Sensor Cleaning Ireland

13/09/2017

[Sony Alpha (mirrorless) Cleaning]

We've had many queries regarding cleaning of Sony Mirrorless cameras. Due to the lack of mirror, these cameras are particularly susceptible to accumulating dirt and dust on the sensor.

Additionally, the process for cleaning is a little trickier and more intricate than your typical DSLR. The sensor requires a special formulation of sensor cleaning fluid to avoid causing damage to the sensor over time, and traditional swab designs are proving ineffective at providing an even and streak-free clean.

We have no problem whatsoever with cleaning these cameras, and we offer it for the same great rate of €50 per clean despite the extra work involved.

If you've been putting off cleaning your alpha series camera because you're afraid of causing damage, or could not find somewhere that was willing to clean it, look no further. Contact us and we'll have your camera back in perfect condition in no time!

05/09/2017

8 Slots left for weekend cleans this week!

If you haven't got an event or wedding to photograph this weekend, why not drop your camera in by 5:30 on Friday and pick up it s***k and span on Monday morning?

Set yourself up for a great week of shooting 💪.

03/09/2017

DISCOUNTS FOR CLUBS

We love to see groups of like-minded individuals helping each other learn and improve. To help members of camera clubs out, we offer a super special rate to their members.

For cleaning of 5 or more cameras at a time, we offer a huge 20% discount.

This is one of the only discounts we offer, and it's our way of offering our support to camera clubs in Cork (and beyond). so if you and a few of your fellow club members could use a sensor clean, contact us to avail of this!

26/03/2017

Find out if your sensor needs to be cleaned in just 4 steps. It's quick, easy, and with the good weather coming, it could save you hours of cloning marks from dust and dirt out of your images!

1: Set your camera to Aperture Priority Mode and set your aperture number to the largest number available – e.g. 1/16 -1/22 or above (which will depend on your lens).

2: Set your lens to manual focus.

3: If you are outside and there is a clear blue sky (hey, it could happen!) then point your camera at it and take a picture. Otherwise, take a test shot on neutral background – a white or grey wall works great. Make sure the lens is completely out of focus. That way, only dust particles will be visible.

4: Zoom in on the image (rear camera LCD). Scroll from left to right and top to bottom all over the image and see if you can find any dark spots.

If you cannot see any, your sensor is clean. If you see dark spots like in the above example, then your sensor has dust on it.

08/11/2016

"Automatic Sensor Cleaning" - what is it, and how does it work?

Many Nikon & Canon cameras now come equipped with an automatic sensor cleaning mode. Most systems work by using piezo-crystal induced ultrasonic vibration of the IR filter on the sensor at 35-50kHz. Other systems vibrate at a much slower frequency of around 100Hz, but with much further travel.

What happens to the dust? When vibrated off the IR filter, it should fall to the bottom of the sensor where a dust trap collects it. The dust will fall unless the air currents around it, or electrical charges acting on it, are stronger than gravity.

How does it work compared to a blower? It depends on the type of dust or other substance. Normal dust is fairly easy to remove. Dust that has been damp is more difficult because it causes the dust to be more strongly attached to the surface it lands on. Other substances, such as the lubricants used inside the camera body, can become a gooey mess that neither an automatic cleaning system nor a blower can remove. Another problem with using blowers is that they often introduce more dust into the system than they remove, especially if you are using one without a filtered intake on one side and the outlet on the other.

So, in summary, the automated sensor cleaning mode is a useful feature, and definitely better than not having it. It can be about as effective as a blower in most scenarios. BUT, it can’t deal with residues, lubricants and other stubborn dirt that may find its way onto the sensor.

What's the most effective and safe way to clean a sensor? There isn't just one method. There are more effective methods, and there are safer methods, and these are generally inversely proportional to each other. In order of risk, the methods are: Automatic dust removal system, air blower, electrically charged brush, and wet cleaning systems that use swabs and cleaning fluid.

At Sensor Cleaning Ireland we use a combination of methods to ensure the safest and most effective clean. If you have stubborn dust, residue or marks on your sensor that the automatic cleaning mode isn’t removing, contact us and we’ll be able to help you out.

13/10/2016

We are running a special promo for our followers. €10 off our Premium Sensor Cleaning service, making it only €40! Valid until 20/10/2016

06/10/2016

01/09/2016

There will be some great offers from Barker Photographic at PhotoVision, next Tuesday the 6th of September in Croke Park.

01/07/2016

We are running a competition to win 5 Premium Sensor Cleans for your DSLR camera (worth €50 each). Simply like the page and share this post to be in with a chance to win. The 5 winners will be announced on Sunday, 3rd of July at 6PM.

15/06/2016

Sensor Cleaning Ireland will be closed from tomorrow until the 30th of June for holidays.
If you require sensor cleaning urgently, please contact us via this page and we will do our best to facilitate you.

Best,

Aaron

25/05/2016

Nikon D4 sensor before and after cleaning.

This is a perfect example of a sensor that was in need of cleaning. Numerous dust spots and residue from previous cleaning.

Sensor was returned to great condition by a 3 step clean. First a thorough no-contact blow out with a jumbo blower, then dry cleaning using the Kinetronics StaticWisk. The persistent residue then required a longer clean using Photographic Solutions Sensor Swabs (Size 3) and Eclipse Cleaner.

Fortunately all the residue was removable and the camera is back to taking great shots.

25/05/2016

What not to do when cleaning your sensor:

We are big proponents of people learning how to look after their own equipment, and we are advocates for those comfortable with cleaning their own sensor. But this is something you should be careful NOT do when cleaning your sensor.

Do NOT use "clean air" or "canned air" to clean your sensor.
Canned air is not just normal air compressed into a can. It contains contain a variety of gasses such as 1,1 - difluroethane and additional lubricants. These are nasty to get on your sensor, will often leave a residue, and can be a complete pain to clean off.

Instead, use an air blower (such as the Rocket Air Blaster) which will push clean, contaminant free air out of the nozzle and will be much better for your camera's health.

21/05/2016

A quick post to help those who don't know want to know whether their sensor needs cleaning or not. Try this!

Take out your camera and set it to manual mode, with aperture priority. Close the aperture down as tightly as you can (IE: Use a high f-number. Generally over f 1/16 or as high as your camera will allow).

Now take a test shot on a neutral background. A white or grey wall works great for this. If you're fortunate enough to have blue skies, even better!

Import the test shot to your computer and zoom in on the image.
Scroll from left to right, top to bottom on the image. If you can see any dark spots, then your sensor has dust (or other contaminants) on it. If you cannot see any, your sensor is clean! Note: You will not see this dust in your cameras viewfinder, so you won't discover that you have spots on your image until you go to use it.

The image below is from my personal 1200D, taken at the highest aperture setting. The large smudges caused by dust are pretty obvious in this photo... time for a clean!

17/05/2016

Before and after view of an Olympus E-1 sensor with heavy dust covering. Cleaned using non-contact cleaning only. Experience is what tells you to use just one tool when you have a whole arsenal. No need to risk damage to the sensor by taking more invasive measures when the sensor is already perfectly clean.

16/05/2016

Have you ever taken a beautiful shot, only to find the image had tens of little specks on it once you got to your computer? This is a common problem caused by dust and grit build up in your camera.

Over time, dust will get in to your camera. The inside of a camera has many parts which become electrostatically charged and this effectively glues dust to the mirror, and the body chamber.

Changes in air pressure and environment can dislodge dust from inside your camera body and get it stuck to the sensor.

For people who change lenses frequently, this is huge problem, as dust has ample opportunity to get in. For most people, you need to clean your sensor every 3-6 months to keep the sensor clean and free of dust, and keep those pesky dots off your shots.
Check out this before and after image of a sensor below to see why it’s important to keep your sensor clean.

We offer a premium sensor cleaning service, using the best sensor cleaning tools that money can buy. We use a combination of no-contact, dry and wet cleaning techniques to get your camera back to spotless condition, and you back to taking shots. Contact us on 0876488161, email [email protected] or message us on Facebook if you’d like to book a sensor cleaning :)

13/05/2016

We're live at http://www.sensorcleanireland.com/
Sign up with your email address and we'll notify you as soon as our full sensor cleaning service is available. You'll also receive a discount code for signing up. Stay tuned for further announcements!