If you get to the point where you've done everything contained in this tutorial to get rid of your dust, and you're left with one or two specks that act like "kryptonite", you might want to try "brooming" the sensor.

First, determine exactly where the speck(s) is located by using the "up/down" or "one vertical flip" alignment. This means that if your speck is in the upper left of your image, it is actually sitting on the lower left of your sensor AS YOU LOOK AT IT from the front of the camera. Similarly, if it's in the lower right of your image, it's actually sitting on the upper right of your sensor AS YOU LOOK AT IT. Upper center of the image, lower center of the sensor, etc., etc. One vertical flip.

Next, prepare your camera and SensorSwipe in the usual swabbing manner. Remove the lens, then place one drop of Eclipse on one corner of the PecPad. Start swabbing just in the area you determined in the previous step, using only the moistened corner of the pad. Go back and forth here several times (3, 4 or 5). What this does is to concentrate your force right where that little rascule has taken up residence.

Now prepare another SensorSwipe and do a normal swabbing as shown in this tutorial. This is necessary because the brooming will probably move the dust to another area of the sensor.

Check your results and have another stiff drink.

This would probably be considered an advanced tip, only to be attempted after you've acquired quite a bit of experience and a normal blood pressure reading.

Because of the focused pressure, I strongly recommend starting with a light to moderate force with your swab. I think the *most* pressure I've used brooming would be maybe equal to rubbing with a pencil's eraser. Again, this method should only be used as a last-ditch effort when all else hasn't worked.

If brooming STILL doesn't dislodge the speck(s), it's definitely time to send the camera in for servicing.

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Congratulations are in order for working your way through this entire tutorial, we hope you enjoyed your stay. As a token of our appreciation of the time you spent here, here are a few awesome interactive screensavers courtesy of nVidia followed by some of our favorite websites. If you have an nVidia GeForce card, you will love these screensavers. If you don't, you can get a sampling of these by downloading the MPG demo-videos.They are all awesome.

 

 Here are some photography/graphic arts websites we'd like to recommend: 

• Bob Johnson is one of our favorite landscape photographers. His images of the Pacific northwest are incredible to say the least, and his site is loaded with great tips on digital photography.

• Yves is one of the most talented landscape photographers around. I can only hope to one day have his artist's eye and impeccable technique:

• http://www.ronbigelow.com   Ron's site has a wealth of Photoshop info, his article about sharpening is worth the visit alone

• http://www.andyrouse.co.uk/index.asp Widlife photographer extaodinaire

• http://www.dianevarner.com/ Diane is a photographer who has developed a beautiful Photoshop technique that she shares here.

• http://www.jonathanyuen.com/main.html Jonathan is a super talented graphic artist; use your mouse to navigate.

PHOTOSHOP STUFF
These are some of our favorite actions, plug-ins and stand-alones, most of them have free demos.  We upgraded to CS4 as soon as it came out, and it is a huge improvement over CS3. ACR is getting better and better with each update. With all of the eye-popping technical achievements of the following software, it is still our goal to nail the photo the moment the shutter button is pressed and have it excel with the minimum of PP.

1) http://www.alienskin.com  We use the Eye Candy Bundle

2) http://www.autofx.com We use AutoFX Mystical Lighting and Dreamsuite

3) http://www.ononesoftware.com  You can't beat Genuine Fractals for uprezzing

4) http://www.niksoftware.com/products/usa/entry.php  NIK Color Efex is not cheap, but, damn, the filters are awesome

5) http://www.fredmiranda.com/shopping/IS  This is a great, reasonably priced sharpening program

6) http://www.flamingpear.com/   You'll be amazed by these plug-ins

7) http://www.graphic-design.com/news/2007/harrys_filters.html   More cool stuff

8) http://www.redfieldplugins.com/    You'll have a lot of fun with these

9) http://www.reindeergraphics.com/   Optipix 3.1, one of their plug-ins is a great "find edges" filter

10) http://www.optikvervelabs.com/   Virtual Photographer plug-in

11) http://www.richardrosenman.com/software/

12) http://www.cybia.co.uk/

13) http://browse.deviantart.com/?qh=§ion=&q=actions   Here are some great actions, but browse this entire site to see some terrific digital art and digital photography.

14) http://www.chainstyle.com/   Great stuff by Robert Anselmi

15)  http://www.panosfx.com/

16) http://www.softlist.net/program/amphisoft_photo_sharpen-software.html   This is a free sharpening program that I think is equal in quality to a lot of purchased programs.

This is an e-mail we received on February 13, 2004. Matt's experience will show you that even reading this tutorial many times over does not replace the process of learning by doing. His letter hits on a lot of excellent points that still hold true after all these years.

"Nicholas. . . . .I just bought all the stuff the other day, and didn't even have dust on my CCD. I just figured I'd need it "someday". Well, someday came this afternoon when I got two huge dust spots on my camera. I sat down, cleared off my desk, and followed your directions. The first attempt yielded me no change (which meant I didn't hurt anything), but the second got me 100% success!! Wow, it worked so great, and so easily.

Here's a few suggestions you might want to add to your tutorial:
The Practice swipes:
To get a good idea of doing the swipes I found a great trial/practice method. Use a clear-plastic CD case with no front jacket. Preferably do it in the same light; or even put it on your tripod at the same angle you'll be doing your camera gives you a GREAT idea of how the angles and light reflections work with the real thing. The hardest thing about getting flush against the CCD in the camera is the wierd depth/where's-that-surface-again reflections off the CCD glass. By practicing under the same light with clear plastic CD case, you'll get an idea of how to line up, how much pressure, and how to run it across a hard-to-see reflective/transparent surface.

Also, I found this out by accident but it was great too. Just a drop or two of the cleaning fluid on the surface of the CD case. Then swipe over it as you would on the CCD, That way you'll see streaks where part of the swab isn't flush against the surface of the plastic or your technique isn't quite right. Also, since CD plastic scratches far more easily than glass, you can also see if you're putting too much pressure on the surface. You can then hold this up to the light and see if you left streaks, dust or other things. Do this about 5-10 times and you'll have a great feel for it.

Things that were helpful reminders/gives peace of mind:
•DO use the gloves the first time or two.
•DO use tweezers to get the PecPad out.
•DO avoid the urge to breathe or blow on anything. You can't see the dust specks that are making the specks already; you'll just add more by blowing your particle-filled breath on it.
•DO try to blow off the dust particles with a blower first. I got a big one off just by doing this first. Helps reduce the chances you'll scratch the surface by dragging big, easily removed particles across it.
•If you accidentally bump the tip of the PecPad/spatula against the inside or outside of the camera before touching the sensor *stop*, take it off, throw it away and get another one. A 4¢ PecPad is worth tossing just in case it picked up something nasty from what you bumped against. A $1,000 CCD is worth 25,000 pecPads. Keep things in perspective, and if you're bumping into things, you were probably pretty nervous anyway.
•PecPads are springy, they flex like cloth when you pull on them. This is helpful to know as you pull on them to get a tight fit on the spatula.

Holding the SensorSwipe:
The best way I found was when you feel the bend not in the flexible spatula part; but in the handle flexing. This requires you hold out towards the end of the handle; but it's how you know you're getting the right pressure. Just the slightest give in the handle as the tip touches the surface.

Say a quick prayer before you start:
No joke, all the help in the world isn't as much help as help from the divine! Calms the nerves too."
Matt F.

Thanks again, Matt. . . . . . .Nicholas

"There is a crack in everything,

That's how the light gets in."

.....................Leonard Cohen