Canon Sensor Cleaning Through BYE?

[JTWaters]

Over the weekend I had everything setup with my mount tracking and PHD 2 doing its thing and I noticed the subs were covered with dust motes.  It would be nice if we could clean the sensors of our cameras without interrupting everything.

 

Anyway to run the Canon 'Clean Now' through BYE?

 

Jim

[AaronSmall]

S3igell and/or Guylain,

 

Any more advice on the process to clean the sensor?  I have quite a few dust motes that have gotten worse over the past year or so.  Is there a setting to keep the mirror up so I can use the bulb blower?  Also, I hadn't heard of the Canon Clean feature.  What does this do to clean the sensor?  Do I have it on the T3/1100D?  

 

Not as knowledgeable on the Camera as I should be, but that is why I ask you guys.

 

Aaron 

[admin]

Good question... and honestly I have never cleaned a sensor myself so I would not know where to start.

[astroman133]

My T5i has a menu function to allow you to manually clean the sensor. It flips the mirror up to give you access to the sensor. You just turn the camera off when you are done.

 

I would try a rocket blower like this --> https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/259157-REG/Giottos_AA1900_Rocket_Air_Blower.html.

 

You should be able to pick one up at a camera shop.

 

I would not be too obsessive about getting rid of all dust motes. That is why you shoot flat frames.

[s3igell]

You will find multiple threads on each of the several "Big Astronomy Forums" which give good advice about the Hows and Whens of Sensor Cleaning.  (eg: Tips and Resources for Cleaning DSLR Cameras)

 

The main points:

1) Choose "Non-Touch" vs "Touch" methods when possible

2) Never use "Canned Air"  - often contains Oils

3) Carefully check the Comments and Reviews on different "Tools" before using them on your Sensor

[admin]

No, this is a camera setting only.

[s3igell]

Sensor Cleaning:  

Most AP Imagers DON'T want Anything to disturb any Dust Motes during the Whole Image Collection Process.

 

There will be Dust Motes on other Optics Elements - Lenses / Scopes / Filters / Filters - and the Only realistic tool to Remove them is to Employ FLATS.  

For these FLATS to work, they need to have all the Dust Motes remain Stationary until the FLATS are Collected.

 

And hence the Recommendation is for DSLR Users to "Turn Sensor Cleaning OFF".

 

Make sure to Clean your Sensor and Optics BEFORE you assemble your Imaging System - use a Bulb Blower / Lens Pen and maybe even a Manual Execution of the DSLR Sensor Clean/Shake.  

But then Turn Sensor Cleaning OFF - so that it doesn't execute in the middle of your Session IF something happens to Lock-up your PC or your DSLR or your Battery Runs Out.