Got spots / smears appearing on your pics?

Cleaned your lenses?...Still no better?

Then it's probably your sensor.

No need to pay a camera shop to clean it, just D.I.Y

http://www.pbase.com/copperhill/ccd_cleaning

The "Rubbermaid" spatulas he suggests aren't easily avaiable over here, but Tesco do an almost identical utensil (kitchen tools aisle) which you need to cut down to size.

I've had dirt on my camera sensor from new and using this method it's now history

Read it VERY carefully before you jump in.

Fair enough, but FFS be careful. New CCD's are very, very expensive.

Phil

Fair enough' date=' but FFS be careful. New CCD's are very, very expensive.

Phil[/quote']

And not as fragile as the manufacturers would like us to believe.

Plus Canon put a glass filter in front of the sensor, so you are cleaning the glass not the CCD itself. But you should still be careful

Anyone who has an expensive DSLR with removable lenses may also like to read this lengthy article, I would recommend a large pot of coffee or a beer:

http://www.photo.net/equipment/digital/sensorcleaning