Everyone who uses a DSLR (Digital SLR) camera has sensor cleaning issues; some more than others, depending on the camera you use. OK so this is a much-covered topic on the internet, but it needs to be covered locally as well given the third-party solutions available.

For the majority of my work as a photographer in Brighton & Sussex I use a Canon EOS 5D DSLR camera which suffers awfully from dust. At weddings it is carried around on a massive Canon L series 28-300mm zoom lens with a slide/push-pull zoom which sucks huge volumes of unfiltered air through my precious camera body. You can imagine what effect this has on the sensor. I therefore have sensor dust issues much of the time.

1. Swabs – I tried those swabs several times. I didn’t find them terribly effective, and it’s easy to make the problem worse, even leaving bits of stray lint snagged on sharp edges. Also easy to get the cleaning fluid into nooks and crannies where it shouldn’t go, possibly even behind the sensor filter (bad).
2. Rocket blowers – effective if the problem hasn’t got too bad. Pump the blower a few times away from the camera first to get rid of any dust that might have got sucked in last time.
3. Camera sensor cleaning companies/service centres: I’ve tried two of them – Camserve in Herstmonceux, East Sussex (fairly local to me); and Fixation in Kennington, London. Camserve took three of my camera bodies, two 20D and one 5D. They carried out the cleaning same day (total cost £105 plus my transport), but when I got the cameras back there was very little difference and I had to call them to say they hadn’t done a very good job and asked for a refund, which they promptly gave. Next I sent a single 5D (the worst of the lot) to Fixation, and they returned it to me within 5 days almost spotlessly clean. Total cost £80 including return postage. So, although Fixation is definitely more expensive, it’s the only company that’ll be getting my business in future.

Hopefully this will be useful for someone. Let me know how you tackle the problems of dust.

Jon Silver is an art, portrait & wedding photographer based in Brighton, Sussex