Sensor - wet cleaning

[mirekti]

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Do you guys know whether wet cleaning damages the sensor's coating?

I believe I'll have to do one as there are some spots which look as if someone sneezed on the sensor.

Sooner or later I'll have to do it again, so I wondered how resistant sensor surface is?

 

In case something goes wrong, can Leica replace the top of the sensor only or it has to be replaced as a whole?

What do you think Leica charges for sensor replacement?

[jaapv]

There are a zillion threads on wet cleaning. Look in the FAQ thread for detailed instructions.

No,if you use a dedicated fluid in the correct way, it cannot damage the sensor coating. If you soak the sensor you will have trouble, or if you do not blow loose dust away you may drag a grain of sand over the sensor.

A damaged cover glass means a new sensor. Filter arrray, sensor and motherboard are always replaced as a unit. Rate a replacement as expensive.

[woorob]

The sensor in my M9-P got quite filthy during a photo shoot in Donegal and I was not able to clean it using any dry method. I was quite apprehensive about cleaning the sensor using a "wet" method but, as Jaap notes, there are many worthwhile insights available on this forum and with a bit of care and some patience, I was able to clean the sensor to my satisfaction.

 

In addition to the many useful tips already covered elsewhere in this forum, I found two other items that you might find helpful: First, this link, which uses a Photoshop methodology to identify dust spots on your sensor – How to check if your DSLR Sensor is Dusty | PhotoSpotz - The Worlds Favourite Photo Locations. I found this to be by far the most accurate way of identifying spots on the sensor (and using this method,there are sometimes way more dust spots than you might think based on a visual inspection of the sensor, even with a loupe). Second, the "SwabLight" from Visible Dust. This is a small flashlight-like item that holds one of their cleaning swabs. It allows you to see the surface the sensor while you are using the cleaning swab, which I found extremely helpful. There are also some tutorials on wet cleaning at the Visible Dust website.

 

Hope this helps!

[flyalf]

@jaapv: Although the FAQ is an excellent source of information I don't believe cleaning is covered here? I wish we could have a sticky thread for this.

 

I have cleaned my M9 and now M severals times with Dust Aid - Dust Wand Kit, and as far as I see not damaged anything. I cannot tell if this celaning kit is better or worse than others. Here are my recommendations.

 

- Keep wet cleaning to a minimum just in case.

 

- Always use blower first to remove dust and loose particles. Blow both camera and inside of lens with these up-side down.

 

- Do cleaning is a dust free environment with as good light as possible.

 

- Reduce mini particles from yourself by doing the cleaning after an shower, wear a shower cap and avoid hovering over exposed sensor.

 

Best of luck with cleaning .

[mirekti]

I did the cleaning today and it was not succesfull.

 

Step 1:

A blower was used with the shutter curtain closed and camera facing down to remove chamber dust.

 

Step 2.

I opened the shutter and used the blower again to remove the free dust, and had the camera facing down.

 

Step 3.

Arctict Butterfly brush was used to remove possible extra dust.

I had to clean the brush several times as it became contaminated, and this was really time consuming. Each time the brush touched the chamber or the edge of the sensor I tought I migh be contaminated so I didn't want to take the risk, and cleaned it befor I used it again.

 

Step 4.

I did the wet cleaning using Smear Away and green swabs.

 

This is where the failure came. I realized there is some oil or whathever left on the sensor, and I tried again with the Smear Away and swabs. What I realized later by googling it, was the Smear Away left a film of something on the sensor. Befor I did the google thing, I tried two more times with the Smear Away and it made sensor look even worse.

 

I found out that one has to use Sensor Clean as this liquid will clean the residue that Smear Away had left on the sensor.

 

I orderd a new liquid, Sensor Clean, and I also ordered Eclipse and Pac-Pads.

 

Not sure whether to do the next cleaning i.e. Smear Away residue cleaning with a Sensor Clean or Eclipse.

For sure, I won't be using Visible Dust in future. The swabs are extremely expensive and my experience was really bad.

 

...now I have to wait for two days for the liquids to arrive.

[mirekti]

First, this link, which uses a Photoshop methodology to identify dust spots on your sensor – How to check if your DSLR Sensor is Dusty | PhotoSpotz - The Worlds Favourite Photo Locations.

 

I don't understand one part here:

 

"Lens – Manual Focus set to closest focus setting (if shooting the blue sky, then infinity)"

 

Shouldn't this be the opposite? In case shooting the blue sky focus to closest, and if shooting the monitor focus to infinity?

The leica manual reads one should defocus for the photo, so the opposite of the statement in linked "How to" should be done, right?

[jaapv]

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@jaapv: Although the FAQ is an excellent source of information I don't believe cleaning is covered here?

 

 

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m9-forum/130720-leica-m8-m8-2-m9-m9p.html#post1382788

 

(although I see I have to update the article one of these days)

[woorob]

Shouldn't this be the opposite? In case shooting the blue sky focus to closest, and if shooting the monitor focus to infinity?

The leica manual reads one should defocus for the photo, so the opposite of the statement in linked "How to" should be done, right?

 

I think you're right but honestly I can't remember how I focused (or defocused) the lens while shooting my monitor. I used my 75mm Summicron at a distance of about 12 inches, so I'm thinking it really wouldn't make much of a difference how the focus was set, as it would be so far out of focus in any event. That said, I agree with your point about a likely error.

 

What surprised me so much using this technique was how many dust spots became visible after applying auto levels. Rather distressing, actually. :-)

 

Hope this helps!

 

 

PS -- thank you for the comments about Smear Away, seems one has to careful how to use that!

[mirekti]

Just a short update. I received Eclipse and a pac of Pec-Pads. I reused those used green swabs in a way that I removed the tissue and wrapped it with one of the Pec-Pad wipes.

First I used the blower with the shutter closed, and than with the open shutter. I believe these first two steps are really important, and shouldn't be ignored.

Than I put two-three drops on the "home" made swabs and voila, the greese/Smear Away residue is gone.

 

I had to repeat the process three times to get it fully done, but at the end the sensor is shining again. Me happy

 

I like the Arctict butterfly from Visible Dust, but the Smear Away goes into the garbage.

[albireo_double]

I did the cleaning today and it was not succesfull.

 

Step 1:

A blower was used with the shutter curtain closed and camera facing down to remove chamber dust.

 

Step 2.

I opened the shutter and used the blower again to remove the free dust, and had the camera facing down.

 

Step 3.

Arctict Butterfly brush was used to remove possible extra dust.

I had to clean the brush several times as it became contaminated, and this was really time consuming. Each time the brush touched the chamber or the edge of the sensor I tought I migh be contaminated so I didn't want to take the risk, and cleaned it befor I used it again.

 

Step 4.

I did the wet cleaning using Smear Away and green swabs.

 

This is where the failure came. I realized there is some oil or whathever left on the sensor, and I tried again with the Smear Away and swabs. What I realized later by googling it, was the Smear Away left a film of something on the sensor. Befor I did the google thing, I tried two more times with the Smear Away and it made sensor look even worse.

 

I found out that one has to use Sensor Clean as this liquid will clean the residue that Smear Away had left on the sensor.

 

I orderd a new liquid, Sensor Clean, and I also ordered Eclipse and Pac-Pads.

 

Not sure whether to do the next cleaning i.e. Smear Away residue cleaning with a Sensor Clean or Eclipse.

For sure, I won't be using Visible Dust in future. The swabs are extremely expensive and my experience was really bad.

 

...now I have to wait for two days for the liquids to arrive.

 

My advice is that you use Eclipse and the Sensor clean/PecPad spatulas that you ordered. I've been using these for years on many sensors, with the best effect. I once tried Green Clean and it also left a residue, so I am very apprehensive now and only use Eclipse.