kshapero
South Florida Man
I have a Sony NEX which I use with various lenses. some native and some are M-Mount lenses. So I am changing lenses all the time. Am I setting myself up for a lot of sensor dust? I know very little about this.
goffer
Well-known
Any digital interchangeable camera is subject to sensor dust, but in regards to the quantity of dust it depends on a number of variables I suppose, like environment and how fast you are during the changing process.
I never really had any issues with sensor dust... I would get a little dust bunny here and there that I would start seeing at f8, but nothing my rocket blaster couldn't take care of; I never touched the liquid cleaners.
To test for dust on the sensor set you aperture to f11/16 and shoot a white wall, or the sky. If you see little black spots you have dust.
I never really had any issues with sensor dust... I would get a little dust bunny here and there that I would start seeing at f8, but nothing my rocket blaster couldn't take care of; I never touched the liquid cleaners.
To test for dust on the sensor set you aperture to f11/16 and shoot a white wall, or the sky. If you see little black spots you have dust.
pvdhaar
Peter
In my experience, the NEX-3 sensor is a dust magnet. And what's worse, the ultrasonic cleaning mode isn't really effective.. heck, it doesn't even go if the battery isn't at least 2/3 full. I can only get rid of the dust with a blower, and even then I can't shoot above f8, or there's spots on the image that I have to take out in post processing. The consequence is that I've gotten very hesitant about changing lenses, which is a shame, as the NEX-3 is all about being a platform for old lenses, and it's such a splendid camera in every other aspect.
Of course, it's entirely possible that I'm being over-sensitive to dust here. Who in his right mind shoots over f8 on an APS-C camera, where diffraction degrades the image worse than a dust spot? I'm probably spoiled by the Nikon D90, which first of all doesn't attract dust as much and more important, has a sensor cleaning mode that really works.
Of course, it's entirely possible that I'm being over-sensitive to dust here. Who in his right mind shoots over f8 on an APS-C camera, where diffraction degrades the image worse than a dust spot? I'm probably spoiled by the Nikon D90, which first of all doesn't attract dust as much and more important, has a sensor cleaning mode that really works.
kossi008
Photon Counter
I guess so. I've had a Canon 350D for five years now and changed lenses a lot, and so far have felt no need for any wet cleaning. And the thing has NO sensor cleaning mode beyond "I'll flip up the mirror and let you do whatever you have to do while I look the other way"...
Or maybe I'm just sloppy...
bobbyrab
Well-known
A few things you can do to minimise the likelihood of dust, I've read that the sensor attracts dust when the camera is powered up, so switch the power off when changing. Try and keep the mouth of the camera pointing down while the lens is off, and finally I think you're more likely to introduce dust via the rear of the lens, so keep the rear of the lens as dust free as possible. I also vacum clean my bag from time to time.
uhoh7
Veteran
I change a bunch, in not the greatest conditions.
I use a blower often, pec pads and sensor cleaner once in awhile, and isopropyl if I have something that really wont come off.
no big deal
I use a blower often, pec pads and sensor cleaner once in awhile, and isopropyl if I have something that really wont come off.
no big deal
kshapero
South Florida Man
Gorgeous shot. With a NEX?I change a bunch, in not the greatest conditions.
I use a blower often, pec pads and sensor cleaner once in awhile, and isopropyl if I have something that really wont come off.
no big deal
uhoh7
Veteran
Frank Petronio
Well-known
I've been shooting digital SLRs since 2004 and while I try to minimize lens changes and dust, I've never had a problem that couldn't be blown out. Going out on a windy day, on a farm or beach, is the worst and I really try to avoid lens changing then.
Zooms seem to attract dust with their changes of air pressure.... another reason to shoot primes ;-)
Zooms seem to attract dust with their changes of air pressure.... another reason to shoot primes ;-)
uhligfd
Well-known
But primes without internal focusing mechanisms also suck in air = dust comes with focusing.