I did a bit of research and reading (namely Thom Hogan's site) and realized that I'd be better off cleaning the camera myself than sending it to a professional cleaning center. I didn't want to get the camera back looking worse than when I sent it off. I've read that some folks have had this problem. Plus, I figured it would save me time and money over the long run.
I ended up ordering the Visible Dust Set, which included the Arctic Butterfly, loupe, sensor and anti-aliasing filter screen swabs, and two types of cleaning solutions: VDust and Sensor Clean. I bought all of these as a set for about $260 from B&H Photo Video. Yes, it's not cheap. But I think in the long run, it will save me both money and hassle. Not to mention, I won't have to be without my camera for a while. You'll have to make sure to get the right size brush, swabs, or set for your sensor. Check the Visible Dust site for more on that.
I was initially a little paranoid to do this work myself, but overcame that after cleaning the camera a couple of times. I would highly suggest reading Thom Hogan's cleaning guide first (http://www.bythom.com/cleaning.htm). He really breaks down the process and explains it in a clear and concise manner.
When I pulled out the Arctic Butterfly sensor brush, I noticed (like others) that it seems quite cheap and fragile. But what's important is that it performs the job very well. You turn the Arctic Butterfly on and the brush starts to spin, which basically charges the bristles statically so they will easily pick up the dust. After 5 to 10 seconds you shut the switch off and move it to the opposite position to turn the LED light on. You then proceed to (follow the directions and) clean the dust off the sensor (well actually off the filter screen covering the sensor). The brush works quite well in picking up small (loose) dust particles, but you have to remember to spin the brush after every swipe to keep charging the bristles and also get rid of the dust that has been picked up. Also, be careful not to push the bristles too hard onto the sensor/filter or they can spread too far out and drag dust or grease (from inside the chamber) onto the sensor. Trust me, I did it, but it wasn't anything that couldn't be cleaned off with a swab and some VDust solution.
I used the loupe to do my initial check for dust. It works well, although it also seems like it's built of cheap materials. Nevertheless the led lights built into the loupe and the loupe itself both work very well when checking the sensor for dust and/or stains and I found myself using it every time in between cleaning the filter screen. When I performed my very first cleaning (1 year), the brush did not remove everything. I still had some sticky dust particles that didn't budge and also some strange smudgey looking stuff on the filter screen. So on to the next level of cleaning: Using some Visible Dust solution and swabs.
The swabs seem to be very expensive at $40 for 12 (for full frame cameras). But if you want something that is completely dust free, you have to pay the price. You can build your own sensor swabs, but I'll stick to buying them, since I'm too paranoid. The Visible Dust swabs come individually sealed in plastic, which will keep them dust free. I decided to use the VDust Plus solution, since I wasn't sure what exactly was on my filter screen covering the sensor. This is the recommended solution when you're not really sure what it is that you are cleaning. I recommend reading the product descriptions on the Visible Dust site (www.visibledust.com) thoroughly before buying and using the products. I put a couple of drops on one side of the swab and ran that same side slowly, with even pressure, across the filter screen (sensor). I then checked the results with the loupe. There was still some dust, so I used the other side of the swab with a couple of drops again and repeated the process but this time swiping in the opposite direction as last time. If you're sensor is extremely dirty, you could find yourself using two or even three swabs to clean it. I also recommend doing this in an environment that is less dusty (i.e. rooms without carpet). I used the bathroom, which worked out pretty well.
It seems like I notice dust on my sensor much more these days. I think I have a heightened sense to it now in images and when looking at the sensor itself with the loupe. One thing I should recommend, which I personally need to do myself, is to clean the camera chamber before you clean the sensor (or filter screen). If you have a lot of dust in the chamber and clean the sensor, it's just a matter of time before some of the dust in the chamber attaches itself to your sensor. I realized this well after doing my cleaning and then ended up ordering the chamber cleaning set from Visible Dust as well. I'm sure they love me by now.
I do have to say that although the Visible Dust products can seem cheap (fragile) initially, they work just as advertised and perform their job very well. As a final thought, I'd like to say that don't be afraid to do the cleaning yourself. It's not as difficult as it may initially seem. I also don't see how one could actually damage the sensor or filter screen in any way. Of course, if you do, I take no responsibility. ;)
Note: I highly recommend B&H Photo Video for all your camera gear. I've been purchasing from them since 1994 and have never had any problems. Their customer service is one of the best, and I think in the past few years has even gotten better.
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