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Thank you Leica, no thank you Dust-Aid


jaapv

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I just got my M9 back from Solms (two weeks turnaround door to door, including wait for a spare part) The cleaning damage by Dust-Aid meant a new sensor... Thanks to Passport Warranty it did not cost me anything, but I will not be using the system any more.

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I used the stamping tool according to the instructions. It did work reasonably well. However, there are "Sellotape" strips to remove the particles from the cleaning stamp. The adhesive adhered to the cleaning pad and thus got transferred to the sensor. The sensor got scratched by the subsequent extensive wet cleaning to get the gunk off again -that stuff really clung to the sensor! :(-, probably because the adhesive contained one or two hard particles that had just been lifted off the sensor, but got stuck on again by the rests of the cleaning adhesive. Furthermore I got the impression - but have no proof- that one corner of the IR filter had some movement to the sensor itself by the pull of the pad.

 

I have switched now to the vacuum cleaner by Green Clean and their wet and dry pads and I have the impression that system works as advertised.

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I just got my M9 back from Solms (two weeks turnaround door to door, including wait for a spare part) The cleaning damage by Dust-Aid meant a new sensor ...

Oops!? Two months ago you posted a story about having contaminated your sensor accidentally with the Dust-Aid cleaning adhesive—but you also said you were able to fix the damage, with a lot of effort and the help of a microscope (among other things).

 

What has happened since then? Is this the aftermath of the same incident?

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Yes - it is the aftermath of the same incident - I used the camera, as the small scratches I saw on the sensor (ok-IR filter) did not show up in the images, but I did feel uncomfortable, so when I saw an excuse in a RF adjustment I sent the camera to Solms with the request they look at the sensor as well- which was duly replaced. Interestingly the motherboard was replaced as well - I wonder why. maybe that is just the easiest way of going about it.

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That is why you have to use a dry pad as supplied to mop up the puddles. It is the thought behind the system to do it that way.

 

I did use the dry pad. Some liquid was left behind. May have been my fault.

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Jaap- I'm really sorry to hear about your experience, great that you've got your camera back now. I've tried several methods and products, and the one I keep coming back to is the Visible Dust product: VisibleDust -- DSLR Sensor Cleaning

 

It's the only one that gets rid of dust, oil stains and leaves no slime or residue on the sensor.

 

I guess one must accept that you will never get rid of every speck of dust on the sensor, just as in our film days one invariably ended up with scratches on negatives. We also had no cloning tool in those days.

 

I've just completed a 5 week safari across Africa in some fairly harsh & dusty conditions, 95% of the time the MATE & the WATE stayed on each M9 precisely to avoid changing lenses in these conditions. Both M9s and their respective sensors came through unscathed thankfully!

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I did use the dry pad. Some liquid was left behind. May have been my fault.

 

Maybe less pressure with the wet swab next time? I like these wet/dry cleaners – though I didn't find the aerosol vacuum gadget effective. Fortunately, you can buy the swabs on their own.

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Anyone have success with the rocket air blower?

 

The rocket blower for me is the way to go 99% of the time. The only time it won't help is when you have an liquid-based/oil-based spot on the sensor that air won't remove. Machine oil from a lens or shutter mechanism can only be removed with a wet solution, but the key is not oversaturating the pad. If you do, excess fluid can find its way to the very tiny sensor contacts, and you could face a major problem if that were to happen.

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Baah, nasty situation there Jaap.

It seems that we must be a bit more carefull with those cleaning solutions.

What in your opinion went wrong? Did you contacted Dust aid? Maybe the product is sensitive to humidity and/or temperature?

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