We do professional camera and lens cleaning for any type of camera or lens - including digital camera sensor cleaning! Cleanings are generally done within 24-48 hours, depending on the type of cleaning and number of cameras and lenses to clean. Sensors can often be cleaned same day or within an hour. Please call or contact us to give us a heads up as to when you would be in for while-you-wait service (also count on waiting up to one hour for sensor cleaning). See notes at the bottom if you aren't sure if you should have your camera cleaned or not.
We also perform firmware updates for cameras and photography equipment. You do not need an appointment to bring your equipment in for a cleaning, except for while-you-wait sensor cleaning as mentioned above.
Prices are as follows:
Camera Sensor Cleaning only - $50 per camera for most dslr and/or mirrorless cameras
This is a cleaning of your camera sensor. If you are seeing hairs or spots on your digital photos, this is the culprit 99% of the time. This price covers most known cameras from Full Frame to Four-Thirds sensors*.
It is very rare that dust on the lens is the reason for spots on your photos.
Complete DSLR or Mirrorless camera cleaning (most models), including one lens - $89
This includes cleaning the exterior of your camera, one lens AND sensor cleaning. Each additional lens is $15.
Complete SLR film camera cleaning (most models), including one lens - $39
This includes cleaning the exterior of your camera and one lens. Each additional lens is $15.
Cleaning a film camera rarely affects performance, but can be a nice thing to have done.
If you see spots in your viewer, it is from dust or dirt on your mirror, on your fresnel focus screen, or in your mirror box. Dust/dirt in your mirror box can often not be cleaned at all, and cleaning your fresnel focus screen is very sensitive and not included in this price - though we will blow it out (these screens are very easy to scratch and require special handling).
Firmware Updates/Upgrades - $35 per item
All digital cameras are small computers** that run on firmware - something like the bios and operating system of your desktop, laptop, or phone. Like those other devices, manufacturers occasionally issue firmware updates to improve or correct the performance of the camera and/or lens. If the lens can have it's firmware upgraded at the same time as the camera (as per Olympus/OM System), then the camera and one lens attached are considered one item. If they need to dealt with separately, then the charge for the lens and camera body are as separate items.
Will cleaning my digital camera fix performance issues?
Once in awhile this works, but is normally not the case. A firmware update has a better chance of fixing minor issues. More likely you will need your camera evaluated for a repair if there is a problem with the device.
Will cleaning my film camera fix performance issues?
Almost never. By which we mean we have never seen the cleaning of a film camera actually fix an issue it is having, unless it is something like cleaning out the battery compartment on film cameras that use batteries.
Can you clean dust out of the inside of a lens?
Yes! The question is: do you want to pay the price of taking a lens apart to clean the interior? Is the dust actually affecting your photos? This is more of a repair than a cleaning, really. It can be relatively cheap if it is in the first element or two ($95 - $125) to several hundred dollars for more complicated or larger lenses.
*Completely off topic, but there is no such thing as a Micro Four Thirds sensor. It is a Four Thirds sensor, while the lens mount/camera system type is Micro Four Thirds (MFT). This is not an opinion, this is a fact. Four Thirds sensors were used in DSLRs prior to the existence of the MFT mirrorless system. So there.
**Arguably "digital cameras" are not cameras, but just computers with fancy scanners. This is a discussion/argument we will dive into some other time.