[Brightcolours]

I'm not a techie, but have wondered about an issue.  I've seen a little smudge on the mirror of one of my cameras.  I'm not sure how AF works, but doesn't light go through tiny spots where the mirror is not  mirrored?  Everyone seems to be terrified to clean mirrors because it seems possible to clean the mirror off of the glass?  I've cleaned sensors before.  That's child's play.  But mirrors?

 

So I briefly looked online, and basically people could not even agree what the mirror is mirrored with.  Silver?  Aluminum?  Other?

 

For cleaning the sensor I used specially made lint free swabs and quick to evaporate methanol.  I highly recommend cleaning you sensor (following the right procedures, and if it is dirty.  You can test for that).

 

Here's the thing.  If the guy at the canon shop can clean the mirror, why can't I?  I just need to know the procedure and materials.  Surely, somebody must know?!

No, the mirror does not have "tiny spots where the mirror is not mirrored". It is a little bit translucent a mirror, instead. And behind the main mirror is a secondary mirror, which directs the light that passes through the main mirror down towards the AF module on the bottom of the mirror box.

 

You can have dirt specs on the mirror, remove these gently with a very soft lens brush. If you have a real "smudge", then you have touched the mirror with a finger, which is not something to be doing.

To remove such a smudge, use a good sensor swab. These are soft and use a "right" kind of alcohol. Apply almost no pressure when wiping the mirror.

 

A smudgy mirror will not slow down AF, but it may make AF less reliable (must be a very big smudge). So.. stop putting fingers on the mirror