Cleaning a 5D MK2

[rage2]

So, does anyone know how to properly clean my gear, or can recommend a good shop to take care of it locally? I'm too scared to get anywhere near the sensor and mirrors, don't wanna fuck it up. My gear's collected quite a bit of dust in the viewfinder (sensor seemed to have cleaned itself up) and just want a good top to bottom cleaning of the body and 3 lenses.

I'm back home for a month before I start flying again, so I wanna get 'er cleaned before the next batch of trips.

The Canon service center's gone now, and I don't wanna ship it out.

[soupey]

viewfinder dust can be a pain to clean out, especially if its beyond the focusing screen...if its not much dust, don't bother cleaning it yet, it doesn't affect the image quality at all.

the sensor on the other hand can be cleaned a variety of ways, you can buy a 10-15 dollar dustless blower that u can safely blow air against the sensor to remove any loose dust.

i personally use sensor swabs with my gear, dust-aid wand to be precise.

http://www.dust-aid.com/08dustwandkit.html....

if you're around the first week of aug, i can do it for u while im in calgary, although im sure im not the only person around who has the means to do it...

[rage2]

It's enough dust on the focus screen to bother me quite a bit. Not much I could do about it, had to change lenses in the most harsh environments. Just wanted to wait it out till I got home.

My sensor seems to be in pretty good shape. Gotta do a few tests this weekend to verify.

[soupey]

if its just on the focus screen, u can try blowing air upwards towards the screen, just be careful tho, the screen scratches very easily, although its replaceable, not worth the hassle unless u want another one...u can also remove it and blow it in free air, just be sure to use tweezers...if the dust is beyond the focus screen, u have to unscrew and unclip some other brackets and screens to get to the dust...i had to do it for my 5D, but i doubt you'd want to do that yourself.

I think the 5DII has better weather sealing than the original 5D, so most of your viewfinder dust may just be on the outside and removable with a blower, just try using a blower first and see how much u can get out.

switch the camera to manual sensor cleaning mode (don't use bulb mode), try to follow a circular direction on the sensor, pointing the blower towards each corner and side of the sensor. do this while holding the camera up so that any dislodged dust particles can fall with gravity instead of getting pushed around elsewhere. you'll have to aim upwards towards the focus screen to try clearing dust off that...hopefully that gets rid of most of it, otherwise you'll have to try another method (likely a wet method like the wand)...or get it cleaned elsewhere.

[mboldt]

I can do it for you.. Alta Camera downtown would probably do it as well

[AccentAE86]

Yeah, just use a bulb blower or rocket blower. I use cheap but effective a rocketblower knockoff made by optex.

Removing the focusing screen from your 5D mark II is really easy and requires no tools. First use the blower on the underside of the screen. If dust is still there, drop the screen, blow the top side of the screen, and blow more air up into the area above the focus screen. That usually gets it all.

[soupey]

Originally posted by AccentAE86
Yeah, just use a bulb blower or rocket blower. I use cheap but effective a rocketblower knockoff made by optex.

Removing the focusing screen from your 5D mark II is really easy and requires no tools. First use the blower on the underside of the screen. If dust is still there, drop the screen, blow the top side of the screen, and blow more air up into the area above the focus screen. That usually gets it all.

if it's anything like the 5D, the AF screen is seperate from the focusing screen, so to actually blow into the prism assembly to get at the stubborn VF dust, u have to unscrew and unhinge a couple things...ive done it with mine, but i don't know if most people would be inclined to do it themselves.

http://www.ascent-design.com/photo/Clean5D/

[AccentAE86]

nah, I'm just talking about the focusing screen. If you managed to get dust way up there that you had to remove all that, you must have been shooting in a dust storm or something! LOL ;)

[C4S]

yeah .. still .. both 5D and 5DII .. are pain in the butt for dust .. :dunno:

It doesn't bother me much .. so I just leave it ..

The more I blow the screen, more dust getting inside .. :(

[soupey]

Originally posted by AccentAE86
nah, I'm just talking about the focusing screen. If you managed to get dust way up there that you had to remove all that, you must have been shooting in a dust storm or something! LOL ;)

u sir, are severely underestimating the dust flying around in india.

[AccentAE86]

hey man, i don't doubt you at all. it's just not super common to get dust way up there. You'd have to be shooting in a dust storm... or India... LOL

[quazimoto]

Or be using compressed air. I watched some guy shoot compressed air into one at thecamerastore and it got all sorts of gunk way up there from the chemical spray of the compressed air.

I'm even noticing my 5D M2 is a really pain to keep clean. The one nice thing is the sensor swabs are the same size as the 1Ds Mark III.

[mboldt]

NEVER use compressed air, EVER. That's the worst idea possible, I can't believe someone at TCS would do that lol

I don't know why you guys are all saying your 5DM2's are so hard to keep clean..

[quazimoto]

Well I don't know why but there seems to be way more crap on in my 5D MII viewfinder than my 1Ds MarkIII viewfinder and I've had the 1Ds for way longer.

But yes compressed air should be banned for usage on cameras.

[soupey]

Originally posted by quazimoto
Or be using compressed air. I watched some guy shoot compressed air into one at thecamerastore and it got all sorts of gunk way up there from the chemical spray of the compressed air.


compressed air is only dangerous for forcibly pushing dust further up into the camera... that or being too forceful and potentially warping/damaging the sensor if exposed too closely or directly at the panel.....not so much "chemical spray"


....it may be different for cans that use bittering agents or have artificial smells added...

[quazimoto]

The one example I was shown was what happens when the compressed air is used too long or sprayed too hard. The end result being liquid coming out of the spray can. That to me is a little scary.

I find the visible dust systems work fairly well though. It really does suck eggs that canon moved the facility out of Calgary though. It was nice to get my camera fully cleaned for 30 bucks in 1 day.

[BerserkerCatSplat]

Originally posted by soupey



compressed air is only dangerous for forcibly pushing dust further up into the camera... that or being too forceful and potentially warping/damaging the sensor if exposed too closely or directly at the panel.....not so much "chemical spray"


....it may be different for cans that use bittering agents or have artificial smells added...

Any can of compressed air can spray a residue from the propellant that can pretty much render a sensor or other surface uncleanable.

[C4S]

:dunno:

Still .. 5D/5DII are hard to stay away from dust .. ( view finder! )

However, it doesn't affect IQ at all. :)

Air blower is the way to go.

Compressed air ... try not to, or do it very careful!

[Clever]

BUMP!

Not a 5d by any means but I had a blonde moment and tried using a lens pen to clean of what looked like fiber and dust on my t1i view finder, made it worse of course, where can I get this cleaned properly, thanks.

[mboldt]

Try searching Phototech Calgary. He does a lot of Canon repairs, I'm not sure if he does cleaning as well though.