Thanks for sharing your experience. I didn’t get any scratches in mine, but then again I was using a different camera. I am interested in hearing about other people’s experience with the product especially with the 5D II.

I installed a Dust Shield on my 5D shortly after Ron wrote this entry. The original Shield is still installed but will soon be coming off… for a couple of reasons.

Primary reason is ‘dust’ starting to show on the sensor again. I guess this is to be expected because 1) the Shield is not an airtight seal on the shutter box and 2) there are moving parts in the shutter box, and deeper in the camera, that will wear and shed ‘dust’.

The second reason is scratches on the backside of the Shield from the mirror hitting it. I installed the Shield very carefully per instructions and cannot remember doing anything to position the Shield so the mirror would hit it, but apparently it does at least sometimes. Could be the Shield flexes back at temperatures greater or lower than the temperature when I installed the Shield. I don’t know. The scratches are pretty uniform across almost the full Shield width. I cannot see any impact of the scratches on photo quality. There has to be some but it is not visible to this pixel peeper and his tools.

I’ve attempted, without success, to communicate with Dust-Aid about the scratches. I’ve sent email, via their web site e mailer, complete with photo of the scratches. I have left a message on their phone recorder during west coast normal business hours. I have received no response to either. This makes me wonder about the longevity of Dust-Aid?

Tim, I now have the same dilemma as you, whether to order a Dust Shield or not.

Cheers!

Warren

Good question. I wasn’t able to replace the one in my Canon 1Ds III, I had a prototype, but once it was gone, they didn’t produce any new ones for that camera. I replaced that camera with a 7D and 5D II this fall, and just started noticing dust. I now wished I had purchased new ones right away before this happened, especially now that I’m shooting some video where dust it much harder to deal with. So I do plan to order some for my new camera.

After reading your review (thanks!) when you first published it, I filed this away in my memory with the label “if I ever have sensor dust issues”. Well, the future is now here, and I’m thinking about giving the Dust-Shield a try for my 5d2. Could you tell me if you still use and recommend this product?

BTW, I continue to lurk on your blog, and always look forward to seeing your photos. Your work continues to delight and inspire!

Thanks, and best regards,
Tim Newton

I believe you missed the point of that thread. Those people were discussing the “concept” behind the shield plus the reputation of the company regarding their other products. Like I mentioned in my previous post, there is an utter vacuum of postive reviews on the internet about any of dustaid’s products. Personally, I’ve been using the VisibleDust products ever since my nightmare with the platinum.

When dustaid makes a product specifically for the 5D (which is what I shoot), it does not stop air and dust from entering the chamber through all of the other seams/ports and openings in the 5D body. The camera came out in 2005 and it is NOT weatherproofed like the current Canon models, i.e. 7D. Air is continually being introduced into the chamber through these other ports, and this is happening while the lens and the shield are mounted onto the body. So it may be stopping dust at the lens mount, but there’s no way possible it is cutting down on the lion’s share of dust entering the chamber, not to mention bits of debris generated by moving parts in the chamber, behind the shield. Most people swap lenses very rapidly to avoid dust entering the body, I know I do.

The sample pictures were on their website in the past, don’t know why they removed them. As for Dustaid’s reputation on the internet and through the professional photographers I come in contact with everyday, as far as their whole product lineup – no comment.

Ron, if you’re happy with their products, then that’s all that matters. Thanks for your views and for allowing me to explain my position here which was previously misconstrued. You are a fairminded person.
Kind regards,
Steve

I looked around on the DustAid – Shield website and can’t find the samples you are talking about.

I followed your link and read the all the comments on the forum – lots of strong opinions from a bunch of people who have never used the product. What does that tell you? One person suggests using a lens cap instead? The internet is overloaded with opinions from people who have never tried the product – just wait until the next camera announcement.

I know of at least 4 people who have now ordered the product, and I have asked them to share their experiences – although I think your mind it already made, I do hope to share or have follow up comments from other actual users.

Ron

But I do commend you for leaving my comment here, and for answering it directly.
Regards,
Steve C.

I have nothing to gain from this product – I received a few samples early on and can’t even get them replaced. I don’t receive any kick-backs, commission,s I’m not an affiliate – nothing, I won’t make a penny from this product or company.

Furthermore, I didn’t write this to help a friend out – Ross and I have never met in person, and only began exchanging emails when he asked me to review his cleaning product.

For me, the only benefit is being one of the first to share a new development with my readers.

The one think I have said to every person on Twitter who ordered to product is “let me know what you think” I’m interested in reading more feedback on the product or my test results. I’m not interested in personal attacks.

It’s very interesting. Thanks for the info.

GodBless!

Looks like a good test you done. But if the final photo was darker, doesn’t that mean
there was somewhat less light comming into the camera? If you had used a flash, I
would say you would have gotten the same results. After all, flash is about 98% as
consistant as daylight.

You lost light in 10 minutes? That’s Alaska, eh? Days be short.

Sounds like a great product.

Cheers

Carl

@ Dennis – I hear you!

@ Richard – I kept the shutter speed the same. The two look fairly close in exposure, but if I switch between the two images while looking at a histogram – the “mountain” of exposure data for the “with Dust Shield” does shift a little to the left. Changing the exposure even just 1/3 of a stop probably would have shifted the exposure even more. But, with flash I could have kept the exposures identical.