So we go walking you and I, to clean the lenses of our souls and watch the setting sun. Don’t be sad sweet girl, listen to your feet crunching the sand, and your heart beating in the waves, there are joyful miles yet to go.
refelctions
Sweet Ray Ray
Speaking of cleaning lenses I noticed quite a few spots on mine and was wondering whether to take it in and clean the sensors or if it is just the lenses that need wiping. If anyone has any tips for cleaning lenses or sensors I ‘d be happy to hear!!
and somewhere on a sun dark lilliput landscape
Mollusca bivalvia deceased
aliens waiting to explode forth
the midden
oh come on Mary let me in, it was just a few pints with the lads!
Oh come on Mary, let me in, it was only a few pints with the lads
the runes of the gatekeeper's daughter- dedicated to Nick 
A very fine series of photos, my friend.
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thanks again Truels!
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That jumping guy is cool. Creepy cool. And I like the picture of the eye with the image in it. It’s like taking two photos at once.
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Of course you would like him Peter!! Thank you for stopping by. Yes, the eye turned out well!!
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It was only a few pints with the lads.. love that image and other photos are nice too. Your blog posts always have a mystical charm that I like.
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thanks so much Michelle!! Good to hear from you here!!
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Beautiful portraits! You should be able to get the lens and sensor dust free yourself with a few simple tools. I can recommend LensPen for cleaning the lens as well as a Spudz cleaning cloth. For the inside of the camera I use a Rocket Air-Blower and Sensor Swabs. There are lots of swab types so you just need to check that they are suitable for your camera make and the type of sensor it has. All very easy to use and I carry them everywhere with me 🙂
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thank you Sarah!! I may try that too!
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Good luck with it!
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Lovely pics! I get spots on my images too and it can be either the lens, the filter (if you use one) or the sensor. I usually take my camera into our local camera store (shocking there is one left and ONLY one within miles). They charge $50 and if I smile they usually clean my lenses too. 😉 They have said they would put together a kit to clean my sensor and show me how to do it but I’m so afraid of messing it up. I figure I take it in a couple times a year and I’m done with it. Good luck! Cloning gets old. lol
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thanks so much Laura – good plan to take it in to someone, though many here clean their own sensors!!
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You’re welcome. Let us know how you go with it.
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will do 🙂
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Such beauty here, Cybele! We are refreshing our souls as we look at the beautiful photos! 🙂
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thank you Christy!!!
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I can add nothing to what has been said – have fun on your camera’s laundry day 🙂
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haha!! Well I got a lot of good advice and I guess will try it out!! with some trepidation!! 😀
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um, lol. I agree the lens pens work and so do the premoistened little towelettes, whatever name they go by. I like the pens because you can just put them in your pocket and they work well until the little carbon pad falls off. At least in New Mexico they do, as it is so dry the glue that holds it on dries out totally and off they go, given enough time.
Really, I think you just keep a uv haze filter on your lenses and then just clean the filter with almost any non-streak cleaner. If you can see the difference between a photo with and without filter you have better eyes than I have.
As far as sensors, I am probably going to sensor hell for this, but I’ve used a blower/brush and when needed, those same premoistened towelette thingies, gently folded and putting no pressure on the mirror or sensor. I fold them to make a little wand-like thing and just use the end of the wand, so it is flexible and you can’t push hard if you tried.
Seems that some treat this as some sort of outre, even mystical experience (key the music of the angels) and I have never found it to be. Just be weally, weally gentle, to paraphrase Elmer Fudd. 🙂 A streak free cleaner and no pressure applied are the secrets.
If I have a really bad spot that won’t budge I have used that same streak free lens cleaner on a lint-free Q-tip-like thingy (medical supply at your pharmacy or a really good electronics supply house maybe) and likely that is considered blasphemy of the highest order because I didn’t spend a zillion dollars on a sensor cleaning kit.
I’m not recommending any one thing because you have to be comfy with what you are doing to your camera and besides, what do I know?
Good morning Hanah! 🙂
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much appreciated Robert!! and a lovely weekend to you!
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Something different from you, I like it. I always try for new things, still searching.
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oh I’m not totally inspired these days- a bit bogged down with family stuff!! Thanks so much Lore!
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Mesmerizing dear Cybele!…. The pics are stunning as always… I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Best wishes ⭐ Aquileana 😀
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thank you Aquileana! and you as well!!
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I love the images! Especially the one with the bridge and boat masts, and the eye! Wow is that neat. I love the iris and the highlights there.
As far as cleaning your lens and sensor go… cleaning the sensor is terrifying the first time, but if you have the right tools it gets easier with the doing and finding you have done it! I use a kit that Art Morris sells: you find it here:
https://store.birdsasart.com/shop/item.aspx?itemid=249
Just double check that your sensor can handle this type of cleaning tool! Newer 2014 and on sensors are more sensitive to the lens pen and can’t take it. You’ll need the swabs and cleaning solution. For that I use Eclipse. Make sure to get a swab that fits your sensor size, and get both greasy, and regular solutions so you have both bases covered. It’s an investment yes, but it last a long time and is worth it in the end.
2 drops only on the swab!!! Buy more swabs than you think you’ll need. The first few times you always use more swabs. With experience you will use less.
Zoom lenses do suck in dirt and dust like a vacuum cleaner if you don’t zoom slowly and with care-and even then it happens so, it is possible that the lens has dirt and dust. The lens: if the dust/dirt is inside I would send back to the manufacturer for cleaning. If it’s just the front and rear element I use a Minolta lens cleaner on a lens cloth to clean those following the instructions on the bottle.
Listen. I’m super blond when it comes to stuff like this. If I can do it you surely can! 🙂
Email me if you more help.
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thanks so much Deborah!! so appreciated!! both compliment and information!!!
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i love walking…
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yes, I do a lot!! I have no car!! lol
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Me either. lol ☺
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🙂
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Cybele, I already lost the fear of doing it. You have to lock the mirror; and BOTH the focusing screen and sensor need to be cleaned. These are the videos I’m sending you. This is for getting rid of “sensor” spots in your images. (you can see these in images of skies)
(https://youtu.be/zxNvbA9Nw4o?list=PLCFFE49CAA6C52920)
(https://youtu.be/wG9wTEua43E)
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thanks so much Maria!! I will see if I can buy that kit!!!
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Beautiful words and beautiful images, Cybele.
Re lens & sensor cleaning – For my lenses I use lens wipes from the optometrist. They are pre-moistened individually wrapped towelettes – anti fog, anti static, anti streak. Works better for me than a cloth that get grubby.
For the sensor, I don’t trust myself, although some people have a special sensor cleaning kit (scary monsters as far as I am concerned), so I get the sensor clean professionally when needed – just did it on my Canon 60D and it came back perfect!
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thanks muchly Chris and for the info as well!!
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Beautiful images!
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Thank you Valerie!!
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I love that beautiful eye! 🙂
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It is isn’t it!! Thanks Pike!!
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Great shots and great sentiment Cybele. Keep on trucking.
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Your comments are much appreciated Michael!! Thanks for stopping by!
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always so beautiful pictures: full of stories, full of imagination… 🙂
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Your comment is so appreciated Arret!! Merci!!
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It’s unlikely that it’s the lens interior unless the lens is damaged.
My suggestion for cleaning lenses is the LensPen; I have a kit of three in different sizes, and I swear by them (I don’t use filters)
A decent blower like the Rocket Large Air Blaster is my first line of defense in keeping both the lenses and the sensor clean. Do not use canned compressed air as it can damage the curtain mechanism.
You can help by minimizing lens changes, but also changing lenses only when the camera is pointing downward (don’t drop the lens). Make sure the camera is off when you switch lenses because when it’s on the electrostatic charge on the sensor can attract dust.
There are various places explaining how to check for dust on the sensor. If you do have dust and blowing does not remove it, many camera shops will clean the sensor for you. That is especially true if it’s been there for a while; it’s probably grabbing on with some tenacity.
I would advise against using a brush on the sensor (there are sensor brushes, but I would advise against them as well).
If you want to clean the sensor yourself, there are kits. I use the Sensor Swabs and Eclipse solution from Photographic Solutions. There are plenty of videos and instructions on-line.
Having said all that, you might be more comfortable sending the camera to an authorized repair facility for periodic cleaning. Not as cheap as doing it yourself or going local, but you are covered for warranty issues.
I am not a pro, nor do I get any kickback from any of the products listed. I didn’t even sleep at a Holiday Inn Express. Just a hobbyist, I am.
Finally, there are procedures in many post-processors to have them “memorize” where the spots are and compensate for them automatically. Some cameras have this built-in as well. Again, an internet search will lead you to video instructions.
Hope that helps.
. . . oh, yeah . . . nice photos.
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thanks so much Disperser!! I might take it in and have them look just in case!!
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Mystical as ever, Cybele…..
Now, on cleaning sensors I can say nothing as up to now, I have never needed mine done, I just activate the sensor cleaning mechanism in camera, and ensure I always point the camera body down when changing lenses, after ensuring the camera is switched off.
Cleaning lenses is done with a puffer, brush gently to ensure no dirt on the lens, then use a lens pen (in the past I aff fed around with cleaning tissues, but the lens pen is much easier and seems to do the job.
Be interesting to see what others say…..
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Thanks so much Sue!! and for the info!!
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I have also done the same.
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thank you Della!! 🙂
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