Sensor Cleaning

Struggling with dust on your DSLR sensor? Restore your image quality with a Fixation professional sensor clean, available same day or even while you wait. See below for prices and turnaround times, along with further details about the service we provide.

As any professional photographer will know, the build-up of dust on a DSLR sensor can have an adverse effect on the final shot, especially apparent in light areas of the scene when a small aperture is used and the image is viewed at a high resolution. DSLR sensors are a magnet for dust so professional maintenance is very important. While there are steps that can be taken to avoid exposure, dust build-up is inevitable, which is why sensor cleaning becomes necessary on a regular basis.

Cleaning procedure

Here at Fixation, we offer a quick, professional sensor-cleaning service that is second to none, providing the safest and most effective way to remove dust from the entire mirror box area and restore clarity to your images. Our technicians go the extra mile to ensure a thorough clean, undertaking the following steps each time:

• Take test images to establish level and location of dust
• Clean the mirror box area, including the underside of the focus screen
• Clean the sensor
• Clean the body cap and the rear element area of any attached lens
• Take further test images and magnify to 100% resolution to ensure cleaning has been successful

Please note that we may change your camera settings whilst we perform the cleaning. Please read our T&Cs for further info.

How often should I have my sensor cleaned?

We are often asked how often sensor cleaning is needed. There is no one answer to this question as it depends on the frequency of use and working environment that your camera is exposed to. We recommend you check your sensor by taking a picture of a clear background or blue sky with a small f-stop and checking the image at 100% on a computer. This should be done before any important job, event or trip away to make sure you have clear images when it’s most important.

Sensor cleaning prices

All full-frame cameras £55 + VAT
All crop-frame cameras £30 + VAT

Warranty

Unfortunately we cannot offer a warranty on our sensor cleaning service as it is part of the nature of DSLR cameras that this phenomenon can occur at any time.

Which models can be cleaned?

All Nikon DSLRs and crop-sensor Canon DSLRs can be cleaned while you wait, taking around 30 minutes. The latest drop-off time for while-you-wait cleaning is 4.30pm Mon-Thurs or 4.00pm on Friday.

Other makes
We can clean the sensors of most other DSLR or Mirrorless models, but these must be supplied with a fully charged battery and a lens for the full testing procedure.

We can perform same-day cleaning on Canon full-frame cameras that arrive at Fixation before 9am. These will be ready for collection by 4pm. Any cameras that arrive after 9am will be completed by 4pm the following working day.

Please note: We are only able to access and clean the sensors on cameras with user-detachable lenses. We do not have the facilities to clean compact cameras. If you feel that dust is disrupting your images, contact the manufacturer’s service department.

For Canon Powershot and IXUS, click here

For Nikon Coolpix, click here

How can I keep my sensor clean?

Attach a double-sided sticky tab on the inside of your body cap and rear lens cap. If any large pieces of errant dust are floating around on the back of your lens, or in the mirror box, they will stick to the tab and not the sensor.

Be careful not to use high-tack sticky tape or you’ll have issues removing it from the inside of your cap when it needs changing.

Here at Fixation we only use special low-tack discs which we also sell in a pack of 10 for £5.

For more info contact sales@fixationuk.com or call us on 020 7582 3294