i did a boo-boo - DPChallenge Forums

Sony DT 18-70mm f/3.5-5.6 Aspherical ED Zoom Lens for Sony Alpha

05/04/2006 03:04:58 AM · #1

before reading instructiones or really taking into consideration options for cleaning the inside of my camera i went on and blew with my mouth in the mirror chamber(by the way i was looking o remove dust or dirt, or whatever.. i`m kind of a cleaning freak)).. then i uesed a common glasses wipe(moist), then wiped with T-shirt(the wipe left some steakes), then used some cotton buds to finalize the deal.(i was verry carefull on each step) It came out pretty nice(starnge, no?!). I am not recomending it, and i already know never to do this again, but since i`m an obvious noob, i wanted to know your opinion if my actions have damaged or hurt in other ways my camera(i love it! :(( ...
Thx, Alex

MikeO

Fujifilm x100

05/04/2006 03:22:41 AM · #2

Looks like you have done everything wrong! What are your photo's coming out like?

kiwinick

Sony DSLR-A550

05/04/2006 03:24:23 AM · #3

that sounds scary, if you have any muck on the sensor or inside the camera, I would advise you have it checked/ cleaned by a camera technician just for piece of mind

Tim

Nikon D300

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.4G

05/04/2006 03:28:58 AM · #4

Did you just say you used a T-shirt inside your camera????!!!! I really hope for your sake it was on the mirror and not the sensor.

ragamuffingirl

Sony Alpha NEX-5N

Canon EF 28-135mm F/3.5-5.6 IS USM

05/04/2006 03:50:51 AM · #5

I used a q-tip to wipe a hair off one of my inside mirrors. I have no idea how it got there. We'll see if it affects anything later.

Mr_Bond

Canon EOS-20D

Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM

05/04/2006 03:57:11 AM · #6

For a clean freak you did all the wrong things! I'm hesitant cleaning my sunglasses with a t-shirt let alone my camera mirror! The mirror is one of the MOST important parts in your camera. You have to take extreme care when cleaning. There are cleaning kits that can be bought, which reduce the risk of damage. Good luck with cleaning it...and NEVER use a T-Shirt!

livitup

Nikon D70

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED

05/04/2006 04:06:32 AM · #7

Actually, I'd say the mirror is not all that important. I'll live with dust spots on my mirror, rather than try to clean them off, since they won't end up on the final image.

As long as you didn't (physically) break anything in the mechanical path of the mirror swinging out of the way of the sensor then you should be just fine.

If you want to clean your camera yourself the right way check out this site: //www.copperhillimages.com/index.php?pr=tutorials I bought his kit and have successfully used it several times.

dahkota

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM

05/04/2006 04:17:40 AM · #8

Originally posted by gthomas85:

I've cleaned my mirror with a t-shirt, a sweater, a kleenex, my finger... not a problem with any of them. I usually do this in the field as a last resort when trying to figure out where the dust is. 9 times out of 10, the spot is coming from my eye-piece, which I also clean with whatever is handy. Since I am at about 40,000 actuations and have no sensor problems (dead or otherwise), I can't say that it hurts. I just wouldn't do it to the sensor itself. I'm not that dumb. Well, almost... :) I also wouldn't use anything wet or damp inside my camera.

dwterry

Canon EOS-1D Mark III

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

05/04/2006 04:23:39 AM · #9

Try this:

1) Set your camera to Av, and the aperture to f/22
2) Set to manual focus and point at a white wall (unfocused)
3) Take a picture in JPEG format (don't worry about camera shake, in fact, if there are spots on the wall, purposely shake it to blur them into nothingness)
4) Bring the picture into PhotoShop and do an Auto-Levels to set the picture to white, then bump up the contrast.

See anything SCARY in the picture?

A normal (almost clean) sensor will still have little bits of dirt. I'm almost afraid to see what your sensor looks like now. But the secret is - the dirt is nearly invisible at f/2.8 but at f/22 it ought to become really noticeable!

Post an example when you get time. :-)

deapee

Kodak V803

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D

05/04/2006 04:24:49 AM · #10

I clean my sensor with scotch tape and when I'm done, there's not a single thing left. at f/22 or anywhere. Might wanna try that.

wavelength

Nikon D300

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D

05/04/2006 04:43:10 AM · #11

Originally posted by deapee:

I clean my sensor with scotch tape and when I'm done, there's not a single thing left. at f/22 or anywhere. Might wanna try that.

I've heard that before, are you sure there's nothing wrong with doing that?

goc

Apple iPhone 4

05/04/2006 04:43:33 AM · #12

Originally posted by deapee:

I clean my sensor with scotch tape and when I'm done, there's not a single thing left. at f/22 or anywhere. Might wanna try that.

you mean you stick the tape into the camera, stick the part to the sensor, wait 2 seconds and then slowliy pull it out ? that's scary ... what if something sticks to to the tape when you pull it out ?

argh. :-)

dahkota

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM

05/04/2006 04:54:37 AM · #13

Originally posted by dwterry:

Hmm....
I think it has more to do with how you view your camera. I see mine as a 4 wheel drive work truck rather than a mercedes. Its a tool to get the job done. It breaks, I fix it or get a new one. No big deal.

I have shot many, many white backgrounds and have not seen sensor dust. However, since I never have the need to shoot white walls at F22, I have never worried about it. I have, however, shot flowers and landscapes at F22 with no problem. Well, except when I was in the desert and stuck my camera out the window going 80 MPH to snap a pic of motion blur. That was really dirty. Wiped the lens with my t-shirt and continued snapping. ;)

Don't get me wrong - I take care of my camera. It wouldn't still work if I didn't (how many miles is equivelant to 40,000 snaps?). But, its a tool, nothing more. Like my car, I wash it, get it a tune-up, etc. I'm not going to leave it in the garage or dodge mud puddles... :)

05/04/2006 05:25:28 AM · #14

Guys, thx all, especially to dahlota who gave a comforting thought.:) But most of you did`n answer my question, which was: in your profesional opinion, did i hurt my camera, and if so, can it be reversed.
By the way, if the shutter was closed most of the time, i only took some snaps to shake the dust :D(i was`n in "clean the CMOS sensor" action, just the lens was off), could anything have ended up on the sensor?
THX again...

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

05/04/2006 05:27:32 AM · #15

silly... did`n=didn`t
dahlota=dahkota.. sorry ... etc

TroyMosley

Canon EOS-5D

05/04/2006 05:39:53 AM · #16

Originally posted by ace_ventura_2_007:

well most of us are not professionals, but to me, i would say you need to check a photo a f22 on a white wall as previously said,
there is no way for us to say if you hurt your camera or not until you do that test, because some people have done other methods as you have and there camera is fine,

05/04/2006 05:42:16 AM · #17

well i did what u guys suggested.. the f22 stuff.. you don`t want to know..:D
i`ll post 2 images later(1h).. right now my battery is low and it doesn`t allow any d`loads.

eschelar

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

05/04/2006 05:46:50 AM · #18

Sometimes people are funny. I don't see anything in your OP description that would suggest any danger to your sensor outside of possibly getting moisture or blowing whatever dust is there further inside the camera.

The mirror is a pretty high precision device and it has major affects on Autofocus and Manual focusing (imbalanced optics to sensor/optics to eyepeice distance). If you were to have thrown of the alignment in some way, you would be in for a serious headache. I'd say this is well on the extremely unlikely side of things. Similarly, if you were to have stressed the motor or gearing that actuates the mirror swing-up, you would be in trouble. I can't see this as an issue.

I would be VERY careful with newer cameras which keep 'on alert' even with the power off... Removing the battery is important if you are cleaning the mirror.

THIS CANNOT BE DONE IF YOU ARE USING THE CLEAN THE SENSOR PROCEDURE AS THE CAMERA ******MUST****** HAVE POWER UNTIL IT IS FINISHED WITH THAT PROCEDURE.

As to whether you damaged anything? Highly doubtful, try it out. Do the imaging test described above. Should be fine.

In future, you might want to consider using some more caution with your camera, it's more than a little sensitive.

PS. Get a USB 2.0 HIGH SPEED card reader. It's much more convenient than USB to camera. I haven't used USB to camera yet with my camera. Many others only do it once to set the name in the firmware.

Message edited by author 2006-05-04 09:48:04.

05/04/2006 06:39:51 AM · #19

Thx, man..(eschelar)
too bad i found out only now about the power off being advised when cleaning the mirror(but in my opinion it didn`t make a diference on that occasion... i understand that would be a problem if the camera triggerd the flip-up for the mirror?).But that was something new to consider.

And about the pressure applyed to the mirror.. i was extra carefull and i think i didn`t wreck the alignment.the viewfinder looks basicly the same as before... except for a spot(i can`t see it on the front face of the mirror).

[someone else had the camera for a little while before me, so...]

"PS. Get a USB 2.0 HIGH SPEED card reader. It's much more convenient than USB to camera. I haven't used USB to camera yet with my camera. Many others only do it once to set the name in the firmware." - mind explaining this a little?

eschelar

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

05/04/2006 06:52:02 AM · #20

Originally posted by TheAceManVentures:

well i did what u guys suggested.. the f22 stuff.. you don`t want to know..:D
i`ll post 2 images later(1h).. right now my battery is low and it doesn`t allow any d`loads.

If you had a card reader, this would be a non-issue. You could be happily charging away while you download your hundreds of pictures (if you are anything like me) from your card reader.

Downloading through the USB port of the camera is such a waste of battery juice which could be better used shooting stuff!

Please remember that the mirror is actually subjected to some pretty significant stresses with extremely fast movement inside the camera. Itself, it might not be damaged. The same goes for the mounting/return markers.

Causing any sort of misalignment here is almost to the point of ridiculousness unless you scrubbed...

... which you didn't...

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

05/04/2006 07:21:31 AM · #21

well, i got the 2 pictures i was going to post, but o don`t know how to upload pics from my computer.:(( help, pls!

Tom

Canon EOS-5D

05/04/2006 07:21:39 AM · #22

When I'm done brushing my teeth, right before I rinse my toothbrush off, I scrub down my sensor with it.

Edit: Just Kidding...don't try this at home!

Message edited by author 2006-05-04 11:22:12.

Konador

Canon EOS-500D Rebel T1i

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS

05/04/2006 07:31:34 AM · #23

Originally posted by ace_ventura_2_007:

well, i got the 2 pictures i was going to post, but o don`t know how to upload pics from my computer.:(( help, pls!

//www.imageshack.us

Message edited by author 2006-05-04 11:31:39.

jent

Canon EOS-90D

Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

05/04/2006 08:19:57 AM · #24

Originally posted by ace_ventura_2_007:

well, i got the 2 pictures i was going to post, but o don`t know how to upload pics from my computer.:(( help, pls!

//www.pixpipeline.com

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