)

Thats good Adrian...funny.

 

So how long do ya'll think this thread could go?

 

I was just thinkin'....

 

Jason

The Kirby vacuum cleaner is the answer! These are able to do just about everything around the house, used to even come

with a spray paint attachment. I wondered if the newer models are fitted with an attachment to clean the sensors so I

checked. A "micro vacuum attachment kit" is available. It contains specialty attachments designed to meet specific,

challenging cleaning problems. Products include extra-long power cords and hoses, as well as mini attachments for small

detail cleaning.

 

http://www.kirby.com/Portals/0/kirby_parts.html

If you do this on a regular basis the buildup of mirrors & shutter blades may clog your vacuum.

<p>I use a household vacuum all the time and it works great. (but I take no responsibility for your results)<br>

basically:<br>

Wash and dry your hands (to make them dust free)<br>

hold the end of the vacuum hose with your pointer and thumb (so that the end of the hose does not protrude beyond your hand).<br>

hold the camera, lens mount facing down. <br>

with the mirror down (first) Hold the vacuum hose about .25-.5" from the lens mount. This will cause air to swirl around your hands (which is why you washed them), into the mirror chamber and into the hose. This will loosen most dust and remove it.<br>

you will know if you are getting too close if the vacuum starts to pull up on the mirror. You don't ever want to get the hose too close, but there needs to be enough room for air to enter the chamber.<br>

Once you've cleaned it out with the mirror down, lock up the mirror and repeat to clean the loose dust from the sensor.<br>

Only stubborn stuck on stuff will remain.</p>

<p>Works great, better than blower brush, cheaper than sensor swabs (which I still use if the sensor dirt is stuck on). Never had a problem, but I don't garauntee that you won't--so take my advice carefully)</p>

And the Electrolux sucked the focus screen out of the camera. But no dust on the sensor.;)

You might want to try one of these...

 

http://www.mini-vac.com/pressreleases.html

 

I don't have a dslr to use it on, but it works good on tiny fragile things.

 

Peter

Are you sure that's the correct link ?

They use to sell these mini-vacuum cleaners that were about the size of an air-can. Not sure how much pulling power they offered since i never owned one ?

Years ago there was a guy that worked on cameras at my local camera store, he was an amatuer but could fix almost anything. I remember watching him using a tiny vaccum cleaning or suction device to suck the dust out of the interiors of film camera and the old Canon 30D's and Fuji S2's back in the day and I never heard any complaints. I think that was before sensor cleaning solutions were common place. Back then dust really stuck to old CCD sensors. Today a blower brush and anti shake works with every camera I own and I own at least one each of the big 3 (CNS).

Years ago there was a guy that worked on cameras at my local camera store, he was an amatuer but could fix almost anything. I remember watching him using a tiny vaccum cleaning or suction device to suck the dust out of the interiors of film camera and the old Canon 30D's and Fuji S2's back in the day and I never heard any complaints. I think that was before sensor cleaning solutions were common place. Back then dust really stuck to old CCD sensors. Today a blower brush and anti shake works with every camera I own and I own at least one each of the big 3 (CNS).

And it's okay? Do not broke anything?