D700 - clean image sensor

[pge]

<p>Does this self cleaning option work for you?</p>

<p>How does it compare to a previous camera that you have owned that does not have that feature?</p>

<p>How often do you use it?</p>

<p>Does anyone have it set to run on startup?</p>

<p>My answer is that I used to clean my d200 sensor about every 6 months. I have only owned my d700 for one year but have not seen the need to clean it yet, other than the self cleaning option of course. I only use the option about once a month.</p>

[mark_sirota1]

<p>I have it run when I turn off, not on. But you still need to clean manually every once in a while.</p>

[Andrew Garrard]

<p>Mine's set to turn-off time as well. I'm not too impressed - I've had my sensor cleaned (by Nikon - cheapish, and I'm close to Nikon UK HQ, so I may as well keep my warranty) four times in two years now, with quite a lot of crud on the sensor each time, but I'm not using the digital dust removal. I only cleaned my Eos 300D once in a similar time, but I may have been less critical of it. I don't know if my Nikkors are shedding into the mirror box - I've not been changing lenses in a sandstorm, or maybe one of them's sucking dust.</p>

[billfoster]

<p>I've found this to be a pretty serious problem. I've been careful, but I change lenses a lot and I get a lot of particles on it. It doesn't seem to me that the in camera sensor cleaning does anything at all. I don't know, maybe it would be a lot worse without it. But, i have taken a picture and looked at all the spots, run the cleaning and checked again and wasn't able to detect anything. I clean it manually, but I'm not so good at that either.</p>

<p>FWIW, I had the same problem with my D-300. I try to be careful about changing the lenses, but the sensor just gets filthy after a couple months.</p>

[al_sandberg]

<p>Interesting in that my experience is the opposite of Andrew and Bill. My D700 is two years old and I have never had to clean it manually despite changing lens frequently. The self cleaner sure works in my opinion since my technique had not changed over the past 5 years. I upgraded from a D70 which required frequent manual cleaning despite never changing a lens in a windy or sandy situation, pointing down, using a manual blower to suck out dust, etc.</p>