How Scratch-Resistant Is a Camera Sensor?
Saturday 11 July 2020, 23:32 by Elja Trum | 6,524 views | 5 commentsThis article was translated from Dutch with the help of AI. Read the original.
Most photographers are careful with the sensor in their camera. They put the body cap on when there is no lens attached, and so on. But how sensitive is a camera sensor really? YouTuber Arthur R tests it with dust, sand, oil and a knife.
About the author
Elja Trum is the founder of Photofacts and online photography course website Photofacts Academy. He has been writing about photography since 2006. Elja is also the author of (Dutch) books on composition, black-and-white photography, flash photography and portrait photography.
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5 comments
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Herman Lambers wrote on Tuesday 14 July 2020 at 14:22 | replyIn my opinion, you can never damage the sensor because it is protected behind a filter. If that were not the case, a speck of dust would not be blurred by a wide aperture either. These dust particle are therefore not on the sensor but on the filter.
Translated from Dutch. -
Will Herlaar wrote on Tuesday 14 July 2020 at 18:00 | replyNot entirely true Herman. When I change lenses on my Fujifilm X-T3 you look straight at the sensor...no filter or anything like that.
Translated from Dutch. -
Maikel wrote on Tuesday 14 July 2020 at 20:08
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there's always an IR filter in your camera, right on the sensor. that looks like the sensor but there's actually still a thin glass plate on it. with astrophotography that filter has to be removed to also be able to photograph H alpha (hydrogen deep red) this is mostly blocked by that filter..
Translated from Dutch. -
Paul Oosterlaak wrote on Wednesday 15 July 2020 at 13:45
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In fact: there is an IR filter, a UV filter and another relatively thick glass plate in front of the sensor.
Translated from Dutch.
With some cameras it unfortunately also happens that dust gets under the glass plate. So that dust cannot really be removed with sensor cleaning either, meaning it has to be sent back. -
Paul Oosterlaak wrote on Wednesday 15 July 2020 at 13:57
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A word about the video:
Translated from Dutch.
In the beginning he goes over the sensor with a sensor swab while the camera is not yet in cleaning mode, causing him to move the sensor rather vigorously. Not exactly a smart thing to do.
He also acts as if almost nothing can damage a sensor, but I have seen sensors with small scratches often enough. Usually caused by people who tried to clean their sensor (incorrectly).
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