Dust on Sensors: How Big is the Problem?

How often do you have problems with dust on your DSLR sensor? In some conversations with other photographers, some use my dust mitigation methods (below) and still have problems with dust on their sensors. For some it seems to be an almost ever present problem, while others not at all. In discussing the issue, it seems there may be an indicator on whether you may have a problem. Some lenses are not sealed, and in particular the rear element is not sealed, so air and dust may pass into the lens and then into the camera body. This is particularly an issue with zoom lenses where the length of the lens is changing thus pumping air into and out of the lens body.

I developed this method of changing lenses to mitigate dust problems:
http://www.clarkvision.com/photoinfo...hanging.lenses
But even with the above methods, some people still have had problems with dust on sensors. Then I came to learn they had lenses that were not sealed.

I don't have any problems with dust on sensors, despite trips this year to Tanzania, India, Hawaii, multiple trips to the American southwest, all over the US, Puerto Rico, and Europe. And I have not had to clean my sensor even once on either my 1D Mark II nor my 5D mark II at all this entire year.

So the questions are:

1) Do you have a problem with dust on your sensor?

2) How many times have you had to clean you sensor this year?

3) Do you use lenses that do not seal the lens from the camera body, thus can let dust into the body?
Example: the 100-400 L IS lens is not sealed, but the 28-135 IS (non L) is sealed at the rear element.

4) Please let us know which lenses are not sealed at the rear element.

Roger

Hi Roger. I had problems with dust with my Nikon D200. I use a couple of zooms, 80-400 and 24-120. I am now using a D300 which has the sensor cleaning feature. I set it the activate when I turn the camera on and off. I haven't had dust problems at all with this equipment. My 2 cents.

No problems for me on my D300 ( which I sold ) and with D700, dust cleaning mechanism works fine for me
I have 300/f4 , 105/f2.8 and 600/f4 VRII

ps, I am visiting dusty tiger country quite often :)

I photographed with the Canon Rebel XT for almost 4 years with minimal dust issues (only had to clean the sensor twice). The first 3 years were with the Sigma 70-300 APO, and then with the 100-400. Now 1.5 years with the 40D...dust is a non-issue as of now with this body (I am, however, carefull when changing lenses).

I've had minimal problems with a Canon 30D and the 100-400 although I had to clean the sensor once within 1.5 years. Since upgrading to 40D and 50D no cleaning needed at all, although the programmed sensor shaking may be taking care of it. I'm now using a 500 lens much more frequently, but often attach and remove teleconverters. In any event, dust on the sensor doesn't seem to be a problem.

I have had to clean the sensor my self since here in CR the Canon store is %/&$#@!

I have had this problem mostly because my lens (35-350) is not sealed, and as clark mentions, it is probably pumping air in.

I am extremely careful when changing lenses though.

Roger I have dust on my sensors but would not call it a problem since it is easy for me to clean.

Most of the time (90%) I use a Mk3 with L lenses but the dust comes from adding and removing converters. Do try to keep the lens open to a minimum but still dust will come in. With the sensor cleaning devise things are better but still not perfect. Also find the full frame sensor cameras to be much more prone to dust.

Not sure what the big deal about sensor cleaning is? Check out the sensor cleaning supplies at Artie's store ... even come with instructions from him. On all the IPTs we give a sensor cleaning demonstration.

.... btw one often missed item which causes problems is the dust cap ... you need to keep your lens/body cap clean and clean it often !!!

A question to people who don't have dust issues. How many of you have used a narrow aperture like f22 and still don't find dust.

Sabyasachi

... good point Sabyasachi makes a difference !!!

I have done some f22 aquarium photography using the D300 + multi strobes and haven't had a dust issue, but I really didn't check it with a shot of a nice light, smooth subject which would show the dust. With the D200, it definately was a big problem at the smaller apertures!

I have to agree with Sabyasachi.

I believe I am very careful changing lenses (camera off, lens opening pointed down, as dust-free a location as possible, etc. etc.)> As long as I am shooting between f/2.8 and around f/8 or so, dust is not an issue at all. But try stopping down to f/16 to f/32 and you'll be amazed how much crud is there even with the self-cleaning sensor. Busy backgrounds hide it but otherwise it is there.

That said, I clean the sensor 1-2 times/year and in between just deal with the crud. A rocket blower helps some but the clone tool is a wonderful tool as is the quick fix tool who's name escapes me at the moment.

Wow....you gotta' see my sensors!....dust bunny heaven! I need to invest in a sensor scope.....or wait till Artie comes up in Dec. and ask/beg him to clean it!

Roman Cleaning the sensor is easy, just get a Lens Pen !!!

I haven't used my 50D enough to notice dust; so far the built-in ultrasonic cleaning seems to be doing its job. My previous body was a 20D, and the dust would become noticable from time to time. Most of the comments below are related to the 20D, which I used for about 3 1/2 years with nearly 30,000 exposures (obviously I'm an amateur/hobbyist).

All of my lenses are unsealed, though the only one (no longer used) that gave me a noticable/major dust problem was the (really cheaply made) Canon EF-S 18-55. That one was visibly full of dust after one afternoon in a dusty/windy environment.

I try to be careful about changing lenses (avoid dusty areas, wait for the breeze to drop, shield with my body, change as fast as possible), but I think that's my primary dust-entry path. I shoot a lot at f/16 and smaller apertures, so if there's a smooth-toned area in the image I notice the dust. (At f/5.6 a piece of dust has to be really big to be visible.) Still, in the 3 1/2 years I used my 20D I had to brush off the sensor 4 or 5 times, and do a "wet" cleaning 3 times.