Need help with digital camera problem

I have a Sony F828 digital camera and I gave a problem with it. I have had this problem for over a year now and I want to try to fix it.

The problem I have is there is something on or wrong with the CCD. Ever picture I take I has a string of pixels that are just black. To me it looks like it might be dust on the CCD but I'm not 100% sure since I have never seen any thing like it and I'm not a camera expert.

Here is a cropped section of the 8MP image that has the issue.




So if this is dust do you have any tips on how to clean it? This camera looks like an SLR but it not so the lens is not easily removable. At least I dont see a way unless I take the whole camera apart.

 

Well I did have a Mack 5 year warranty with the camera. Dont know if it covered dust but it ran out at the beginning of the year anyway. Guess I should have looked into it sooner.

I did manage to find the service manual for my camera but it does not show how to get to the CCD. From the looks of it its part of the lens unit. Dont know if I can separate it to get to the CCD or not. Wont know until I try. I just dont know if I want to go that far with it or not. Its still a good camera and a replacement is still expensive.

The only really down side is that the dust still shows up pretty bad in the movie mode and that is pretty hard to disguise in something like Premiere or After Effects.

Maybe I'll just save up for that Canon 5D Mark II. The f828 is getting a little out dated anyway.

 

Well last night I said the hell with it and took my camera apart. It was pretty easy to do. Here is what I found.

I was able to get to the CCD but there is a problem. I don't know how DSLR are made but you cant clean the actual CCD on my camera. There is a gasket on the CCD chip that has a glass plate on top of it. The Glass plate was removable. The gasket was sealed onto the CCD chip housing. The CCD chip housing has a glass window which is glued to the housing which seals the CCD. The POS dirt is laying on the CCD under the sealed glass. There is no way I can clean it. a

I'm going to try to contact Sony to see how much a CCD is for my camera just for giggles. I'm willing to bet if I can get one its going to cost over $200. If I can get one for $100 or less I might get one.