Overheard a customer argue that digital sensor cleaning is a scam - got me thinking about old vs new repair methods

I was at a camera swap meet last Saturday and heard this guy tell his friend that paying $50 for a sensor cleaning is a total ripoff, you can just use a blower and it's fine. But then I thought about the last three cameras I've fixed that had oil spots so stubborn they needed a wet clean and a full remount. On one hand, I get it - some folks have been shooting film for 30 years and never touched a sensor. On the other hand, I've seen dust get trapped under the IR filter on a mirrorless that a blower just won't touch. So where's the line between a simple fix and actual repair work that needs a pro's hand? Do you guys think sensor cleaning is a basic skill every photographer should learn, or is it better left to people with the right tools and a clean room?

3 comments

3 Comments

jessica1301mo ago

Is it really that deep though? I've blown dust off my sensor for years with a $10 blower and never had an issue. Unless you're shooting f/22 brick walls every day, that tiny speck probably isn't gonna show in real photos anyway.

taylorshah1mo ago

Hear that, some dust is easy but once you get that sticky oil residue or a spot right in the high-contrast area, a blower just pushes it around. It's like the difference between wiping dust off a table versus scrubbing a grease stain.

nancyj111mo ago

Wait, you're telling me that blower won't fix everything? Honestly I thought the same thing until my last camera got a speck right in the middle of every shot. Changed my mind completely.