Jump to content

Sensor cleaning


Vladimir Sadov

Recommended Posts

No comment on the S2 sensor, but I do not use the full-size pads on my M9. They always get stuck on the peripheral pins/hardware and cannot be kept at the same angle and pressure all the way through. Sweeping around with crop size pads has worked very well.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 9 months later...

Phase One backs are cleaned with a plastic card the width of the sensor, around which one wraps a tissue of the same fabric like those on the DSLR pads. The tissue/card ensemble is then held together and swept from one edge to the other in one stroke. The procedure is repeated with two liquids - one for cleaning and one for stain removal+drying, which evaporates immediately.

 

Maybe the Phase One cleaning kit in combination with an old credit card cut to the right size would work on the S2 too.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Good question. My advisor said just fix in Lightroom with the clone tool, or send it back to Germanty. A prize to anyone with a better answer, because basically he admonished me to never try it myself.

Hey, I have had very little crap until this month, but now it's getting dirty. Please tell us what to do, please?

Link to post
Share on other sites

I was also warned NOT to do it myself and did indeed send it back to Germany. I do NOT understand why they cannot clean it here in the USA but hopefully that will be remedied soon. The clone tool worked perfectly for me and have no complaints in this regard.

Albert :):):)

Link to post
Share on other sites

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Ok guys. I got advised on getdpi to do it myself. So I did the standard procedure. I blow away some stuff, then used Artic butterfly, and finally used sensor swaps (I had he size for the M8) with the appropriate liquid. Result not yet perfect but better than before. I will give it another try tomorrow to clean the few remaining spots. (Too much wine by now!)

 

Frankly, I do not think that cleaing the sensor is much different from cleaing a sensor on the M9 or the M8 or a dslr. It's a bit more expensive and therefore the feer factor is higher but the rest is the same.

 

Georg

Link to post
Share on other sites

Don't have a S2 but in my case I could imagine cleaning the sensor with drool:D

 

Anyway, it is only a sensor and regular favorite cleaning methods discussed ad nauseam in multiple threads should suffice. How about lab quality cotton swabs + lab grade IPA and lab grade Kleenex? That is what the real pro's use (+ it is 500x cheaper than the commercial products).

Link to post
Share on other sites

How about lab quality cotton swabs + lab grade IPA and lab grade Kleenex? That is what the real pro's use (+ it is 500x cheaper than the commercial products).

 

What is an IPA and where do you get the lab grade stuff, such as lab grade Kleenex. I am convinced that there is something cheaper than the commercial stuff but where do you get it?

Link to post
Share on other sites

I am in the happy position to work at a university so getting this stuff is easy. If there is a university nearby then they might be perpared to help.

 

IPA is iso-propyl-alcohol (CH3CHOHCH3), you should be able to order that at a pharmacy or drug-store. They may even have it in stock as it is a common solvent. Even "regular" solvent grade should be more than pure enough for sensor cleaning. Also regular Kleenex & cotton swabs should be just fine (use swabs on a wooden stick). make sure to immerse the swab in IPA and flick dry, then immerse again and remove excess solvent with Kleenex (moist, not dripping wet).

 

You might check whether there are "lab supplies" close to you via Google.

 

Also Ebay may help: IPA ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL ISOPROPANOL- 1 LITRE min 99% pure - eBay, Chemicals, Lab Supplies, Medical Lab Equipment, Business, Office Industrial. (Eindtijd 07-mei-11 10:01:21 CEST) comes in 50ml - 5l package

 

Edmund scientific:

Cotton Tip Applicators - Box of 1000 applicators | Edmund Scientific

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Lab grade Kleenex is the standard for cleaning microscope objectives & oculars, but more importantly also for cleaning laser optics. Is laser optics is not clean it gets destroyed - if you are unlucky. My preferred solvent is chloroform but I would not advise using that on a camera - it has the useful property of evaporating and dewetting at the same time leaving no residue.

 

Pec pads are fine I guess but a sneakily folded tissue works just as well and is much cheaper.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I definitely wouldn't use chloroform. Not only can it dissolve the plastic, but most commercial chloroform contains antioxidants (to stop it making phosgene). Unless you have all glass systems it also nearly always contains plasticised from the cap which will leave a residue.

 

If you must do it yourself (and I have avoided it so far) I would use IPA or (if you can get it) pure ethanol (not industrial spirit, methylated spirit, whiskey etc.)

 

Ed

Link to post
Share on other sites

Ed is quite correct re chloroform...

 

I have used Eclipse/Sensor Swabs without issue on my M8s but am reticent to do it on the S2 as the length of the largest swab is smaller than the width of the sensor. This in theory would mean that I would have to use the swab several times or use multiple swabs singly and hence complicate the cleaning procedure unneccesarily...

I suspect that my concerns are irrational and will eventually clean it myself!

Albert :):):)

Link to post
Share on other sites

I scratched the sensor cover glass or coating (not sure which) on my S2 during cleaning. Since the cover glass is permanently adhered to the sensor, the repair required sensor replacement. It was a very expensive and traumatic experience.

 

I have been cleaning digital camera sensors since 2002 and felt quite competent and confident with the process. I had no qualms about cleaning the S2 sensor myself based on previous experience. I had cleaned the S2 sensor before without incident. However this time I ran out of the Visible Dust brand swabs and purchased Sensor Swabs (that is only brand name I saw on the box) from a nearby dealer. Big mistake. I noticed right away the Sensor Swab design was different than the Visible Dust brand swabs and did have reservation about using them. But, I talked myself into using them after all and proceeded to scratch the sensor almost immediately. The Sensor Swab brand swab has a strip of material the width of the swab wrapped around the wide surface of the plastic spatula. There is no material on the thin side of the spatula and it concerned me that the corner could become exposed so I tired to be mindful of this. All I can figure that happened is when flipping the swab 180 degree to make another pass that I didn't lift the swab high enough and the corner of the spatula hit the sensor causing the scratch. Note, I used a blower and then a brush before using the swabs so there was no particles on the sensor - the scratch did not occur in the area of the spot I was trying to remove.

 

For what is is worth, the visible dust sensor swabs have material that completely encloses the plastic spatula so there is no way the corner could become exposed like the Sensor Swab. In addition, I had previously and subsequently used the Visible Dust swabs with no problem.

 

I struggled whether to repair the sensor scratch because it was not visible in most photos due to it's location and thickness. It was only noticeable in photos that used small apertures (e.g., ~ f11 or more) and there was a relatively solid color object (e. g., sky, wall) where the scratch was located. I had very few photos where the scratch could not be easily cloned out like any other sensor dust or spot. As a result, I lived with the scratch for a while before finally deciding to get it repaired.

 

In my opinion, cleaning the sensor yourself is the only realistic option. However, I cannot emphasize enough that you must choose your cleaning products carefully and exercise extreme care when touching the sensor.

 

Leica does not and will not endorse any products for sensor cleaning. I have had that conversation with Leica. I have described my experience and my opinion regarding the two different sensor cleaning products I used. It is reasonable to assume others have had no problem with the product I was using when I scratched the sensor so I don't want to sound like I am bashing a product because I am not. I take the blame for what happened and consider it user error. However, you can bet I won't be using that product again.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

I definitely wouldn't use chloroform. Not only can it dissolve the plastic, but most commercial chloroform contains antioxidants (to stop it making phosgene). Unless you have all glass systems it also nearly always contains plasticised from the cap which will leave a residue.

 

If you must do it yourself (and I have avoided it so far) I would use IPA or (if you can get it) pure ethanol (not industrial spirit, methylated spirit, whiskey etc.)

 

Ed

I did NOT advise the use of chloroform on a camera, it is fine for cleaning laser mirrors, lenses etc. and also is fine for microscope objectives & oculars if you know what you are doing (the Leitz microscope servicing technicians use chloroform, kleenex, cotton swabs & chamois leather).

 

I agree that IPA is the preferred solvent for wet sensor cleaning of a camera.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I do not like wet cleaning unless absolutely needed. Using the new flat loupe from visible dust and an Arctic butterfly with the heavy duty brush swiped in a C shape covering the whole sensor in one motion and repeat after spinning the brush. Six to eight times total. Cleaning more often before the sensor is really dirty will keep it clean and greatly reduce the need for wet cleaning.

 

IPA is great but I prefer visible dust Sensor Clean and swabs. I do not like the Phase One dual fluid system and never use it on my Phase backs. If not done properly it can leave a foggy residue that would be a nightmare to deal with on a recessed sensor.

 

I am all for cost saving but for me Visible Dust products work well and the cost is minimal when balanced against a costly repair.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I did NOT advise the use of chloroform on a camera, it is fine for cleaning laser mirrors, lenses etc. and also is fine for microscope objectives & oculars if you know what you are doing (the Leitz microscope servicing technicians use chloroform, kleenex, cotton swabs & chamois leather).

 

I agree that IPA is the preferred solvent for wet sensor cleaning of a camera.

 

Stephen

 

Sorry I wasn't implying you did. More just emphasising that CHCl3 was not the thing to use on the camera

 

Ed

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Mark-

What size Visible dust swabs would you recommend.. the 24 or the new 42mm ones? So sorry about the accident!

Albert :(:mad::(

 

The full frame 1.0x size (24mm) work just fine. However, it takes two passes to cover the entire sensor, but that is not a problem. I haven't tried the new 42mm size although it would probably still take two passes across the wide side because the S2 sensor is 45mm wide.

 

Thank you for the condolences re my sensor scratch. It was not a fun experience.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...