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Sensor Dirt


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I have loved my T from day one when I first bought it two years ago other than for the one seemingly insurmountable problem of its sensor gathering a seemingly near bucket full of dirt every single time I risk changing lenses.

 

Leica UK advised using the sticky pad type of sensor cleaners as they said the dirt sticks to these instead and then just lifts off though I still often find I also need to use a liquid cleaner and do numerous cleans before I am completely satisfied, but as soon as I change lenses again it's back to square one with the sensor instantly dirty again.

 

And yes before anyone thinks otherwise I am of course most careful to switch my camera off, and also to point the body downwards before detaching whichever lens exactly as I also do with such as my M9 which never seems to suffer such problems. Indeed it is as though the 'T' sensor alone in my experience acts like a dust magnet.

 

Entirely because of this problem I have already sold my standard 'T' zoom and no longer use any of my 'M' lenses on it on the basis of if I only have the wide 11-23 and Tele 55-135 zoom to worry about I will not be changing lenses or suffering the dust problems quite as often, however working in this very limited way then greatly spoils what should be the great joy of using this otherwise wonderful camera.

 

Anyway having just come back from a weeks heavy shooting using the 'T' alongside my X-Vario and beloved M9 sadly has decided me to just delete most of what I took on the 'T' rather than waste hour upon hour cloning out the dust spots on what otherwise are superb quality images and that in turn puts a doubt in my mind about if it is even worth continuing with my 'T', however before facing that awful decision I do wonder if anyone else out there might have found a better answer to the problem than I have??

 

Don Morley

 

 

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It is perfectly simple to batch-process your files for dust cloning, or to make a  dust-cloning action in Photoshop. It is hardly more work than cleaning up a couple of images.

So my advice is to polish your post-processing skills. ;)

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Don,

 

As one who scratched his M9 sensor, I sympathise.

 

Fortunately,I have only had to have my T sensor cleaned once.

 

Like you, I have many T lenses, but usually venture out with just the T and the lens of the day. If I take two lenses, one is the light 23.

 

I have determined never to change lenses outdoors, and only inside if I sense the environment is cleanish.

 

I realize that what I have written may not be much help.

 

By the way, I cannot find the terms "sensor" or "clean sensor" in the T manual's table of contents and index... Don't you just love those bloody Leica manuals?

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From the Leica M FAQ on this forum:

 

Question: There are spots on my images, especially at small apertures.


This is sensor dirt. All digital cameras with interchangable lenses have this problem, but an M9 is particularly prone, because there is no mirror as extra barrier and the lack of an AA filter makes the dirt more visible.

One should prevent dust from entering the camera as much as possible. There are a number of strategies.
1. Avoid changing lenses more than necessary.
2. Change lenses in as much of a dust-free environment as possible
3. Keep the rear end of the lens as clean as possible
4. Change the lens with the camera mouth facing downwards
5. (This may be a myth) Switch off the camera before changing lenses.

But dust will come on the sensor anyway.
Consult the manual to find the sensor cleaning item in the menu and use a FULLY charged battery. Before opening the shutter blow out the camera (using a bulb blower, not compressed air or your mouth!) to dislodge any loose dust.

If the dust on the sensor is loose one can blow off the sensor using a good bulb blower, (Rocket Blower by Giotto for instance) with the camera mouth facing downwards.

If that does not clear the problem there are sensor brushes like the Arctic Butterfly by Visible Dust that are quite effective or the little vacuum cleaner by Green Clean. At this stage the use of a Sensor Loupe can be very helpful.

If spots on the sensor persist you are dealing with stuck dirt like pollen or oil spots and need to revert to wet cleaning. There are numerous threads on the subject. The Visible Dust products are highly recommended or the Green Clean wet-and-dry method.
Use a proper solvent for grease if you think you are dealing with oil etc. (Visible Dust Smear Away or Dust-Aid Sensor Clean (my preference)

Open the shutter for cleaning and blow it once again with a bulb blower or vacuum clean it, to remove any loose particles which might be dragged across the sensor and cause scratches.

Although the M9 is full frame and there are size 1 sensor swabs on the market, I prefer using the swabs for 1.3 sensors (and APS-C swabs for the M8)
Take a clean swab, put on three small drops of Sensor Cleaning Fluid and in two sweeps, top and bottow go to one side - do not over-press!!- and sweep back again, using the other side of the swab automatically.
Or, using the wet-and-dry system, swab with the wet sponge and dry with a couple of sweeps with the dry swab. Don't let the fluid spill over the edge of the sensor too much - there are electronic connections there.

That is all - close the shutter and test the camera by taking an unfocussed image of an evenly lit surface at the smallest aperture.

In the unlikely case it is needed, repeat.

There are other cleaning systems, like stamping the dust away, but my personal experience with those was not very good. Others, including Leica Customer Service seem to be quite happy using them, so it is clearly a matter of preference. Nevertheless with such systems wet cleaning will become unavoidable at a certain point.
There are also sensor cleaning services or Leica Customer Service, but those are expensive and will keep the camera for a while. They may also not be readily available if one is travelling. Sensor cleaning is something any owner should be able to do himself.

If you are fairly certain your spots are oil or grease, it may be wise to omit the step with the Arctic Butterfly, as it may become contaminated by the grease. In case that happens it can be cleaned with the special fluid provided.

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It is perfectly simple to batch-process your files for dust cloning, or to make a  dust-cloning action in Photoshop. It is hardly more work than cleaning up a couple of images.

So my advice is to polish your post-processing skills. ;)

Sorry but that is not the answer to dust that quite often moves round. Don

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Hope next T2 (if there will be one) will have a self cleaning sensor...

no sense in my opinion to have an interchangeable lens body if you cannot change lenses when needed...

robert

PS this is one of the reasons for which at the end I decided not to buy the T...ok, it's just me :-)

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From the Leica M FAQ on this forum:

 

 

Having been a Pro photographer for over 50 years and having cleaned many many sensors yet never ever had a problem with such as my Canon's it is not that I need a lesson on how too clean the 'T' sensor, rather I hoped someone might have a better idea than the above to help stop the 'T' sensor getting so dirty in the first place. But thanks anyway for the reply. don

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Hope next T2 (if there will be one) will have a self cleaning sensor...

no sense in my opinion to have an interchangeable lens body if you cannot change lenses when needed...

robert

PS this is one of the reasons for which at the end I decided not to buy the T...ok, it's just me :-)

My feelings entirely. Thanks, Don

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My question to the OP, do you find you get more dust on the T versus your M? I find I get about as much equally. Only problem is sky. I would recommend carrying a blower and doing a check regularly. Sometime specs of dust are still in there after sensor cleaning and will migrate to the sensor. No magical solutions, sorry.

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No magical solutions, sorry.

Well, apart from including sensor cleaning in the cameras design of course!

 

I have a Canon M which is very similar to the T but has sensor cleaning. In 3 years of use and regular lens changes I've yet to see any specks of dust on the images.

 

The T2 really should include sensor cleaning.

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Well, apart from including sensor cleaning in the cameras design of course!

I have a Canon M which is very similar to the T but has sensor cleaning. In 3 years of use and regular lens changes I've yet to see any specks of dust on the images.

The T2 really should include sensor cleaning.

Well, goody gum drops. The T2 or Canon isn't going to solve the problem on a T version 1. I haven't checked, but does the SL have sensor cleaning? Sure isn't on the M.

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Well, goody gum drops. The T2 or Canon isn't going to solve the problem on a T version 1. I haven't checked, but does the SL have sensor cleaning? Sure isn't on the M.

As I said in the first place I do not have this problem with my M9 though the M240 does attract more dust especially when used in live view, but neither attract anything like as much as my 'T' which is why I asked the question in the first place. I.E. Why? And what makes the 'T' so much worse? Its a dust magnet. Don

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Probably the short register distance combined with large diameter mount leaves the interior more open. Does the camera have its shutter closed when changing lenses? If not, that might make a difference as well.

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I'm not having any issues with my T so far, i take many photos (30,000+ frames per year since i got the T) and change lenses quite a lot. 

 

How i change lenses:

  1. Place new lens on surface, standing on the hood, rocket blower next to it
  2. unscrew rear cap, leave it on loose
  3. remove old lens from T body with sensor facing downwards, place rear cap on it
  4. use rocket blower on both the new lens and T sensor
  5. attach new lens

Voilà, not a single issue by now. Did you wet-clean your sensor already? some cleaners tend to attract dust and make it stick more to the sensor.

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I'm not having any issues with my T so far, i take many photos (30,000+ frames per year since i got the T) and change lenses quite a lot. 

 

How i change lenses:

  1. Place new lens on surface, standing on the hood, rocket blower next to it
  2. unscrew rear cap, leave it on loose
  3. remove old lens from T body with sensor facing downwards, place rear cap on it
  4. use rocket blower on both the new lens and T sensor
  5. attach new lens

Voilà, not a single issue by now. Did you wet-clean your sensor already? some cleaners tend to attract dust and make it stick more to the sensor.

 

A simple and logical way!... Also my way! :)

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I'm not having any issues with my T so far, i take many photos (30,000+ frames per year since i got the T) and change lenses quite a lot. 

 

How i change lenses:

 

  • Place new lens on surface, standing on the hood, rocket blower next to it
  • unscrew rear cap, leave it on loose
  • remove old lens from T body with sensor facing downwards, place rear cap on it
  • use rocket blower on both the new lens and T sensor
  • attach new lens
Voilà, not a single issue by now. Did you wet-clean your sensor already? some cleaners tend to attract dust and make it stick more to the sensor.

 

Yes .. Agreed .. This is my method also. No problems with my new T yet.

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Yes .. Agreed .. This is my method also. No problems with my new T yet.

Yes all very logical but by the time I had done all of that I would have long since missed whatever picture I was changing the lens for in the first place so this method is just not a answer to me, and maybe there isn't one other than buying a second body and then never changing lenses and indeed as a quick shooter this is what I may well finish up doing, but then I would also want another EVF and so it gets ever more expensive - Ugh.  Why o why didn't Leica incorporate the sort of self sensor cleaning device in the first place, not least as every other manufacture seems to have been able to do on cameras costing a fraction of what the 'T' does?? Don  

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Because sensor cleaning systems need a vibrating screen in front of the sensor, which would mess up the corner rendering of many M lenses.

They take up space as well, adding a few mm ot the body, which appears to be not to the taste of Leica buyers.

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I have lots of problems with sensor dust too. My other recent (past 5 years) ILCs have all had self-cleaning sensors so I've just not had to deal with it nearly as much as I have with this camera.

 

I don't even change lenses all that often — but I do use the T-Snap during certain types of trip, which means I have to remove the lens every time I want to get the SD card out. I have a rocket blower now which has helped a lot. Just wish it weren't as much work as it is.

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