I found some dust on my camera’s sensor so I decided to clean it. I got my bottle of Eclipse fluid, some Pec pads, and a flashlight. I diligently made sure I had a fully charged battery, used the shutter Lock mirror up for cleaning function in my camera to get the shutter out of the way, and commenced cleaning.
I squirted a little Eclipse fluid on my pec pad and noticed that it smelled kind of nice. I sniffed it for a minute or two and felt a little dizzy. Finally, I remembered I was cleaning my sensor and I rubbed the pad back and forth on my camera’s exposed sensor. Once I felt sure it was clean, I went outside and took a picture of the sky. Back inside, and still some dust spots on the sensor! In fact, now there were more spots. Therefore, I used more Pec pads, more Eclipse fluid, and did just a little more pad sniffing. Results: more and more dust spots appearing. Auuugh!
I woke up in the front yard with my camera and I lying on our backs in a puddle of water, a still-running water hose in my hand. My dear wife was standing over me with a concerned look on her face.
“I heard you screaming, have you been cleaning your sensor, again?“, she asked.
“Gaaaah!“, I said.
To make a long story short, it was difficult, but after a while I got the sensor clean enough. The water hose helped a lot! Now I’m thinking of writing a how-to article on sensor cleaning. Wanna read it? My expert method works, eventually.
From this experience, I’ve come to understand one thing clearly: Dust is watching us!
After cleaning my camera’s sensor, I decided to eradicate dust from my house. I started seeking dust and found it! I crawled down behind the toilet and found some dust collecting back there. I blasted it with an air can and it fled. I then sprayed the area liberally with Lysol to kill the scary dust. I don’t want it to breed.
Next I looked above my bathroom sink and found some dust lurking on top of one of the light bulbs. I unscrewed the bulb and put it in a ziplock baggy for later washing in the yard with my water hose. I sprayed the air to make sure that dust wasn’t trying to follow me out of the bathroom.
As I went downstairs, I saw it. Some dust was on my left arm! It tried to blend in, but I could see it hiding behind the hairs. I whipped out a moist towelette, eradicated the dust, and from excessive pressure the hairs too. I hope it doesn’t scar. But, it was worth it because there is no more dust on my arm.
When I sat down at my desktop computer, I noticed that my monitor had some dust on the bottom of the screen. I squirted a bottle of sensor-cleaning Eclipse fluid on the screen, and it ran down on the dust, effectively killing it and washing it away—right into my keyboard.
After I replaced my keyboard, I noticed that my monitor was changing colors. Stupid cheap 6K Apple Pro Display XDR! I’ve been wanting to get a bigger monitor anyways.
I’ve figured it out! These little dust creatures are entirely evil and mean. They do anything they can to get to camera sensors. Maybe they eat sensor surfaces, or breed on them, or else why would they go to such lengths to get on the sensors? I think I saw a dust crop circle on my sensor earlier today. They’re clearly signaling their brethren.
As I sit here looking around the room, I realize that dust is everywhere around me. This is much worse than I thought. I’m going to go boil one of those N95 face masks in Eclipse fluid, so I can safely wear it. I don’t want to be breathing this dust into my delicate lungs, especially after all that screaming I did at the sensor dust while spraying it with my water hose this morning.
Hmmm, my chest is still sore from screaming—or is it? Could it be that dust is already in my lungs, and that’s why they’re sore? OMG, I think dust has gotten to me. It’s killing me. I’m going to go eat some moist towelettes soaked in Eclipse fluid. Hopefully that will help!
If you don’t hear from me for a few days, it could be because of these guys in white coats that my wife called. They just told me they were going to take me to a special dust-free room, with comfortable padding, to wait while they clean all the dust out of my house. Whew—I just love my dear wife.
Well, I gotta go. The guys brought me a special dust repellant coat with nice arm coverings and cool buckles for safety. I am gonna wear it for a few days to protect me while they remove the dust. I guess this will help my arm heal too!
Talk to you guys soon. Watch out for dust bunnies!
Keep on capturing time…
Darrell Young
Darrell Young is an active member of the Nikonians User Community, Nikon Professional Services (NPS), Professional Photographers of America (PPA), North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA), and the author of 18 photography books from NikoniansPress and Picture and Pen Press, through Rocky Nook. You may review a few of Darrell’s books here. He has been an avid photographer since 1968 when his mother gave him a Brownie Hawkeye camera. Here is one of Darrell’s nature image portfolios.
His website, www.PictureAndPen.com, was created to support the readers of his educational books, photography students, and clients. Visitors to his website will find articles and reviews designed to inform, teach, and help you enjoy your photographic journey.