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After several years of bouncing around in our dusty desert, Cookie's Canon 50D has some contamination on the sensor that's not responsive to jets of air or the in unit sensor shaker.

A little hesitant to go at it with Brillo pads and Comet Cleanser, but don't really want to ship it to Timbuktu and back either if one can avoid $100 minimum service fee and a similar shipping and insurance charge. Is this an ultra sensitive neurosurgery procedure, or can a neophyte accomplish such without much danger of irreparable harm?

Suggestions derived from experience would be appreciated.

Thanks,

I've done two. A pentax k5 with the famous oil drop and my d800 nikon. I used nothing more than a qtip and alcohol. The key is getting 100% of the lint off and being gentle. Both were successful. It took a second for the alcohol to dry, but it was perfect afterwards.

With my "self-lubricating" Nikon D600, I have used the Visible Dust cleaners. The hardest part to using them is overcoming the mental apprehension.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/561007-REG/Visible_Dust_4080470_UltraMXD_Vswab_1_0x_Green.html

Guess I'm a wimp. Heading over to western Oregon next weekend and found a shop that will do them for free while one browses around. Appreciate your chiming in though.