Keeping Dust Off Your Sensor; Saving Yourself Some Trouble And Frustration

Fuzzy dice hanging from the dashboard of a 1957 Thunderbird (click to enlarge)
X-T2, 18-55mm f/2.8-4 lens @ 48.4mm; 1/80th sec. @ f/11; ISO 320

The other day I wrote a post about the lack of dust particles I see on my Fuji camera sensors.  You can find that post here. I'll give Fuji much of the credit for that but not all of it.  Some of the credit is self-deserving due to the way I handle my cameras and lenses. 

To save yourself a lot of aggravation and work, I reccommend two things.

First, buy a Fuji X-Trans camera body.  Fuji's in-camera dust removal system is excellent, much better than other several camera manufacturers' systems I owned.  Second, handle you cameras and lenses as I describe below. I'm very careful as to how I change my lenses and keep everything as clean as possible.  The second reason may be as important or possibly more important than a good dust removal system.

I'm always judicious about how I handle my cameras and lenses as well as aware of the weather, surroundings, ambient conditions, etc.  Thinking is important in keeping your gear safe, clean and properly functioning.  I'll call it "situational awareness."

When changing lenses I always use a method designed for minimizing exposure to dust and environmental factors.  Here is what I do and this has worked well for me for years.  In fact, I practiced pretty much the same system in the film days as dust and dirt particles could land on your film just as easily as it can land on your sensor.

First, I turn my camera off.  I don't want the possibility of any potential internal static electricity to draw airborne dust into the camera while changing lenses.  Static electricity and electronics don't mix!

Second, when storing my lenses in my camera bag, I always place my lenses "front down" so the rear lens cap is up.  You will see why momentarily.

Third, I position myself with my back to the wind or maneuver into some sort of sheltered area, if possible.  That pesky wind can counteract gravity and blow dust sideways and up!

When changing lenses, i first take the rear lens cap off the lens I plan to mount while it is still in my bag, then I point my camera "lens down," again with my back to any wind, to keep gravity from allowing dust or other contaminants to fall into the lens opening.  

I remove the lens mounted on the camera and set it in the bag and immediately pick up the new lens and mount it, all while keeping the opening on the camera still pointed downward.  Faster is better, hence the necessity for planning how to do this quickly and efficiently.

I then, as quickly as possible, put the rear lens cap on the lens I just took off the camera to keep potential dust from settling on it while exposed.

There are some additional steps you can take to minimize dust and debris on your sensor. 

First, buy a good bulb blower (I use a Giottos Small Rocket Blower and keep it in my camera bag) and regularly blow off the inside of your rear lens caps as well as the inside of the camera's body cap. Dust accumulates there as well and it can easily transfer into your camera and onto your sensor.  The same goes for the rear of your lenses themselves. Blow them off on occasion with your bulb blower.

Also, once in a while, wipe off the lens mount on the rear of your lens and the lens mount on the body of your camera.  The idea being to clean all surfaces that potentially come in contact with, or are near the inside of your camera body.  You would be surprised how much dust accumulates on the inside of lens or body cap, especially if you put it in your pocket when not having it mounted on the lens or camera body.  Dust can also accumulate on it while just sitting in your camera bag while it is not being used.

Lastly, again while holding your camera's opening down, blow off your sensor on a regular basis.  I recommend doing this inside and not outside.  But before you do—squeeze the blower bulb a number of times to ensure no dust has accumulated on the blower tip or inside the blower.  You don't want to inadvertently introduce dust into the camera body with the very device you use to remove it.  By keeping your camera body opening pointed down, again, you use the help of gravity to prevent dust and debris from falling in but also use gravity to allow dust to fall out when loosened from the sensor or from the inside of your camera body.

If you practice "safe photography" you should see a lessening of dust on your sensor which will save you a lot of extra work while editing as well as reduce your frustration level.

Just trying to help....

Thanks for looking. Enjoy! 

Dennis A. Mook 

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