sm23221 Posted December 5, 2009 Share #21 Posted December 5, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) Leica itself uses this: SensorVu Cleaner [DL-AC01] : Dot Line Corp., Serving You Since 1963 Canon professional service uses the same (or very similar) for fast cleaning. You can see a Leica worker using it in Michael Reichmann's video on the manufacturing plant. I'll 2nd this one. I use this too and it's an easy way to clean the sensor. The first time you use it you will feel like you will pull the sensor out of the camera because the material sticks fairly tightly. I haven't ruined my M9 yet but can clean the sensor thoroughly in about 5 sec's flat. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted December 5, 2009 Posted December 5, 2009 Hi sm23221, Take a look here Dust problems with the M9. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Bo_Lorentzen Posted December 5, 2009 Share #22 Posted December 5, 2009 Just ordered a SensorVue to check it out. The DustAid which I have been using "successfully" so far is this one: DUST-AID : Sensor Cleaning Products for DSLR Cameras it have a pretty thick adhesive pad, it is the new version, hopefully it is improved from Wilson's experience. The little cleaning pads sells for $5 for a pack and is naturally where I will get in trouble, because I have a feeling that the low-tac layout tape from 3M will the same job just fine. . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaques Posted December 5, 2009 Share #23 Posted December 5, 2009 I was wondering if those sticky swabs were available commercially after seeing them in the LL M9 video. It definitely seems like a great way of doing it- not have to use a wet wipe. However in the video you could really here how much it was sticking to the sensor- the people watching were worried but you can hear the Leica saying its OK. I guess the sensors are quite strong. However given the critical positioning of the sensor with those tiny calibration shims... but I guess its all rock solid... if that's what they use at Solms it must be ok... 35USD for one swab... I wonder if they can be purchased in bulk for less? A pack of five would be nice. As a side issue: if a sensor was to be badly scratched or damaged: how much would it cost to have it replaced by Leica? any one have an idea? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bo_Lorentzen Posted December 5, 2009 Share #24 Posted December 5, 2009 jaques, That sound in the video was what got me to try these things, I had been religiously refusing to try a sticky gizmo, saying that type of stuff had no business on my sensors ever.. but hearing the RIPPP sound in the leica video... curled my toes and made me think.. gotta say it works very well. the ones I have tried don't make that toe-curling rip sound, so I think leica have some more aggressive stuff than what we can even buy. which is probably good as I don't think I could stomac it. . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gravastar Posted December 5, 2009 Share #25 Posted December 5, 2009 .......................35USD for one swab... I wonder if they can be purchased in bulk for less? A pack of five would be nice........ I have one of the SensorVu Cleaner [DL-AC01] gizmos and they are reusable, you don't need to buy more than one unless you need a backup. After use you clean the orange plastic block at the end of the wand by pressing it against one of the supplied adhesive strips. Then you're good to go again. What I don't know is if you can get replacement wand cleaning strips after you've used the 10 supplied or how much they cost. Bob. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_tribble Posted December 5, 2009 Share #26 Posted December 5, 2009 I've had zilch problems re dust with my M9. Pretty well the same experience as the M8 in fact. Occasionally there miight be a tiny spot, but it's not a big deal. I check the M9 sensor before I'm doing a job, with a Visible Dust loupe (a good tool IMHO) and if there's a need to clean I use a Visible Dust brush + canned air (on the brush to charge it NOT in the camera!!) or an Arctic Butterfly if I'm travelling. Compared to the Canon's it's a piece of cake (My youngish 5D2 has no dust problems on the sensor - the self clean thing works fine - but the mirror / viewfinder is always getting messy... Moral - DON'T PANIC! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
george_b Posted December 5, 2009 Share #27 Posted December 5, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) Where in the house do people clean the sensors? I have never had much success whether with artic Butterfly or wet ceaning with E2, swabs, etc., on an M8 or Canon full frame DSLRs. I have used the desk by my P/C where I can sit easily / desk lamp for good light and use jewelers eye glass for inspection, with the P/C turned off so no fan to push air & dust around + an old clean bed sheet to work on. It always seems that I would be better of in a 'clean room', I'm just wondering where I am going wrong, plus at one end of the sensor I tend to get a little streak where the swab starts. Any offers? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sm23221 Posted December 5, 2009 Share #28 Posted December 5, 2009 I wonder if they can be purchased in bulk for less? A pack of five would be nice. You run it under cold water to "reactivate" it. They could be used over and over again. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted December 5, 2009 Share #29 Posted December 5, 2009 Where in the house do people clean the sensors? I have never had much success whether with artic Butterfly or wet ceaning with E2, swabs, etc., on an M8 or Canon full frame DSLRs. I have used the desk by my P/C where I can sit easily / desk lamp for good light and use jewelers eye glass for inspection, with the P/C turned off so no fan to push air & dust around + an old clean bed sheet to work on. It always seems that I would be better of in a 'clean room', I'm just wondering where I am going wrong, plus at one end of the sensor I tend to get a little streak where the swab starts. Any offers? George, I have found that the Arctic Butterfly works much better when I am in France, where my area is very dry, than in the winter in Sussex. I am guessing that the higher humidity prevents the static charge building up when the brush is spinning. Some years ago at the Focus on Imaging show, I went for a lesson in wet cleaning. I found that previously I had been using too much fluid and that caused smears. For anything other than full frame cameras, one drop of E2 is enough. For full frame cameras, two drops and shake off any excess quite vigorously. I have found that the oil spots that my M8 got a lot of initially, took a lot of cleaning. I spoke to CameraClean, with whom I had the lesson, and they recommended wiggling the wand gently side to side on the first stroke but a straight movement on the return stroke. The combination of the above works quite well but I still find I quite often need two wands to get a 100% job. Also, as I mentioned previously, sensor corner sticks are a help with the M9. Wilson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted December 5, 2009 Share #30 Posted December 5, 2009 Where in the house do people clean the sensors? I have never had much success whether with artic Butterfly or wet ceaning with E2, swabs, etc., on an M8 or Canon full frame DSLRs. I have used the desk by my P/C where I can sit easily / desk lamp for good light and use jewelers eye glass for inspection, with the P/C turned off so no fan to push air & dust around + an old clean bed sheet to work on. It always seems that I would be better of in a 'clean room', I'm just wondering where I am going wrong, plus at one end of the sensor I tend to get a little streak where the swab starts. Any offers?Actually you have a room that is close to a clean room. There is usually very little dust in the air in the bathroom, as it gets washed out by the shower.. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blatent liar Posted December 6, 2009 Share #31 Posted December 6, 2009 My sensor has been plagued with spots. Sigh!... But on the bright side I shot 3500+ captures in Cambodia, and managed to keep dark subjects in the upper right area where the smegma seems to be reapparent. -Yes even with the 35 Lux practically glued to the body, it is very frustrating that my M9 has a propensity to gathering crud. Getting good with pocketing a blower, and swabs; everywhere I go. -Max Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest joewehry Posted December 6, 2009 Share #32 Posted December 6, 2009 The rocket blowers often have powder on the inside to help with manufacturing. Wash, rinse and dry thoroughly before use. The OP may have been blowing more stuff onto the sensor if he was using the blower right out of the pkg. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blatent liar Posted December 6, 2009 Share #33 Posted December 6, 2009 Good tip on the blower. True blowers are generally not clean; although my dirty sensor seems to be more Oil from the shutter, in warm climates, than dust from lens changes, and blowers. Leica should watch this closely, and perhaps ask their vendor for a tighter QC on shutter oil. after all it is a spendy tool. -Max Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alnitak Posted December 6, 2009 Share #34 Posted December 6, 2009 My sensor has been plagued with spots. Sigh!... But on the bright side I shot 3500+ captures in Cambodia, and managed to keep dark subjects in the upper right area where the smegma seems to be reapparent. -Yes even with the 35 Lux practically glued to the body, it is very frustrating that my M9 has a propensity to gathering crud. Getting good with pocketing a blower, and swabs; everywhere I go. -Max I seriously hope you don't have smegma on your sensor. If you do, you must *really* love your Leica. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alnitak Posted December 6, 2009 Share #35 Posted December 6, 2009 Interesting thread. For some reason my M9 seems to have a much stronger affinity for dust than my M8 did. I think I cleaned the M8 once, but I have now cleaned the M9 several times. I finally got the SensorVu product last week, but the first use left goo on the sensor that required a wet clean with Eclipse. I'm a bit shy now on a second use, but will give it one more shot. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
george_b Posted December 6, 2009 Share #36 Posted December 6, 2009 Also, as I mentioned previously, sensor corner sticks are a help with the M9. Thanks Wilson, where do you get sensor corner sticks? I dont seem to have come across them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted December 6, 2009 Share #37 Posted December 6, 2009 Thanks Wilson, where do you get sensor corner sticks? I dont seem to have come across them. Park Cameras in Burgess Hill (just off the bypass opposite the Porsche Garage). Wilson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sm23221 Posted December 6, 2009 Share #38 Posted December 6, 2009 Larger sensor ----> more dust? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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