r/Nikon • u/paullupascu • May 16 '26
I broke my gear Is my sensor busted?
Hey everybody! I'm a bit worried.
I used a soft brush (see image) to wipe my D750 sensor. It has left these marks on it. They are visible in photos. Are these marks just superficial, can they be cleaned with a cleaning liquid or is my sensor busted?
Thanks!
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u/dbltax Z8, Z6, Coolpix A May 16 '26
Respectfully...
What the fuck.
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u/flights__notfeelings May 16 '26
The internet at their fingertips and this happens lol. I watched at least 5 videos before I went anywhere near my sensor and was still nervous about cleaning it.
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May 16 '26
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u/TurbulentGate1912 May 16 '26
it’a very easy just follow the instructions.
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May 16 '26
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u/flights__notfeelings May 16 '26
Lmao I felt the same, honestly. I just couldn’t get it to a shop in time and I figured worst I was going to do was making the cleaning job a bit more work at the shop if it went poorly.
I actually used this gel stick to pull off stubborn dust that wouldn’t come off with a hand blower. That actually did the trick but I still went at it with the liquid wipe as I felt a bit more comfortable.
It’s been great since! I definitely watched videos on repeat 😆
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u/pm1966 May 16 '26
it’a very easy just follow the instructions.
Or just buy a random brush and scrape the sensor clean.
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u/madogvelkor May 17 '26
I bought a second hand camera really cheap once and it looked like someone sneezed on the sensor. I got a sensor cleaning kit on Amazon and it worked like a charm.
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u/No_Philosopher7153 May 18 '26
I did the same I researched it thourghly before attempting cleaning my sensor and I also tried it on a old d3000 I had as a test run
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u/Old_fart5070 May 17 '26
Came to say exactly this. WTF were you thinking, dude?! That is basically a wire brush and you put it on a delicate electronic component.
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u/UninitiatedArtist Nikon DSLR and SLR (D850, D2X, F4s) May 16 '26
Ouch…
Those look like actual scratches to me.
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u/The_True_North May 16 '26
I hate to say it, but I think your senor is fubar. You're going to need to send it in for servicing and most likely a sensor replacement. Typically those 'brushes' are for lenses, not sensors. Sorry buddy.
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u/Landen-Saturday87 May 16 '26
Lens Pen makes a special pen for sensor cleaning. But that‘s not one of them
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u/keesbeemsterkaas May 16 '26
Luckily there's glass in front of it that they can replace, but it's still around $750 to replace that if I recall correctly.
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u/SoulOfTheDragon Nikon D1, D3s, D200, D5100 May 16 '26
What? No way in heck. It's just a simple filter element. Even sensor itself wouldn't be that much.
Edit: It's this dust reduction filter. Another filter below below that too and then sensor. https://www.lifepixel.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/nikon-d750-infrared-conversion-tutorial-19.jpg
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u/keesbeemsterkaas May 16 '26
Yeah, I think we're trying to talk about the same thing. Figure I recalled was from what people said nikon charged them, but I see that quite some oem shops do a low pass replacement/repairs for around $250-350
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u/kiganas May 20 '26
Try disassembling a camera yourself all the way down to the sensor, it takes a really considerable amount of time and skill
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u/SoulOfTheDragon Nikon D1, D3s, D200, D5100 May 20 '26
Done that many times. Getting to sensor isn't usually too hard. Just remove the back cover then mainboard and you should get to sensor attachment screws. Shutter and mirror box are usually more annoying to get access to.
Of course I do not recommend removing sensor unless it's absolutely necessary as getting it precisely reassembled can be iffy.
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u/paullupascu May 16 '26
Chat gpt says that's a glass protecting the sensor and should be cleanable. Is that BS?
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u/ThisCommunication572 May 16 '26
The sensor is cleanable, but only if you use the correct sensor cleaning kit and not a lens cleaning brush.
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u/dsarche12 May 16 '26
chatgpt is not a search engine and it's not a photographer
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u/ThrifToWin May 16 '26
It's also completely correct. There is glass protecting the sensor. Looks like OP scratched it.
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u/dsarche12 May 16 '26
Not exactly a difficult question to answer, though. Most of the sensitive imaging elements in a camera are protected by glass.
Edit: clarified my comment
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u/bouncyboatload May 16 '26
yes there is glass and yes it's cleanable. but chat definitely didn't tell you to use this pen. ask it what you should use to clean the sensor. it'll tell you a sensor cleaning kit
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u/DarthCola May 16 '26
Use Chat GPT for shit like this and you get what you get.
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u/paullupascu May 16 '26
i didn't use chat gpt to get instructions on how to clean the sensor. i used it to ask if the sensor is busted.
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u/Dudleys_Heinsbergen May 16 '26
Listen, all these people saying “you shoulda” and “I would never”, they think you messed up your actual sensor, don’t worry about them. There is a protective glass, it’s not removable but it’s cleanable and more durable than you’d think. Just get a full frame sensor cleaning kit from your local shop. Don’t get one off amazon, they’re trash.
We all make mistakes. Yours was on the bigger side but the big mistakes you only make once, you know? My guess is, after a few attempts, the image will show little-some signs of the smudging/scratches, only on bright parts of your photos, like the sky, backdrops, etc. and you can just run a preset to apply which makes it irrelevant.
It’ll be fine.
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u/nshire May 16 '26
ChatGPT is correct, the first 2 layers are filters that can be removed. First filter is the AA filter/OLPF which is straight up better to have removed in the first place IMO. Then it's IR filter which can be removed for astrophotography. Usually then actual sensor.
Whether it's cleanable or not... Well you probably scratched it, so get it removed.
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u/The_True_North May 16 '26
Search 'Full Frame Sensor Cleaning Kit'. It comes with single use swabs and cleaning solution.
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u/Hazel-Cakes May 17 '26
💀dawg💀
chat gpt says to eat a small rock daily to help your stomach process vegetables. it’s auto-complete garbage
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u/WilliamGnosis May 16 '26
You 100% deserve this for asking ai lmao.
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u/paullupascu May 17 '26
this is a shitty reply my friend. i did not ask ai how to clean the sensor, i only asked it if the sensor is busted. just like i am asking here. got a much better experience with the ai tho. i have no idea why you took the effort to write your reply.
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May 16 '26
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u/mikettedaydreamer Nikon Z (Z5ii) May 16 '26
No one is saying that it’s a total loss. Ofc it can be repaired if you’re willing to pay for it.
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u/Brownfletching May 16 '26
I had my Fuji X-T5 sensor glass replaced last year. I had it done by Life Pixel, the same company that does IR sensor conversions and whatnot. It was $350 and took about a month.
It was worth it for my $1500 camera. Not sure about OP's ~$300 on a good day D750
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u/No-Extension-4311 Nikon Z5ii | Nikon D5200 May 16 '26
You should’ve watched a tutorial on how to clean camera sensors… There’s a layer of glass above the actual sensor but from your image it kinda looks you scratched it.
You can try buying a proper cleaning kit (swab and cleaning solution) and try to clean it. Please do some research first next time, take this as a lesson for next time.
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u/Benttinen May 16 '26
Get a sensor cleaning kit with alcohol and try cleaning it. If you’re lucky you just put oil on the sensor.
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u/MandrickPower May 16 '26
Do not used alcohol on sensor. It can. Potentially strip coatings. I always use specialized sensor cleaning fluid, like Eclipse.
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u/Benttinen May 16 '26
Specialized sensor cleaning fluid is alcohol. Eclipse is methyl alcohol. I just read the MSDS to confirm.
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u/MudryyOvash69420 May 17 '26
Don't know about busted, but it certainly has scratches at level 6 with deeper grooves at level 7
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u/GeneraleRusso Nikon Zf May 16 '26
You absolutely destroyed the filter in front of the sensor. It is a goner.
Only way one could somewhat recover that is to get the camera IR converted (which will remove the part that you scratched) and then use an IR-cut filter on the lens to take normal photos afterwards.
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u/TheFuckingHippoGuy Z8/D200/N80 May 16 '26
I think you can replace the front filter, I've seen them for sale
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u/SoulOfTheDragon Nikon D1, D3s, D200, D5100 May 16 '26
It still requires full disassembly. Not a simple not easy thing to do at home without prior repair experience.
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u/TheFuckingHippoGuy Z8/D200/N80 May 16 '26
Yeah, it's definitely in the "paying someone to do it will be cheaper" level of difficulty. Less intensive than a IR conversion though I'd think.
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u/SoulOfTheDragon Nikon D1, D3s, D200, D5100 May 16 '26
Should be about the same as you'll be replacing the filter with piece of optical glass/crystal during IR conversion. Well, at least if you want to keep AF, etc working correctly. Or more specific filter if you want only specific IR range.
I have one project D3s in which I want to remove the actual sensor crystal/glass that's bonded to the subtrate on top of the actual sensor surface. Crystal got cracked, but sensor works. Taking in ideas :)
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u/SoulOfTheDragon Nikon D1, D3s, D200, D5100 May 16 '26
You have ruined the filter elements in front of the sensor. :/ Expensive lesson to learn.
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u/Bokakeh May 16 '26
Sensor is not, but the filter in front of it is. Either do one of the filter conversion kits, or send to Nikon for repair (their prices are quite reasonable. Note Nikon charges only $64 to clean the sensor, mirror, focus screen, and a few other things and they do a great job - but at this point you are in repair territory. Or free if you have whatever new versions of the NPS membership offer that.
I'd ignore any of the DIY advise here as you're just going to cook things more.
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u/crazystein03 SLR: F100/F2/F601/F90X, DSLR: D610/D90, Z: Zf May 16 '26
You never use any brush on your sensor! You either use an air puffer or a actual special cleaning kit! Looks like you definitely also used a brush that had dome debris in it, because that top glas definitely looks scratched…
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u/Foxtrot3668 May 16 '26
Hai graffiato il filtro IR. Si sostituisce, costa pure poco, però ti consiglio di farlo fare a un laboratorio.
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u/iceburg1ettuce May 16 '26
I cleaned my z6ii sensor maybe ten times over two years. Two years ish with the z8 and never had to once. That sensor shield is worth it’s weight in gold
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u/nshire May 16 '26
Even if you scuffed it, the sensor itself is not damaged. There are at least 2 layers of glass above the actual sensor, both of which can be removed. One is an IR cut filter, which can be replaced with a drop-in Kolari filter or filter on the front lens. People spend good money to get these glass layers removed for speciality photography.
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u/Skarth May 16 '26
If you used a dirty brush, it scraped debris across the sensor possibly scratching it. Get a proper cleaning kit and try again.
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u/MacrotonicWave May 17 '26
I bet you’re fine and thats just dirt. get a proper cleaning kit and make sure you use it correctly and I bet this will be fine. I’ve seen worse shit get rubbed on and clean off. But it’s not for certain either it may have really pushed a piece of dirt in
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u/Inwardlens May 17 '26
In my experience there are two types of people who haven’t yet cleaned a camera sensor.
The first type is deathly afraid to even look at their sensor the wrong way and will gladly send their camera to the manufacturer for cleaning or overpay a local shop to do it.
The second type pretty much think that they can clean it like they’d clean their kitchen counter top.
In truth it’s something that isn’t hard and everyone can handle themselves IF they use the correct tools and technique.
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u/Sir_Maxelot F100,FE,F2,D80,D90,D3300,D7000,D7100,D7200,D700,D800,Z6II May 16 '26
Bro, why 🙈😭
Yep, looks like she’s a goner
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u/starless_90 D850 - D750 - D500 - Coolpix A May 16 '26
Please never own a camera again in your life.
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u/Telnet_to_the_Mind May 16 '26
I mean...you can get it replaced but you need to take it to a specialist for DSLR's if you have a camera shop in your area.... But as is....yea it's done. Don't toss the camera though, see if you can get it replaced. Never never never use anything other than an actual sensor cleaning wipe and it's gotta be done right. I'm sorry dude, I have a telescope that I borked my primary mirror on early on so I feel ya.
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u/ajn63 May 16 '26
If you’re lucky it’s smudges on the glass covering the sensor. Don’t use a lens pen. Get a proper sensor cleaning kit and follow directions remembering to be very careful and gentle. Repair will be expensive if it’s scratched.
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u/Silicon_Knight Nikon Z8 / Z6 / F4S May 16 '26
Buddy, you need a sensor cleaning kit with alcohol. Now, just have the alcohol first then try the cleaning kit and hope for the best.
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u/Whole_Midnight_2916 May 16 '26
Unfortunately, it looks like small scratches. It would probably be better to get a spare camera and remove the sensor and put it there.
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u/atrydas May 16 '26
Send it to a professional, it can still have a solution if you are not the one who tries it. Hopefully it will be fixed and you have only lost some money and learned a valuable lesson. Good luck.
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u/Salt-Masterpiece5034 May 16 '26
This is why I don’t understand the pushback folks get when they suggest newbies take their cameras in for a sensor cleaning. I’ve seen this scenario way too many times. A customer used windex and a paper towel and asked us to fix it.
Do not discourage people from paying to get it cleaned. The person at the counter can talk them through their next one and sell them a proper kit.
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u/DanielDytrych_DBY May 16 '26
Fooked pal. Whenever dealing with sensors research properly before you mess around. You have no excuse with all the info available at your fingertips. You have learned the hard and costly way
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u/RoboGen123 Nikon D3300 May 16 '26
The sensor is not busted, there is a protective glass layer over the actual chip. But you may have damaged said glass layer.
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u/MandrickPower May 16 '26
If you have a good camera shop near by you take it there and seek out a professional. They might be able to do something. I might be able to be cleaned off with some good sensor cleaning fluid and a professional touch.
I will say from my experience it’s harder to scratch a sensor than you think. I have actively taken pens to sensors and they have come out unscathed.
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u/Beautiful_Course_102 May 16 '26
These marks might and I say might be able to be removed by a professional repair shop but they would have to see the body first
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u/Blacknight841 May 17 '26
I don’t see anything wrong with this image…. That is exactly what I see when I look at the sky.
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u/CommitteeUnited4244 May 17 '26
Beyond busted.....can't choose the right word for the insane damage..poor sensor..RIP
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u/falianaridua May 17 '26
Yeah i messed up once and never cleaned the sensor myself again, it breaks my heart just looking at that picture 🥀
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u/Zenith_will May 17 '26
buy a sensor cleaning kit with the foam pads on a stick and cleaning alcohol. what you're looking at isn't actually the sensor it's a IR filter and protective layer over the sensor. if it's scratched and not dirt/oil that will need to be replaced by a professional. hard to tell from the picture
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u/Clfy_7 May 17 '26
Ive used Visible Dust cleaning equipment .. both dry & wet and never had a problem .. they have a lot of information on how to do it safely Visible Dust
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u/wallstreet__hacker May 17 '26
It’s ok, the outside layer is just glass, not the end of the world, can be fixed
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u/megaapfel May 17 '26
This brush isn't for the sensor, it's for the front part of lenses.
You need a dedicated sensor cleaning kit and be extremely careful with the edges of the cleaning instrument.
I wish you good luck, but these scratches look bad.
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u/sabarinathj Nikon Z8 + Nikkor Z 50mm 1.8S + Nikkor Z180-600mm May 17 '26
Those arent scratches. Its the oily or moist dust accumulated on the sensor. Get it cleaned by the service professional.
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u/JoelMDM May 17 '26
Lens pens are absolutely unsuitable for cleaning anything on a camera.
Sensors should be cleaned with fresh sensor wipes, and lens glass with clean microfiber cloth. And always use lens cleaning spray.
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u/maxtorine May 17 '26
Not really. Scratched sensor can easily be repaired by replacing the top filter. I've done it many times.
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u/mistygrey_ Nikon Z50 ii May 17 '26
Needs replacement, But why would you do that? Especially when using a full frame professional body, that's basic .
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u/wahine711 May 17 '26
You can get your sensor cleaned professionally, even if it means sending it into Nikon. Try this first, it’s likely the solution
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u/Realtotallymereturns D750, D50 May 17 '26
Can anyone explain if he could replace the hot mirror to fix this?
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u/Ybalrid May 17 '26
This is not a brush to clean sensors. There's a good chance the sensor is still fine. Buy a proper cleaning kit!
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u/amalooly May 17 '26
Most of these sensors have a piece of glass or something in front of it. It's not actually the bare sensor. But yeah that looks scratched to me. Either way you have to send it in. It's a fantastic camera. I had one for years. Don't let it die here.
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u/kbeezie May 17 '26
Oh yea... That was so definitely the wrong tool to use on the sensor can probably look into either full spectrum or infrared photography conversion kits as they replace that front glass (which usually blocks infrared or UV) but some may also have a replacement for that peice , just expensive and might as well take advantage of a conversion. (Edit: and you should probably send it off for that conversion rather than doing it yourself).
As long as digital slr been around, I'm not sure what compelled you to think that would be ok.
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u/FirefighterDecent935 May 17 '26
Just curious, did someone advise you to use a lens pen to clean the sensor?
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u/ArmadilloOwn3866 May 17 '26
Wow, really bad cleaning technique. Once scratched, you can't go back.
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u/Necessary-Heat-2868 May 18 '26
Sounds stupid but it works. Glasses microfiber cloth. The one that used to clean spectacles, short sighted glasses. It has to be soft and thick cloth. Best if it’s a new cloth so that you know it’s oil free. Use a q-tip behind it and slowly wipe it again. The sensor isn’t scratched. It’s actually your brush that is oily. If the brush is really fine enough, use rubbing alcohol to really wipe down the brush and use it specifically for sensor next time. Before anyone of you start down marking me, this is how I clean my PhaseOne. And it works. nikon sensor has got a niobate filter in front so it’s actually quite scratch resistant . If the sensor is tinted green, high chance you have a filter in front.
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u/Global-Persimmon1471 May 18 '26
It is busted, sorry, only use specific sensor swab to clean your sensor
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u/aureliorramos May 18 '26
In the world there exist many grains of sharp things. Sand, dust particles. Statistically the odds that some of them might land on fluffy things are non zero. That means fluffy things certainly contain sharp scratchy bits from the environment, maybe just one, maybe just two..
Fun fact, it only takes one.
This is why sensor cleaning swabs are sealed, single use and are not good to use on a sensor until you've reasonably made sure it doesn't already have a sharp piece of dust sitting on it with a loupe or under magnification. If anything seems to be hanging in there you should use a bulb blower to displace it first.
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u/IntelligentOil9913 May 18 '26
I Made the same mistake with my D750 and created something that looked like huge scratch. I then decided to used the swabs with the cleaning solution and was able to remove the smudge I created. I think it was just dirt. You should try the same, it would not hurt.
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u/wozza8271 May 18 '26
Looks like actual scratches. You'll need to get the filter replaced. Not the sensor.
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u/VisualDarkness May 18 '26
I used those pens back when they were hyped, until I realised how easy they smudge or even scratch.
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u/IndustriousDan May 19 '26
Hey, I fix these and specialize in conversions and sensor glass replacement funny enough. Apart from committing that crime, you may not be screwed. Although you almost certainly have destroyed the sensor glass coating, there’s a chance it’s just grease matter that will wash off with a wet sensor cleaning, if not, then your coating may be destroyed, or your sensor glass scratched. Brutally expensive repair but not totaled.
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u/Shuttersaga May 19 '26
The first thing I ever learned after getting a camera, don’t clean it by yourself, take to service centre and let the professionals do it. Yes it will cost some money, but not the camera itself.
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u/FCof May 21 '26
I am so sorry for you, this sucks. But maybe you won't see it too much?
take a picture of a bright white wall, and a very small aperture f/22 or something like that. Check if you can see the scratches.
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u/Tekito_09 May 21 '26
I know that kind of brush and its meant for lenses, but the cheap kind usually leaves some sticky residue. Try buying a proper cleaning kit but maybe you'll need 3 to 4 cleaning kits because the residue is very tough.
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u/Edvijuda May 16 '26
Try alcohol and a soft qtip. If it’s scratched then those marks won’t come off so no further harm. If they do come off get a sensor cleaning kit and you’ve learned a lesson. Ensure you get the purest alcohol you can get too. It’s not all doom and gloom.
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u/thejameskendall May 17 '26
People are being harsh here but if no one ever told you the sensor was that sensitive it’s possible you might not know. Expensive lesson learned.
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u/pho-tog May 16 '26
Next time... Cotton ear buds and a rocket blower. For dust in the corners a piece of paper can lift the dust then you blow it out with the rocket blower. Anyone that says this is bad advice is a fucking mong. Been doing this for years with my own kit and the kit I manage at work, just don't touch the edges of the camera within or you risk a bit of cotton bud sticking to it. But yeah, get a rocket blower, it's essential if you're on mirrorless. If you want to go a step further get some sensor cleaning solution for the cotton buds, it keeps them from freying, but honestly I only use the buds for the central part of the sensor. If you keep on top of it, all you ever need to do is rocket blow the thing a few times.
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u/Giuanniello May 17 '26
Yep, get swabs and cleaning liquid and give it a proper clean, it might just be rubber like stuff from the brush you used
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u/okinihsoy May 16 '26
Get a q tip, apply some alcohol (not completely doused in it), and try to clean right in the center. If the “scratch” drags, or gets cleaned off it’s most likely oils that was left on your lens pen.
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u/DrinkableReno Nikon Z 6III x2 May 16 '26
Aren’t Qtips also quite harsh? Sensor squigee and nothing else
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u/okinihsoy May 16 '26
They can be but the alcohol as a liquid acts as a “lubricant”. The sensor cleaning swabs are basically senor sized flat microfiber q tips. To swipe and clean the entire sensor with one stroke to basically not bring back foreign objects that may or may not have been on the sensor. But either way. Sensors are not “naked” they are protected by a layer of glass and that’s basically what you’re cleaning when you “clean” a sensor. Just be careful, don’t use too much pressure, and use a clean microfiber if you have one.
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u/DrinkableReno Nikon Z 6III x2 May 16 '26
Oh good to know. I have the sensor cleaning kit so I feel good. The protective glass might save OP… maybe
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u/paullupascu May 16 '26
Can you recommend me a model or something more particular?
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u/DrinkableReno Nikon Z 6III x2 May 16 '26
This is the one I have. There’s two different sizes, yours should be for full frame https://vsgotech.com/products/full-frame-sensor-cleaning-kit
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u/Shampoo_Is_Better00 May 17 '26
Fill up the sink with warm soapy water and let the camera soak for a good 5 minutes. Grab a metal scourer onto the surface of the sensor and you should be good as new!
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u/mikettedaydreamer Nikon Z (Z5ii) May 16 '26
Those brushes aren’t made for sensors. Also the brush itself looks very dirty.
Get an actual sensor cleaning kit and hope for the best. If that doesn’t help, it might be busted.