Sensory perplexion
I recently made a complete switch from a traditional DSLR kit (in my case it was a Canon EOS 5D Mark II) to a Sony mirrorless (an Alpha 7 II). I really like the fact that I can carry a body as well as two or three lenses around, and not end up with an aching shoulder.
However, there is one aspect of mirrorless that I never saw mentioned in any reviews, namely the increased risk of dust on the sensor. Perhaps reviewers at the point of release don’t have long enough with the camera to discover such problems?
Not having the additional level of protection of a mirror, the Sony’s sensor seems to attract a much higher level of dust than I ever saw with my Canon. I used to give my Canon’s sensor a blow with a rocket blower about every six months, but now I’m cleaning my Sony’s sensor almost weekly, using a blower and an Eyelead gel stick, and every few months with a swab kit. All of this works and the sensor remains clear but I would be interested to know if I’m alone with this problem.
Is this worth a brief investigation? It would be interesting to know if some mirrorless cameras perform better in this regard than others. Ian Clark, Dorset In my experience this isn’t a problem with mirrorless cameras in general, so can’t be blamed on the always- open shutter. However, it is a very real problem with Sony’s full-frame mirrorless models. The good news is that Sony is well aware of this issue and is working on a solution for future cameras. In the meantime there’s not much you can do I’m afraid, other than carry a rocket blower and sensor cleaning kit everywhere you go – Andy Westlake, technical editor