I'm so excited, I just have to post this

[Blue_In_AK]

I've cleaned up my camera for our trip, and I have eliminated EVERY SINGLE SPECK on my sensor shooting toward the clear blue sky at f/32 AND I got rid of that blob on my viewfinder that was driving me crazy. The camera is pristine, and I'm one happy (soon-to-be) camper. :woohoo:

[CC]

1. But have you started packing yet?

If you are like me, nothing is packed because you spent the day cleaning the camera.

Have a safe trip and bring us back lots of pictures. Remember to keep you camera facing down when changing lenses. Oh and a clean trash bag in case it is windy for the lens change. Have a great time, both of you.

[Blue_In_AK]

4. We've been preparing all week...

HullBoss has all the camping gear out on the floor in his "man room," and I've been making lots of good food, bean and grain salads, granola, hummus, etc. so we don't end up eating a bunch of junk food, which is what usually happens. All I have left to do is my laundry. We're going to get up early in the morning and load the truck up -- we're afraid to do it tonight because someone might come by and take our stuff, but it shouldn't take too long to get it all together in the morning.

I'm so excited. The weather is absolutely beautiful today, and is supposed to be nice through the weekend at least, so I've got my fingers crossed.

Here's a link to some nice shots from the Denali Highway which is one of the places we're going to be. Of course, we won't have all these fall colors, but it will still be very beautiful, I'm sure. I love the tundra.

http://www.terragalleria.com/america/alaska/denali-highway/denali-highway.html

[CC]

5. Looks beautiful and bet it is as

nice now as in the fall. Here's hoping the weather stays perfect for you. And you are much better than I ever would be, I leave packing to the last minute. Can't blame you for not loading the car until morning either, I wouldn't. Fair warning though, have at least one pic ready to post when you get home so we all don't hound you for a pic. Because I know we will be hounding you to post fast. :hug: Off here, we have thunder storms headed here again.

[priller]

2. How did you get rid of them?

My sensor is starting to get a little dirty, too. I was hiking last weekend and forgot to turn off the camera when I changed lenses. That's supposed to be a big no no. I now see some blobs in my shots. Would love to know how you cleaned yours.

[Blue_In_AK]

3. I ordered the kit

from Copperhill Images http://www.copperhillimages.com/ I had to get the "Euro kit" since they can only ship the Eclipse liquid UPS ground, but I was able to get the fluid here at a camera shop, so it wasn't a problem. You just tape the little Pec pads around the sensor swipe tool, put a couple drops of the Eclipse on it, set the camera to "clean," and swipe away. It's really pretty easy. I also got the brush which you statically charge, and it's supposed to lift the little flecks of dust off the sensor, but I haven't had a chance to try that yet.

The spot on my viewfinder turned out to be on the upper mirror which I think is called a pentaprism. I just put a little of the Eclipse fluid on a low-fiber cotton swab and swabbed it off real good, and that took care of it.

I'm very impressed with Copperhill Images. He has great directions on the web site for how to do sensor cleaning, and also was very prompt in answering my e-mail questions.

[alfredo]

6. Imagine those photographers in Arizona during the dust storms.

I bet many put their camera and lenses in ziplocks.