A while back, I posted a thread titled "The answer my friends is dust in the lens, the answer is dust in the lens". My dust problem in my Panasonic Lumix point and shoot camera has gotten worse to the point where I either needed it cleaned, or I was replacing the camera. Taking pics of something very light colored was especially bad because they REALLY showed up. I spent a lot of time editing out the blotches; and some would NOT edit out! UGH!
I went to a camera store yesterday and showed them my camera and told them what was going on. They told me that they couldn't clean it and I'd have to send it to the company. They MIGHT be able to clean the sensor and the lens, but it would probably cost around $150!
There's no way I was going to pay $150 to clean the lens of a camera that didn't cost me much more than that. So I Googled "Cleaning sensor on Panasonic Lumix" and found a YouTube video on how to clean a different Panasonic model sensor. I decided to go ahead and try it. If I wrecked it then I figured I'd just buy a new one; lots of sales right now anyway! I took it apart CAREFULLY, then used some canned air for a computer keyboard (only AFTER activating the trigger for a moment to be sure only air came out); I very gently squeezed the trigger on the air canister and gently blew off the sensor and the inside of the lens. Then I very carefully put the sensor back in place and screwed it all back together.
And now, it's as good as new!
Saved myself the cost of someone else cleaning, and the cost of a new camera! (however, I must point out that I AM going to buy a new camera soon, but it's going to be a dSLR. I'm awaiting, impatiently, the arrival of the Sony a65. The Sony manufacturing plant in Thailand was flooded out and all production stopped. They've moved production to another plant, but the release of the camera has been greatly delayed here in the States. SOOOO frustrating! So I'm saving my $$ as much as I can in every aspect of life, and NOT buying a new point and shoot definitely helps in that regard!)
Call me crazy if you want; chastise me if you must; warn others away from doing this if you desire. But it worked for me, and I'll do it again in a heartbeat! =-D
Happy weekend, everyone!
Robyn (aka, 2thGirl)
Glad it worked for you. Do you think that a manual lens duster would have done the job of the canned air? Just a question...not a chastisement by any means. :)
Go, Robyn! Seems to me your options left you with little choice but to try it on your own. You were going to be out $150 for cleaning or a new camera, so you really had nothing to lose... and what a great feeling of satisfaction you must have right now! :)
I will note that for dSLR cameras, they strongly recommend NOT using canned air because they are so powerful. Not only can they damage the sensor itself, but it can blow stuff into the camera body that can cause very expensive damage. Just my .02 but I am glad to hear you are fixed!
@2thgirl I had been wondering how things had turned out for you since my lumix p&s has also developed dust in the lens. don't suppose you have the link to the youtube video you found? once I'm done with my 365 in a couple of weeks, I might be daring enough to try, since I am also saving up for a dSLR and don't want to invest a whole lot into my camera right now.
@shadesofgrey Probably would have been a better choice, but I don't have one! I DO have some canned air, tho, and just used it VERY lightly. =-D @marilyn@bobfoto Thanks! I think I'd be afraid to try it on someone else's camera, unless they signed a really long and involved disclaimer! =-) @autumnseden I pressed the trigger VERY lightly; I didn't have a little puffer thingy like the guy in the video did. When I get my dSLR, I WILL have a puffer thingy! @toast That's what the guy in the video had; I will be getting one! @dhostick This was the link I used: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_sP4yLf6lA My model is different, but the procedure and things to remove were basically the same. Good luck!
My question is, why a Sony? I avoid Sony cameras because they make you buy their sticks, and say something happened while you are out, and you need one quickly. For an sd, you can buy them everywhere, even drugstores and mini marts. Maybe they have changed and use the SD now too, I just don't even consider them for this reason. Just something to think about. :-)
Glad that you were able to clean your Lumix. I thought I was safe from getting a dirty sensor by having a hybrid with no removable lenses, but I guess I was wrong. :-)
@5unflow3r I was looking for a small dSLR and the Sony alpha 55 caught my attention at first. I almost bought it, and then saw that the 65 was coming out and I liked a lot of the new features. Sony's don't have as big of a lens selection (tho it can take Tamron and Minolta as well); I just liked the size and features. It DOES now take SD/SDHC/SDXC as well as the Pro-Duo. Here's a link: http://store.sony.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=8198552921666375303#specifications
I had no idea dust could get inside of a seemingly sealed camera either. But when I took it apart, it was obvious that they really aren't THAT sealed off! Unless it's a waterproof type, I think pretty much any of them could get dust in them. Especially when the battery door is broken off (as mine is) and people carry them in their purses without a case around it (as I do)........ Oopsie!
@5unflow3r Oh, and also I saw a sensor size comparison chart for digital cameras and Sony's APS-C sensor is slightly larger than the Canon's APS-C, which was the camera I ALMOST bought before I found the Sony (I was looking at the Rebel T2i). It's a negligible difference, and probably not something I would notice; more the principle of the thing, I guess!
The alpha 65 is slightly larger than the 55, but still smaller than other dslrs out there. I'm planning on being a world traveler one of these days and don't want to be weighed down. =-D (planning my 2nd trip to Italy for next year, and hope to get a job over there on a US military base working as a dental hygienst)
@2thgirl Well that's good about the storage media...I always thought that it was silly to limit themselves like that. For a small DSLR type, I myself have looked at some of the lumix ones and the Olympus pen. I borrows a Nikon DSLR from work and with the lens on it weighed almost 3 lbs and there was no way to use it without a tripod. I only like to use a tripod when absolutely necessary, so to me this was a huge drag. :-) Good luck with the sony when you get it,
@5unflow3r I thought the same thing! I have a Sony Cybershot point n shoot. I lost the memory card adapter and couldn't find one anywhere! I had to buy another memory card AND adapter together which cost a ton of money. I was so annoyed! So I think they've caught on to that, that people don't want to spend hellacious money to take pics.
I considered the micro two thirds size cameras as well; but again, the sensor size turned me off. Here's a link that shows sensor sizes: http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/digital-camera-sensor-size.htm. The Canon sensor size is in red and the Sony, Nikon, Pentax (and others) is in blue.
This one from Wikipedia is more easily read: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image_sensor_format (scroll way down to the bottom to see the easiest to understand diagram).
I try to keep in perspective that any dslr choice is going to have much better results than my point and shoot, and that the differences between micro four thirds and full dslr will be negligible to my eye; but I guess it's that darn "principle of the thing" thing again. I hope the darn things becomes available SOON! I'm getting tired of waiting! @tabbycat Damn straight! =-D
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@marilyn @bobfoto Thanks! I think I'd be afraid to try it on someone else's camera, unless they signed a really long and involved disclaimer! =-)
@autumnseden I pressed the trigger VERY lightly; I didn't have a little puffer thingy like the guy in the video did. When I get my dSLR, I WILL have a puffer thingy!
@toast That's what the guy in the video had; I will be getting one!
@dhostick This was the link I used: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_sP4yLf6lA My model is different, but the procedure and things to remove were basically the same. Good luck!
Glad that you were able to clean your Lumix. I thought I was safe from getting a dirty sensor by having a hybrid with no removable lenses, but I guess I was wrong. :-)
I had no idea dust could get inside of a seemingly sealed camera either. But when I took it apart, it was obvious that they really aren't THAT sealed off! Unless it's a waterproof type, I think pretty much any of them could get dust in them. Especially when the battery door is broken off (as mine is) and people carry them in their purses without a case around it (as I do)........ Oopsie!
The alpha 65 is slightly larger than the 55, but still smaller than other dslrs out there. I'm planning on being a world traveler one of these days and don't want to be weighed down. =-D (planning my 2nd trip to Italy for next year, and hope to get a job over there on a US military base working as a dental hygienst)
I considered the micro two thirds size cameras as well; but again, the sensor size turned me off. Here's a link that shows sensor sizes: http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/digital-camera-sensor-size.htm. The Canon sensor size is in red and the Sony, Nikon, Pentax (and others) is in blue.
This one from Wikipedia is more easily read: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image_sensor_format (scroll way down to the bottom to see the easiest to understand diagram).
I try to keep in perspective that any dslr choice is going to have much better results than my point and shoot, and that the differences between micro four thirds and full dslr will be negligible to my eye; but I guess it's that darn "principle of the thing" thing again. I hope the darn things becomes available SOON! I'm getting tired of waiting!
@tabbycat Damn straight! =-D