Old guy at a shop in Chicago told me to stop using canned air on camera sensors

I was working on a beat up Nikon D600 that had dust all over the sensor. This retired repair guy, must have been 70 something, came by my bench and said I was making things worse with that canned air. He said I was just pushing dust around and the propellant could leave residue. I kind of ignored him at first because I had been doing it for years without issues. But after I finished, I checked the sensor and there was this weird oily haze I hadn't noticed before. Took me another hour to clean it properly with wet and dry swabs. Now I'm wondering if he was right all along or if I just got lucky before. Anyone else had canned air ruin a sensor?

2 comments

2 Comments

grant8262d ago

Huh, I actually have to disagree with that old timer a bit. I've used canned air on sensors for over a decade and never had any residue issues, but I always hold the can upright and never shake it. Sounds like you might have just tipped the can or gotten a bad batch of propellant that day.

elizabetha921d ago

And holding it steady doesn't change the fact that propellant can still spatter out.