Cleaning the CCD of a Nikon D200

[mikepalo]

I have a Nikon D200. My camera has managed to get small specks of ....stuff..on

the CCD it is not Dust I have tried a blower it does not work. So my issue is

the CCD needs to be cleaned. My local Ritz Camera says it will cost between

$200-$300 to have it cleaned. Is there any way I can do this on my own without

risk to the camera? Are there any specific tools/techniques anyone can point me

to to clean this? <p><p><p>

 

<a

href="http://s131.photobucket.com/albums/p316/Photoragon/?action=view&current=DSC_2800.jpg"

target="_blank"><img

src="http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p316/Photoragon/DSC_2800.jpg" border="0"

alt="Photobucket"></a>

<p>

You can see the worse of the artifacts in the top of the picture top right and

top center.

<p>

Thanks for any Help and Advice

 

<p>

 

-Mike

[robert_hooper1]

Sensor cleaning is very, very easy to do. Read the following article by photo Guru,

Thom Hogan.

 

http://www.bythom.com/cleaning.htm

[phototransformations]

Those look like some kind of fibers to me. You should be able to remove most of them with a statically charged brush designed for this purpose. If they are not fibers, they are likely some kind of oil or liquid. They will smear with a brush. You can remove these with a SensorKlear pen. If neither of these work, use a SensorSwab and Eclipse 2 solution, available for about $50 at your local well-supplied camera store, or make your own swabs using what's in known as the Copperhill method. Copperhill also sells the brushes and the SensorKlear pen.

[spritestress]

If you are near a Calumet Photo branch, they will do it for about $50.00.

 

Meanwhile, you may want to read the instructions at the back of your D200 manual about removing sensor dust.

 

As your first approach, you may want to get a Giottos Rocket hand air blower. Following the instructions in the D200 manual for how to perform mirror lock-up for sensor cleaning, squeeze the Giottos Rocket blower repeatedly with the lens opening downward to blow the dust particles out of the camera.

 

In the future, always keep the camera upside down when changing lenses, and use the giottos rocket blower to clear all particles from and near the camera doing the lens change operation.

[geoffs1]

Some product links:

 

Brushes: http://visibledust.com/

 

Solutions and swabs: http://photographicsolutions.com/

 

More solutions, swabs, and brushes: http://www.copperhillimages.com/index.php

[spritestress]

Also, if you physically touch the sensor itself with anything, you may void your camera's warranty.

[mikepalo]

I have tried a blower repeatedly it does not work they are unfortunately not fibrous or dust in nature. :( One or two of them may be fibrous because this picture was taken after my last attempt with the blower but as a whole most of it is not. Thank you for all your assistance :)

<p>

-Mike

[Matt Laur]

Michael: I use the sensor swab products to which Geoff linked, above, on my D200. Just don't be in a rush, use plenty of the solvent, and things work out just swell. Clean as a whistle... and you'll be $250 ahead of the game (compared to Ritz... those dogs!). Well, that's what happens when you have to pay retail overhead for a spot in a shopping mall. Besides, you'll want to have the tools for this in your own bag, since you never know when you'll sneeze while changing lenses, and HAVE to have a clean sensor at 6:00AM on a Sunday morning. Self-service is the way to go.

[mikepalo]

"since you never know when you'll sneeze while changing lenses" ... lol the funny part is actually this is almost exactly what happened...but i wasn't changing the lens i was cleaning the sensor with a blower when i sneezed. :( <p> -Mike

[geoffs1]

FWIW, my primary cleaning tool is a three year-old Sensor Brush (Visible Dust). As long as the humidity is low (winter or air-conditioning) it works great and a half-dozen passes across the sensor/filter "does the trick".

 

I always have solvent and swabs available in case I get something nasty on there, but I probably have to use them once or twice a year. For some reason, the last few times' I've swabbed my sensor I seem to leave behind some fibrous residue on the edge of the sensor (torn edge of the pad?), but a quick brushing gets rid of it.

[juan_su]

I was doing a search as I have a similar issue. I have been considering the Eclipse solution. I know that for Nikon sensors, SWAB #2 is recommended. Is the solution E2 was is recommended for it?

[robert_hooper1]

For you, Juan Su:

 

http://photographicsolutions.com/cameras_bymfg.html

[juan_su]

Thanks Robert. I read the page about Eclipse Vs E2 as well. Good read. For those interested in the difference between the solutions http://www.photosol.com/e25d.htm

[nolan_ross]

I use the Green Clean on my D200. Pretty easy. Just swab with the wet brush and then swab with the dry brush. Takes about 3 minutes. Read your manual to learn how to lock up the mirror on the D200. Make sure you have a full battery when doing it.

 

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/548451-REG/Green_Clean_GCSC40703_Wet_Foam_Dry.html

[geoffs]

Go the Copperhill Images way !