Please help an idiot...

[imperialism2024]

So tonight I stopped by the camera store and bought a set of extension tubes, and a blower, with the intention of finally cleaning the dust off my D70's sensor.

I got home and, after playing with the extension tubes, I started using the blower on the sensor. And you can probably guess by now what happened... my hand slipped a little and I tapped the sensor with the blower, making a 2mm long, hair-width scratch on said sensor (er, sensor cover). So now in shots I take, I have a decent sized dark red line in the top right corner of each shot. *Smacks self in forehead*

I do have a service contract on my camera, so I'm going to try going through that first. If not... any ideas on how much it will cost to get that sensor replaced? Or am I better off scrapping it and giving myself a good excuse to get a D200?

I feel like an idiot...

[fergusd]

Must be worthwhile getting Nikon to have a look at it . . .

Fd

[LongQ]

No idea about costs but my understanding is that what you clean is an infrared filter covering the sensor. Whether it is possible or financially viable to replace a filter on a sensor I don't know.

Luminous Lanscape had a recent item about converting a Canon 20D to Infra Red only spec by removing that filter (and a couple of other changes iirc). Maybe the same company would do a D70 so rather than a total loss or excess cost you just change to IR photography ... and eBay another body to work with colour again.

[imperialism2024]

Hmm so maybe I could get a D200, and then operate on the D70 and just take off the IR filter, so I could use it solely as an IR camera... If I break it, oh well, it's already broken...

I guess my main concern is that I also damaged the sensor in addition to the IR filter.

[Bee_Jay]

Are you sure it is a scratch and not a grease smear?

Also, don't want to sound like I'm plugging them as I just mentioned them in another thread, however I have no links etc.. just think they do a good job - try giving fixation in London a call and see what they say.

[CVP]

Haven't you only scratched the filter in front of the sensor rather than the sensor itself? You should be able to get the filter replaced but not sure of the cost you'll need a good local workshop to quote on that.

If you've scratched the sensor itself then I would be tempted to say you're completely bu**ered. Maybe worth seeing if your kit is covered under your household insurance policy?

Chris

[Andy Mac]

I like the dust removal gadget on my olympus

[happy snapper]

imperialism2024 said:

So tonight I stopped by the camera store and bought a set of extension tubes, and a blower, with the intention of finally cleaning the dust off my D70's sensor. I got home and, after playing with the extension tubes, I started using the blower on the sensor. And you can probably guess by now what happened... my hand slipped a little and I tapped the sensor with the blower, making a 2mm long, hair-width scratch on said sensor (er, sensor cover). So now in shots I take, I have a decent sized dark red line in the top right corner of each shot. *Smacks self in forehead* I do have a service contract on my camera, so I'm going to try going through that first. If not... any ideas on how much it will cost to get that sensor replaced? Or am I better off scrapping it and giving myself a good excuse to get a D200? I feel like an idiot...

Unless things have changed you should not clean the sensor on Nikon digital unless the camera is powered externally. Unlike Canon, which has a cleaning mode powered from the battery Nikon hasn’t the sensor stays charged and all you do is move the dirt around. On the D2H three is a cleaning menu which is only available on external power.

Try the service centre, they will advise you on repair

[fergusd]

Not true, the D70 has a battery powered cleaning mode.

The D2* series do need external power however.

Fd