[ d u n g c a r t d o t c o m ]A place for the stuff that leaks out of my head

Despite having become quite attached to the old Canon EOS 300D, times move on and I have finally replaced it with the 400D. The fact that Leigh from the band was eager to take the 300D off my hands smoothed the upgrade path considerably. However, as I was selling it to a mate I felt that I ought to do something about the specks of dirt that had accumulated on the sensor (or more accurately, on the infra-red filter that sits in front of the sensor in the camera).

The circular spots on the image that are a result of these miniscule bits of sensor dust have gradually become more noticeable over the last couple of months, to the point where they were really quite annoying. They often required retouching in Photoshop, but the prospect of damaging the delicate sensor with a cotton bud put me off taking the plunge and cleaning the thing. As it happens I needn’t have worried.

After a spot of Googling, the concensus seemed to be that the Photographic Solutions cleaning kit was the best bet. And I can heartily recommend them. They offer three starter kits for different sizes of sensor – number 2 does the EOS series, and I picked one up from local dealer Hilton Photographic for £22.95. It took a couple of swabs to remove all the dirt, but the process was painless.

Although the sensor inside the camera is undoubtedly very delicate, the greatest risk is that the shutter curtains get damaged if they close while the swab is inserted in the camera body. The actual process of swabbing the sensor is relatively straightforward and risk free if the instructions that came with the cleaning kit are followed.

Of course if you do happen to mash up your sensor as a result of reading this post, then I’m afraid I can’t be held responsible. But it really is a breeze.