DSLR Sensor cleaning

I've not had the need to clean the sensor on any of my DSLRs before, but for some reason dust has got in and I need to clean them.

I took advice from my local pro store (The Flash Centre) and purchased a VisibleDust Arctic Butterfly SL700, I have to say this thing is the biggest waste of money and all it has done is smear the sensor rather than clean it.

I'm just wondering what other people use, any recommendations???

Cheers

Cris.

I had to clean my old D70 occasionally, and I used a q-tip and isopropyl alcohol. So long as the q-tip was wet, I never had any issues of it leaving bits of cotton behind.

My D700 has some kind of anti-dust gizmo, and I've never had the problem.

Lots more details and options here.

Maybe one of these?

I use the spatula + pexpad method, with the super expensive cleaning fluid (pure alcohol?) purchased in a lifetime-supply 2oz thingie from a camera shop.

Works beautifully. I also got sucked into the arctic butterfly gizmo. It works for dust, but don't try it without first cleaning the camera (one time job) with the pexpads + spatula + fluid method, to get rid of the oils. Otherwise the brush just spreads the oils around.

Cheers

A motorized brush for $70? Damn. I think you could have made one of those for 70¢.

This problem exists all through the industry, and the damm thing doesn't even work! Not just for add ons like this, but for everything. In Leeds for example there is almost 400% difference between 2 pro level photos printing places, the cheaper guy is not doing it for the love, so what is the more expensive guy trying to do? The quality is bang on at both places.

I think you have the right idea Mark, keep it simple, no gimmicks etc...

Cheers

Cris.

http://www.cleaningdigitalcameras.com/howto.html

That's what I use, along with a 2oz bottle of the Eclipse E2 fluid (expensive/overpriced, but a one-time purchase).

Works very well, but generally takes a few iterations to get it reasonably spotless.

Don't be anal about it -- just get rid of the larger blotches and call it done. Otherwise you'll be there for hours and hours. It usually takes me about eight passes, though there's very little improvement after the first three.

And it's not really the sensor that's being scrubbed, but rather the glass (IR filter) in front of it. Tough sucker, that thing!

Cheers