I have a Canon 1Ds Mark 3 camera and despite my best efforts several dust spots on the sensor will not go away. Manual cleaning with a large Giottos bulb duster and repeated camera sensor cleanings later the spots are still showing up in pictures. Are Photographic Solutions sensor swabs with Eclipse 2 (Type 3) worth trying? I do not have Adobe Photoshop and cannot remove the spots with GIMP. The swabs can be found here.
Take it to your local Canon specialist? It may cost a few $$$s but it's the best option when you cannot easily get dust off your sensor, especially on a high-end camera.
How do you have a 1Ds MkIII and only have GIMP? Anyway, I have never had to use swabs on any of my cameras but the eclipse solution is the best stuff that I have seen. Personally, I would contact the manufacturer to see how much they charge for a sensor cleaning. I would probably clean my Nikon D50 or D200 sensors but not my D700, at least not until it becomes my secondary camera, but that's me.
I don't have Adobe Photoshop CS4 because my computer is obsolete. The software would not be able to handle the RAW files without running out of resources. When I make a new computer soon it will purchased as well. A phone call to Canon is the next step; if the cost is right sending it in for a cleaning might be an alternative to the swabs.
I've cleaned my D50's sensor, and it was, in reality, pretty easy, once you get past the mind numbing fear of touching the sensor. I used E2 solution with some Digipad cleaning swabs, and in all honesty I'd much prefer the swabs with the liquid already applied next time. Then again I was cleaning a D50 and not a 1Ds, if I'd had that I would have called Canon.
You might not have to send it all the way back to Canon. Check to see if there are any reputable camera dealers in your area. They might offer cleaning services for a nominal charge. Forgot to add: Photoshop can help when you need to clone out the odd bit of miscellaneous debris, but having a clean sensor from the get go is far more valuable. -monkey
I've done it on my D80. Took me about 3 swabs, but I really was pixel peeping, looking for dust at f22 etc. Since then I bought optical solutions' sensor brush. I shoot wide at the most f5,6 most of the time so this 'dry' solution seems to do the trick for me. Make sure you look into whether your sensor has a tin oxide coating or not, so you know whether to go for Eclipse solution or E2 solution. If you have a Canon service place that isn't too far away, then take it to them. If you have to sent the camera off, do it yourself. The sensor is not THAT fragile. The sensor swabs give way as you apply pressure. It's not as scary as some people make it out to be. Since I got my D700 the only reason I've stopped using the swabs is because they're expensive lol. I mean yeah it's cheaper than taking it to the service centre, but there's nothing cheaper than using a sensor brush. Obviously it won't make your sensor absolutely dust free, but if you shoot at f5.6 max, or you don't shoot landscapes with big blue skies that reveal all those dust bunnies, then so what? Dust on your sensor is an issue that really is overdone tbh.
Photosol have stopped selling E2 these days, and now have a refined Eclipse instead, they tested them for a couple of years and concluded that the original eclipse was as safe to tin oxide sensors, so either solution could be used on any sensor, and Eclipse evaporated quicker than e2 leaving less residue.
Thanks for the advice. I called Canon today and they can clean the sensor for around one hundred dollars at their California repair center. The mirror has dust on it so cleaning just the sensor alone won't solve the problem. On B&H Photo Video the sensor swab was for a 1Ds Mark I11 not a 3. It might be a spelling error. Tomorrow I will look for a reliable dealer to get the sensor and mirror cleaned. In the event nobody can fix the camera will have to go to Canon for cleaning. GregTheRotter and whisperwolf the camera is less than a year old and wary of damaging it, my problematic Canon 40D can be used as practice with wet swabs. If the 40D's sensor and mirror can be cleaned next time the Mark 3 won't have to go the repair center.
You do realise that dust on the mirror will make no difference to your pictures whatsoever right I would just do it myself. $100 for a sensor clean? They can gtfo tbh. I paid $60 in the UK at a shop that sells camera equipment and does sensor cleans as well. London Camera Exchange. Heck, even Nikon here in Greece is cheaper than that.
Canon tech support made a mistake, the cost of cleaning the sensor is $30. The mirror will be not be cleaned. The only locally reliable Canon dealer does not fix cameras, so sending it in looks like good idea for now.
I lol'ed so hard, my wife had to slap my back to get me breathing again! Dude, just send it in and get it cleaned. Have then clean the whole thing while your at it. Mine go in every 6 months for a cleaning and a general tidying up.
Having dust kicking around on the mirror still isn't the best of things. Also LCE is a EOS Pro Centre so it's all good and I highly recommend them. They'll also sometimes do it for £15.
Just echoing the above, get it done by a pro if i owned a £3,000 camera £15-30 for a clean is peanuts tbh. My 40D got cleaned under warrenty full sensor and mirror clean up .
