[Jeffbridge]

Dust on your DSLR's sensor can be a real nuisance, especially as the number of dust particles build up over time. Every time you change or remove a lens, dust can enter the mirror box and later fall onto the sensor itself. This can lead to visible spots in your images, especially when you stop down to smaller apertures.

Fortunately, effectively cleaning your sensor is something you can easily do in the comfort of your own home. You will only need a few inexpensive accessories to get started.

To learn how to clean your camera's sensor, follow the link

https://www.photographytalk.com/photogra...and-mirror

[Browser Mike]

Interesting video. However, I would never attempt to clean a sensor manually and would rather pay a ' pro ' to do it. One other thing. In the video the camera is switched ON. This means that the sensor is live. Therefore any dust that the blower dislodges from the camera body would be attracted to the sensor due to the electrical attraction.
Would be interested to hear what more experienced members think. Am I
right to be cautious or am I just being ' over sensitive '.
Regards to all, Mike.

[EnglishBob]

Definitely right that cleaning the with the sensor on and charged is a recipe for disaster.

As for cleaning them yourself as long as you follow a guide from a reputable source and are careful no harm in it. Just avoid cotton swabs and canned air, both can cause untold damage.

For me avoiding getting it dirty is more important than cleaning it. A few things i learned with my first two DSLR's that have meant I have avoided having to clean a sensor in the last few years:

Never change a lens with the camera on.
Hold the camera facing down while changing lenses.
Try to avoid changing them outside if at all possible. (good reason to have 2 bodies right there )
Never leave the body lying around without a cap or lens attached.
Keep the body caps paired with a lens rear cap when not in use, stops them collecting dust to transfer to the camera.

[Browser Mike]

Advice much appreciated. Thanks Craig.
Mike.

[Jocko]

I cleaned the sensor on one of my Nikon D80's quite successfully. The only way you can clean it is with the camera powered up. There is a function in the menu that allows you to raise the mirror for sensor cleaning, but only when the battery is fully charged. To lower the mirror, after cleaning, you have to power off.

[GrahamS]

I agree with everything Craig said. In most DSLRs the mirror-up function for sensor cleaning removes all power from the sensor.

Back when God was a boy I had a Pentax K10D and I had to learn how to clean the sensor myself because for some reason, it was a dust magnet. With the correct technique, swabs and sensor cleaning fluid (and practice) it can be done quite safely. However, I have never had to clean the sensor on any of my later DSLRs, Canon or Nikon. I practice what Craig advised.