# 5D Mark III - Sensor Cleaning - Clean Now



## lastcoyote (Feb 25, 2013)

Could you 5D Mark III owners test or confirm something for me please?

I've had the 'Automatic Cleaning' option enabled in the Sensor Cleaning menu since new (seeing as it's enabled by default). This performs as i'd expect like my 40D. If you put your ear right up to the body you can hear a tiny couple of electronic sounds. I believe this to be perfectly normal.

However I've just run the 'Clean Now' option in the Sensor Cleaning menu on my 5D Mark III for the first time.
And I expected it to just do the same as the Automatic Cleaning that runs when you switch on and off, but instead it made a few very audible noises. More like a motor sound which repeated a couple of times. 
Is this normal? Can I get you users to check it on yours to see if it's the same? Remember I'm specifically talking about the 'Clean Now' option in the Sensor Cleaning menu.


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## JPAZ (Feb 25, 2013)

Noticed that the "clean now" cycle takes longer than the routine sensor clean when you power off. Unless someone tells me otherwise, I presumed this was normal.


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## lastcoyote (Feb 25, 2013)

Yeah it takes longer but it was the noise that I was interested in.
I would say it goes: click click brrr, click click brrr.
The manual (p290) does actually say this about running Clean Now "Although there will be a shutter sound during the cleaning, a picture in not taken."
I personally wouldn't say it sounds like the shutter but maybe this means that the sound I am hearing is normal (?). 

Anyone else able to confirm if what I am hearing is what happens when you run the Clean Now option?


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## kbmelb (Feb 25, 2013)

It's normal. If you look in the manual, it says during "clean now" the shutter makes a sound but no picture is taken. They don't say why it is different but it is normal.


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## Rat (Feb 25, 2013)

lastcoyote said:


> I personally wouldn't say it sounds like the shutter but maybe this means that the sound I am hearing is normal (?).


I think that might be because you're confusing the shutter sound with the mirror sound


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## lastcoyote (Feb 25, 2013)

Rat said:


> lastcoyote said:
> 
> 
> > I personally wouldn't say it sounds like the shutter but maybe this means that the sound I am hearing is normal (?).
> ...



yeah maybe. well I guess it's normal then. I think I just interpreted the manual's wording as if it meant one singular sound but maybe they weren't being specific. it's definitely a click click brrr sound reapeated twice.


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## Rat (Feb 25, 2013)

lastcoyote said:


> it's definitely a click click brrr sound reapeated twice.


That it is, here too


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## lastcoyote (Feb 25, 2013)

thanks Rat. put my mind at rest....that is until someone comes along and says 'nah mine doesn't sound like that at all' ;D

i'm rather OCD i'm afraid. which is a nightmare when it comes to owning expensive camera equipment :-\


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## sandymandy (Feb 27, 2013)

Your camera is a tool like a carpenters hammer. Dont be too worried about it, its made to do its job. Ive seen threads like this before tough  People worried about some noises 
Worst case you can just send ur camera to repair, so just stay cool as a ice


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## lastcoyote (Feb 27, 2013)

sandymandy said:


> Your camera is a tool like a carpenters hammer. Dont be too worried about it, its made to do its job. Ive seen threads like this before tough  People worried about some noises
> Worst case you can just send ur camera to repair, so just stay cool as a ice



i know the sort of threads you refer to but the difference with this thread is that i'm not so much worried about the noise as you put it, i don't mind the noise. it's purely the fact that i'm familiar with my 40D making no noise during the same operation 'clean now'. so i was purely checking that its is indeed different with the 5D Mark III and not actually a fault.


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## RustyTheGeek (Mar 1, 2013)

I think what you are hearing is a different sound from the 40D because...

The 40D used an ultrasonic vibration to shake debris off of the sensor and let it collect in an adhesive trough.

The 5D3 uses two tiny highly experienced and fast window washer guys that run out, set up their ladders, open the shutter and clean the hell out of the sensor then reverse everything and get back in their hidy holes lickety split. That's why it takes slightly longer and makes a different noise. The reason it takes longer one time over another is that those guys have to routinely sit and have a really quick beer after they're done or they would eventually start doing a poor job due to poor work conditions.

Don't believe me? Put a clear cap on the body, set up a high speed camera and run the process. ;D


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## lastcoyote (Mar 1, 2013)

RustyTheGeek said:


> I think what you are hearing is a different sound from the 40D because...
> 
> The 40D used an ultrasonic vibration to shake debris off of the sensor and let it collect in an adhesive trough.
> 
> ...



;D i'd love that!


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## RLPhoto (Mar 1, 2013)

Tested it and yes, it's a bit louder than normal cleaning.


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## RustyTheGeek (Mar 1, 2013)

I think Canon somehow inadvertently sent me a pre-release beta tester 5D3 that was built before main production. Here's a picture of my sensor cleaner. (Somehow my camera captured this image by "mistake"!) I guess the internal design team was having fun testing different sensor cleaners before they settled on one to use for main production. Sometimes my sensor is a little dirty but for some reason I never seem to care. ;D All I know is that I may never get rid of this 5D3 now. Have a great Friday!


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## emag (Mar 1, 2013)

I cannot recommend the use of sponges, they are prone to capturing particulates and could scratch the sensor. And no hair net! Tsk tsk. Better get Canon service to take care of that.


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