Matrix cleaning: devices, cleaning methods, step-by-step instructions

An experienced photographer knows how easy it is to take care of cleaning the sensor and remove stains in a few simple steps. Most image processing cameras today include a protective layer that is sealed in front of the sensor package window. In color models, this protective glass also functions as an infrared filter. Sometimes a small amount of dirt appears on the surface of the glass. On camera models that do not have a protective layer, particles of dirt and dust can get into the window of the sensor package. These particles cause unwanted effects on images. To eliminate the consequences of this problem, you need to clean the matrix.

Sensor Contamination Check

For photographers, there is nothing more distressing than a camera matrix full of dust and stains. When the photographer works outdoors with a lens or changes lenses on the street, the dust constantly sits on the elements of the camera. Even studio photographers often have difficulty with a dirty sensor. The first and main point of treatment is diagnosis. This may seem strange, but it can be considered the most important part of the process. Dust is collected at different speeds. However, it is not the only substance that appears on the sensors. It can also be: sand, dirt and hairs or fibers. To get rid of each of them, you need your own method for cleaning the matrix, and it is often difficult to pick it up without knowing the diagnosis.

If the photographer shoots with wide open or large apertures, he may not see any touch debris in the images. In this case, he will need a PC monitor. After setting, for example, the aperture in f / 11 or f / 22, the dust of the sensor will become visible, as if appearing out of nowhere. This is sensory dust, it must be determined in the early stages of formation.

To check if there is sensory dust, you need to install the smallest aperture on the lens (the largest number of f-stop, for example, f / 32) and take a picture of a white wall or other light background. Then open the image in Photoshop and click Auto Tone, under the "Images" menu item. Do not be afraid if suddenly “horror stories” appear on the entire screen, subsequently effective cleaning of the matrix will eliminate everything.

A useful tool to avoid the need to take test shots during cleaning is the sensor magnifier (an increase of 7 times or more is recommended). When using a magnifier, dirt will be more noticeable.

Auto Clean Function

Even with self-cleaning, sensory stains are a bigger problem today than they were a few years ago. Image manipulations such as HDR or contrast like tonal imaging, including in many popular filters such as Nik and Topaz, will show spots that users have not noticed before. Therefore, many new devices began to be equipped with a function for automatic matrix cleaning.

You can find it in the "Tools" menu. When this tool is used, the camera gives the sensor a series of micro vibrations that “shake” the dust. The user may need to repeat this process several times. You need to be patient, and after a few minutes the camera will be free from most of the sensor’s contamination. If this function is not available on the device, there is a manual way to clean the sensor.

There comes a time when even photographers with automatic camera cleaning have to carry out manual cleaning. We bring to your attention the most effective way to clean the camera matrix.

Using Touch Wipes and Eclipse Liquid

Touch wipes are a specially developed cleaning cloth for camera sensors. When using a few drops of Eclipse cleaning fluid, they together clean the sensor thoroughly. You can get wipes exactly according to the size of the sensor, so that with one movement in each direction, everything that interferes with taking high-quality photos is removed. They can be successfully applied even to a tiny Swiffer sensor.

The procedure for cleaning the camera matrix:

1. Put 2 drops of liquid on a napkin or tampon, and then carefully process the sensor with a tampon.
2. Then they change direction and go in the reverse order.
3. If you need to repeat the process, use a new swab.

To use this cleaning method, you will need to hold the mirror and provide access to the sensor. This is a difficult task if the user does not want the mirror to go down while the swab is inside the camera.

Procedure:

1. If the camera does not have the Lock Mirror Up for Cleaning setting, make sure that the battery is charged and set the camera exposure.
2. The Bulb setting allows you to hold the mirror until the shutter is released.
3. To do this, use the lock to hold it, not with your finger.
4. Access the sensor.
5. Check the quality of cleaning, take a picture with the same aperture and compare.
6. Observe safety measures, otherwise the sensor will be damaged without the possibility of repair. And you also need to remember to be careful and never touch the sensor with your fingers. Fat from the fingers does more damage than dust and is much harder to remove.

Recently, a set for cleaning the matrix of the Altura camera has been popular with amateur photographers. The kit includes:

1. Altura Photo Lens Cleaner.
2. Lens brush.
3. Air purifier (pear).
4. Napkins Altura 50 sheets for cleaning the camera.
5. Fabric paper, 3 packs.
6. Oversized and original MicroFibers Premium MagicFiber cleaning wipes.
7. Lens cleaner Altura Photo Premium.
8. Mops for cleaning the matrix.

Static Charge Prevention

CCD image sensors are easily damaged by static discharge. Before handling them, the following protective measures must be followed:

1. Use antistatic gloves, clothing, shoes, a mat on the floor or desk to prevent the generation of static electricity.
2. Perform all cleaning operations on the mirror of the mirror unit in a clean room that does not contain dust.
3. Both the protective layer of glass and the window of the sensory packaging are very fragile, so it is important not to touch them with your fingers.
4. To remove dust and dirt, first carefully blow the particles off with compressed air. Experts recommend the use of ionized air - this will help remove dirt stuck on the surface due to static electricity.
5. If debris cannot be removed with a blower, apply a small amount of optical cleaning agent, such as an optical photography cleaner Eclipse Optics Cleaner or ethyl alcohol, to a clean lens cloth that is made specifically for cleaning optics.
6. The fabric should be moist, but should not drip from it.
7. It is better to use napkins from the kit for cleaning the matrix of an SLR camera.
8. Wipe with a cloth along the length of the glass surface with soft movements.
9. Do not press on the surface or strongly press the fabric several times in one place.
10. If streaks or streaks occur, wait until the glass dries, and then repeat the cleaning.
11. After cleaning, inspect the surface in bright light.
12. If dust spots remain, repeat this procedure using a clean cloth.
13. If nothing has changed, perhaps the dirt is under the glass.

Handling with Arctic Butterfly

There are various tools for cleaning sensors that allow for cleaning. It is best to have a special matrix cleaning kit. Some of them are more effective in certain methods than others, but expert advice is to use a static charged brush called the Arctic Butterfly or Visible Dust.

Its functionality is provided when charging the brush. Carefully and slowly processing the sensor with it, using the very end of the brush to contact the sensor. It is advisable to place the camera on the work surface at this moment, so that the user can firmly hold in place during cleaning.

Any grease on the brush will be transferred to the sensor, so you can not touch the brush with your hands, and it is also forbidden to put it on any surface without a special cap.

Perform several sweeps with a brush, removing dirt that is not attached to the sensor. And after cleaning, they take one test shot to make sure that it was effective.

Digital slr camera

To begin cleaning the SLR camera matrix, you must have the right equipment, such as Visible Dust Arctic Butterfly, Fluids and cleaning wipes with a size suitable for the camera. DSLR Sensor Cleaning Process:

1. Remove the lens from the camera, put a fully charged battery to gain access to the menu options for cleaning the sensor. Many modern cameras have an automatic and manual option to lock the mirror.
2. Nikons usually has a “mirror lock” option. If the user is not sure, then you need to refer to the instructions.
3. Clean with air the DSLR sensor. This tool, which all photographers should have in their kit, it is inexpensive and invaluable for cleaning the matrix of an SLR camera.
4. Cleaning is performed with the camera turned to the ground so that dirt is removed by gravity.
5. Point the blower nozzle into the sensor chamber at a distance of at least 3 cm from the sensor surface and carry out 10-fold air cleaning.
6. If the user is not successful in cleaning, they should perform wet cleaning.

Wet SLR Sensor Cleaning

It should be considered as the most extreme indicator of sensor cleaning and the most dangerous. This is not difficult, but if the user is not sure of contact with the sensor, it is better for him to give the camera to a professional sensor cleaning service at the place of residence.

There are many tampons and liquid combinations, and most of them are quite effective. Experts advise standard Sensor Clean fluid. It is very good to use, it almost never leaves streaks and removes almost all types of dirt.

Start wet cleaning the Canon image sensor:

1. Place small drops of the selected fluid on the tip of the swab. 2 or 3 drops is enough to cover the entire tip. In this case, you must be very careful to make sure that the swab is not too wet. Otherwise, it may cause fluid to leak into the invisible areas of the sensor chamber and cause permanent damage to the chamber. If by accident the swab is wetted more than necessary, it is better to throw it away.
2. Do not apply too much pressure with a swab to the sensor; the glass is very thin.
3. Allow the sensor to dry and repeat the procedure, but on the other hand. Two sweeps should be enough to remove the vast majority of dirt.
4. Check the sensor, mount the lens and take a test shot, or simply inspect it through a magnifier.

IPhone Camera Lens

One of the simplest and most effective types of cleaning with a can of compressed air, bought at any hardware store. The only requirement for it is that it should not have any chemical additives, i.e., be absolutely clean.

Procedure:

1. Apply compressed air to the lens.
2. The iPhone screen is well protected, but you still need to be very careful not to break the camera, because compressed air can be powerful. Compressed air blowing is carried out at a distance of at least 30 cm from the screen. In cases where compressed air does not remove dust from the lens, you can clean it with a microfiber cloth.
3. If the dust does not disappear, then it is likely to be stuck under the lens. In this case, it is better to contact a technical specialist.
4. Do not try to disassemble the phone yourself, disassembling it can damage the device and void the warranty.
5. If fingerprints or other stains are noticed on the phone’s camera, you need to use microfiber cloths to clean, which are easy to get at most stores or pharmacies.
6. The texture of these fabrics can easily remove stains and fingerprints.
7. Remove the fabric from its packaging and gently wipe the surface of the lens of the iPhone camera.
8. Clean as thoroughly as possible to remove unwanted prints and stains.
9. When cleaning, avoid applying chemical cleaners to the surface.

Canon pollution reduction

Dust on the sensor is displayed as gray on a digital image. This problem also affects the photo. In a digital camera, dust remains on the glass filter and affects each subsequent exposure. It’s easier to retouch digital images than negatives or prints, but it can still create a lot of problems.

Studies have shown that one of the main causes of dust is the camera itself. This explains why photographers who rarely change lenses suffer from dust and must timely clean the image sensor on the Canon camera. There are two important areas associated with the camera that generate dust. One of them is the shutter. Each time it fires, friction between the components can create dust.

The latest camera shutters have been designed to create minimal dust during operation. Another major problem is the plastic case cover. When it is attached or removed, the friction between the metal mount and the plastic cap can also cause dust.

From the first half of 2005, the housing cover began to be made of a material that attracts very little dust. A modern housing cover made of another plastic that reduces the amount of dust inside the camera. Since the process of dust formation is almost inevitable, the most thrifty photographers always have at home a kit for cleaning the matrix of the mirror apparatus.

Prevention is known to be better than cure. It is completely impossible to stop dust from entering a digital camera, but you can significantly reduce its amount using one or more of these simple procedures:

1. Turn off the camera before replacing the lens. This reduces the static charge on the sensor and stops dust from being attracted.
2. Turn the camera off before removing the housing cover or changing the lens.
3. Do not leave the camera open.
4. When the lens is removed, it must be replaced immediately with another or covered with a camera body cover.
5. Avoid changing lenses in dusty situations.
6. If you need to change the lens in dirty conditions, hold the camera with the lens holder down to reduce the risk of dust entering the hole.

Nikon Camera Care

Many aspiring photographers who recently bought their first DSLR camera turn to specialists with questions about proper care and cleaning of the Nikon sensor. For general safe storage, it is strongly recommended that cameras and lenses be stored on a clean and dry surface, such as in a dry cabinet or drawers. In a wet cabinet, fungus may form on the equipment.

Since photo accessories are available in a wide range of shapes and sizes, you need to choose a volume in which it will be convenient to store the camera, lenses, flashes and cables. The best way to protect dust from the camera’s sensor is to minimize the exposure of the sensor in the environment. This means that people who own only one lens will probably never find a single dust spot on the sensor. But most who own more than one lens occasionally find dust spots on their sensors. It depends on how often they change the lens and the environment in which it is performed.

If the DSLR is stored without an attached lens, there will be more dust, so remember to close the case. Many photographers prefer to protect the lens by screwing in an ultraviolet (UV) filter. Although it really protects the lens from scratches, all UV filters cause the lens to flash, especially when bright light shines directly into the camera.

Developing a pathological habit of lens cleanliness, even when not in use, should become the norm and will be better and more economical practice to protect the camera from contamination.