While I was in Irvine yesterday, I stopped by Canon Factory Service Center to get my 40D sensor cleaned for free. (via Chris Lin)

The process was a breeze. They told me I could pick it up in two hours, which wasn’t a problem.

I returned a few hours later and it was ready to go, wrapped inside a bag with a plastic temporary body cap and a tag with the technician’s initials. Attention to detail has to mean it’s pristine, right?

When I got home to check out the sensor:

View on Flickr
50mm, 3.2 sec at f/22, ISO 100

Um, what happened? If I had to ship my camera in for this service, I would be way more upset.

It looks like I’ll be going the DIY route in the future. (Marcus recommends the Copperhill method.)