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When I use the Sensor Cleaning > Dust Detection feature in my M10 Monochrom or M10-R, and see dust spots, I wonder if that image is reversed. The reason it matters is that when I then use the Open Shutter menu option to use a blower to clean the sensor, I want to direct the stream of air as directly as possible at the location where the spot is. So if I look at the image on the LCD from Dust Detection and see a spot in the upper right of the image, should I then direct the stream of air at the upper left of the sensor as I hold the camera facing me? (If that's correct, then the image is not reversed; the location of the spot is on the other side simply because I've rotated the camera body 180 degrees.)

I have noticed in the two more recent outings with my M240 that i have a lot of dust on my sensor. The attached image is from the most recent outing to see the airshow. The circles are the spot removal I had to do to fix all the dust. As you can see it is substantial. Note that I was stopped down to F22 on a 90mm lens to get the depth needed for the air crafts and people to be in focus. So the dust was more apparent in the image. I have cleaned the sensor with the blower multiple times. I have cleaned the sensor with swab and solution once between the outings. I switch lenses often enough for dust to get in, I expect it to happen. My problem is that after cleaning the sensor so thoroughly I should not have this much dust. It appears that using the blower provides minimal help and the swab basically nothing. Has anyone experienced such persistent dust? Could this be some sort of corrosion on the sensor? I am debating sending it in for a repair and service to fix the issue. Has anyone used this service before and has an idea of cost, procedure, and effectiveness in getting a clean sensor back?

Hi all, Hope everyone is getting on OK through the lockdown. I use the S-system for work (I'm just a basic freelance photographer), and thus far I've always passed off my bodies to Leica Service here in Ginza, Tokyo to clean the sensors. With the Leica reputation in connection to sensor cover glass, I have not taken any chances. Leica Ginza usually do the job for nothing (quick clean)---anything more involved that'd require a service charge can be written down on my expenses, so I do that and save myself the hassle. All good. {It's also better for me to put the liability more squarely on them, just in-case any sensor cover glass problems did arise: I do not want to eat the Leica after-service tax infamous in these parts---I'm only half joking.} However! Leica Ginza has been effectively shut down since 8th April and doesn't look like going back to normal service anytime soon. My sensors really need a clean, so I'll have to take matters into my own hands. Not scared about it, but I want to get this right in the least number of iterations. Please lend me your expertise m(. .)m I have just tried the Pentax O-ICK1 on my backup S2-P body today. The O-ICK1 (great name) is a kind of dry-clean implement, for anyone unfamiliar. Didn't go well. I had more dust on the sensor after cleaning than before! (I held myself back from doubling down and trying again) So it looks as though that was ¥3,000 down the tubes. No great shakes, but I'm looking for a different and better way now... I'm in Japan so many of the products available to guys in the West, that turn up on Google searches of this topic, don't seem to be available for me here. I checked older threads and saw a Visible Dust swab made for 30mm sensors (dunno if specifically for the 30x45 Leica Pro Format, but anyway...) which I can't get my hands on in Japan. So I'm looking for workarounds. I've never wet cleaned a sensor myself before, so please forgive my ignorance and beginner questions: 1) Can I just use a full-frame swab? Does the edge of a swab leave a line? Assuming yes, otherwise there would be no market for different sensor size swabs.. or is it all FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt) from the sensor cleaning-industrial complex? 2) Can I just wrap a lens cleaning paper on a bit of stiff card or plastic, some isopropyl alcohol on the thin edge, and DIY myself a swab? The one remaining dry-clean solution (that I know of) I haven't tried is a sensor brush, like one of those Arctic Butterfly brushes---how do we feel about those? That specific product is not readily available here, although there seem to be copycat brush products (which surely perform just as well). What is the main thing I am looking for in a sensor brush? (materials, size, etc) I can't say whether the majority of the spots on my sensors are dust or oil, etc., but blowing is not doing the trick so I definitely need to do something more proactive to deal with whatever it is. My two camera bodies are the S typ006 and S2-P, both have had new sensors in them to replace defective gen1 versions, so the cover glass on there is whatever spec the replacement CCDs come with. Any advice and experience welcome. Cheers. Tom

So most of the photos from my last batch came up looking really weird. Here's a picture agains the sky where you can see what I mean: I don't think it is the lens, since I don't see the same problem with my m8.2. I live in Mexico City, so taking it to a Leica store to the US would be really expensive. I also don't really trust general camera stores here, the reviews I've looked at seem pretty bad. Has anyone had this problem as well? Should I try cleaning the sensor myself? Suggestions? Help!

There is a small amount of dust on my CL sensor and what looks like it might be a couple of dots of the notorious Wetzlar Goblin Snot, that afflicts new M cameras. Before I go away on a long trip next week, I thought I should at least start with a pristine sensor. I have plenty APS-C swabs left over from my M8 and Olympus EP-5. For solvent, I have a choice of Eclipse, lab grade 100% Absolute Ethyl Alcohol, IPA or Visible Dust Smear Away. I found Eclipse or Ethyl Alcohol best on M sensors but not good on the SL, which "preferred" Smear Away. I am going to guess that the CL sensor's coating will be more akin to the SL than the M and therefore, I propose to use Smear Away. I also have an Eye-Lead sticky lollipop but never had great success with that, as it seemed to leave lines on the sensor, which had then to be removed with a swab and solvent. It mIght however, be good for clearing scratchy dust before using a swab. Anyone else cleaned a CL sensor yet and if so, what solvent/method did you use?

How often do folks typically need to wet clean their SL sensors? Lately my SL is picking up quite a bit of dust, and I seem to need to clean about once every 8 weeks or so, and I am not in a particularly dusty environment when I change lenses.

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

I live in the Atlanta metro area and need to have the sensor on my M9-P cleaned. I called Leica in NJ and there is a 2-3 week turnaround on having git cleaned there. Since I need it cleaned for a major assignment I leave on in two weeks, sending it to Leica isn't an option and PPR in Atlanta won't touch it. Does anyone know of a quality sensor cleaner in the Atlanta metro area or in the Southeastern US? Thanks

Hi everyone, I was cleaning my camera's sensor when I found a thing stuck on the sensor that looked like a scratch. I have tried to remove it but I could not. This morning I took three sample pictures of the sky: f/16, f/11, and f/8. This thing showed up only in the f/16 pic. Would a scratch show up at any aperture setting?! Also, Does anyone have experience with sensor replacement? How much would it cost (USA) ? Thanks !

Pardon a possibly stupid question, but which Sensor Swab Width have my fellow M8 Users had the most success with? I have a few swabs left from my EOS 1.6x crop sensor cleaning kit and I have to order some new supplies, but am confused whether to get the wider ones listed at the manufacturer's site for 1.3x sensors or stick with the 1.5/1.6x crop swabs. Sincerely Richard Ward

Hi I was wondering if someone used the PENTAX O-ICK1 cleaning kit on M9 and with what result. Any advice on how to use it properly? Thanks

Hallo, habe einen Fleck auf dem Sensor meiner M8 gefunden, gibt es einen Tip wie ich den entfernen kann? Danke schon mal Gruß Jochen

As M9 owners, it seems many of us have had to deal with sensor cleaning issues like never before in our photographic lives. I thought I had things pretty well solved with the occasional use of Dust Aid Platinum adhesive swabs to lift off the occasional dust specks introduced (probably) from frequent lens changes. I did this a week ago and to my surprise, the device left some debris on the sensor that wouldn't come off with repeated touches with a fresh Platinum swab. So where to turn...here of course. So I read the threads on sensor cleaning, ordered the Eclipse 2 swabs that come pre-moistened (because I read how often the mistake one makes is to put too much fluid on the swab), and went at it, following the directions to the T. One swipe across, don't lift off, swab back across the other way, and dispose of the swab. The result is that my sensor is covered with what look to be fluid marks..almost like the water spots we once saw on our film after it was dry if we didn't use a wetting agent as a final rinse. So my question is, now what to do? I have four more E2 swabs, each sealed in their individual packets. Any ideas on this? It would be great to get M9 sensor cleaning down to a sure thing. This floundering around is very frustrating, especially when I have shoots scheduled for next week. Thanks for your advice! Geoffrey Milford, PA