Compact digital cameras are compact, but unfortunately, they’re also not very good. At least, that was the case back in 2013. As an alternative, digital SLR cameras were very popular with many people. However, I found and still find them far too big and heavy. But with digital cameras came new technical possibilities: cameras with the quality of SLRs, but without the mirror, making them smaller - system cameras.
We decided on a camera from Sony, specifically the NEX-5R. It was a system camera that, for its time, had a large sensor and, with the E-mount system, supported both Sony’s own lenses and those from third-party manufacturers. In addition to the 18-55mm lens, we also bought a wide-angle and a telephoto lens. The camera was simply amazing, and the pictures were world-class. No comparison to the small Canon we had before.
But after a few years, spots started appearing in the pictures. First one, then more. They weren’t visible when there was a lot going on in the picture. But on large areas of similar color, like the sky, the dots were just annoying.
The internet immediately offered a few ideas. The most common one? Go to a camera shop and have it cleaned there. A specialty retailer, that is, not a big-box store like Media Markt.
So we went to several specialty retailers. The responses were not very optimistic. We were either given a cost estimate of up to €150 with the caveat that it probably wouldn’t help, or they flat-out refused, saying it wasn’t possible.
A New Camera?
Time to retire the NEX-5R?
The picture above is just a crop, but you can see the spots very clearly. No matter how beautiful the subject is, spots ruin a picture. Since our camera is now 9 years old, we thought about buying a new one. Technology has advanced significantly since 2013. Sensors have higher resolutions, and processors are much more powerful. Just the HDR Triple Shot on our NEX-5R takes almost two seconds after the shot before the camera is ready to use again.
Since we already have Sony lenses and were very happy with the old camera, choosing the brand was easy - it had to be a new Sony. But the prices surprised us a bit. The NEX-5R with an 18-55mm lens cost us just under €500 back then and was in the upper mid-range. In that class today is the Sony Alpha 6400, which, as of December 13, 2022, costs at least €888 according to the price comparison site Idealo.de. Without a lens.
That’s a steep price, even if we don’t need new lenses, as the old ones still work very well. At least we hoped the spots were only coming from the sensor and not the lenses. We spent a few weeks looking into this and other Sony cameras but couldn’t bring ourselves to make a purchase. And in the end, my girlfriend had an idea:
If we’re thinking about a new camera anyway, we might as well try cleaning the NEX-5R ourselves first.
Cleaning the Camera
Can’t be done? Yes, it can!
Cleaning the sensor yourself was the second tip from the internet. I had little hope of success, especially since the specialty shops didn’t have any. But it couldn’t get any worse, and giving it a try was still cheaper than spending over €850 on a new camera.
The selection of camera cleaning kits is huge, but very few of them offer more than an air blower for the sensor. That’s hardly useful, as our sensor “shakes” itself free of dust when the camera is turned off. So there are no loose particles on the sensor; I suspect it’s more like water spots.
We decided on a cleaning kit that wasn’t too expensive. It came with special microfiber swabs and a sensor cleaning fluid. I’d never heard of the manufacturer, but we ordered the kit for under €20 anyway: UES DKL16 DSLR Camera Cleaning Kit: APS-C
You spray the swab with the fluid to moisten it, and it fits the sensor size perfectly. Then you drag it across the sensor several times with gentle pressure. Always in the same direction, of course. That’s it. While the sensor dries, you can use the rest of the accessories to clean the lenses and blow out the mechanisms.
The result? Fantastic! No more spots in the picture. I had expected a reduction, but not complete removal. See for yourself; here is the same area cropped as in the picture above. I’m still thrilled.
So, thanks to the cleaning kit, our camera is getting a new lease on life. It was a faithful companion again on our trip to England, which I’ll be posting about soon - with pictures. I’m not a photographer or a pro, but pictures without spots are just better.
Note to self: Even “specialty shops” don’t always seem to have much specialized knowledge. That goes for both chains and the small local store. I got a great result for €20 and five minutes of effort, but the pros can’t manage it? I’m not surprised that brick-and-mortar retail and specialty shops are dying out. I would have been happy to pay €50-100, but it seems like nobody could be bothered. The hope was probably to sell rather than clean. Tough luck.