As I noted, sensors can be affected by dust particles that are much smaller than you
might be able to spot visually on the surface of your lens. The filters that cover sensors
tend to be fairly hard compared to optical glass. Cleaning the 23.6mm ×15.8mm sen-
sor in your Nikon D7000 within the tight confines of the mirror box can call for a steady
hand and careful touch. If your sensor’s filter becomes scratched through inept clean-
ing, you can’t simply remove it yourself and replace it with a new one.
There are four basic kinds of cleaning processes that can be used to remove dusty and
sticky stuff that settles on your dSLR’s sensor. All of these must be performed with the
shutter locked open. I’ll describe these methods and provide instructions for locking
the shutter later in this section.
■Air cleaning.This process involves squirting blasts of air inside your camera with
the shutter locked open. This works well for dust that’s not clinging stubbornly to
your sensor.
■Brushing. A soft, very fine brush is passed across the surface of the sensor’s filter,
dislodging mildly persistent dust particles and sweeping them off the imager.
■Liquid cleaning. A soft swab dipped in a cleaning solution such as ethanol is used
to wipe the sensor filter, removing more obstinate particles.
■Tape cleaning. There are some who get good results by applying a special form of
tape to the surface of their sensor. When the tape is peeled off, all the dust goes with
it. Supposedly. I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out right now that this form of clean-
ing is somewhat controversial; the other three methods are much more widely
accepted.
Placing the Mirror/Shutter in the Locked and FullyUpright Position for Landing
Make sure you’re using a fully charged battery or an AC adapter. Fortunately, the Nikon
D7000 is smart enough that it won’t let you try to clean the sensor manually unless the
battery has a sufficient charge.
1. Remove the lens from the camera and then turn on the camera.
2. You’ll find the Lock Mirror Up for Cleaning menu choice in the Setup menu.
Select it.
3. Choose Start. The mirror will flip up and the shutter will open.
4. Use one of the methods described below to remove dust and grime from your sen-
sor. Be careful not to accidentally switch the power off or open the Secure Digital
card or battery compartment doors as you work. If that happens, the shutter may
be damaged if it closes onto your cleaning tool.
5. When you’re finished, turn off the power, replace your lens, and switch your cam-
era back on.
Chapter 14 ■Nikon D7000: Troubleshooting and Prevention 483