MarcRochkind Posted February 26, 2007 Share #1 Â Posted February 26, 2007 Advertisement (gone after registration) My M8 arrived with a very dusty sensor, which I didn't notice until a week or so ago when I aimed the camera straight up to photograph a windmill at f16. (I had been shooting mostly wide open until that weekend.) Then I went back to my very first image, and noticed exactly the same dust. Not only numerous round spots, but a few hooks, ovals, and squigglies. When my M8 arrived, I removed the body cap and immediately installed a brand-new Summicron, so I'm almost sure the dust didn't originate with me. But that hardly matters at this point. Â Anyway, with a combination of a Visible Dust brush with spinning unit, Eclipse, and Pec-Pads, I spent about an hour on it and have cleaned it up to only 3 small, round spots which at least aren't in the sky area (unless I point the camera at the sky, of course). Â Now my question: Should I stop here, or work some more tomorrow to get the dust down to zero? Is there any point in getting an M8 down to zero, since the sensor is so close to the front of the camera anyway, and seems to pick up dust readily? Â --Marc Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woody Campbell Posted February 26, 2007 Share #2 Â Posted February 26, 2007 Stop there. Three spots is great. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
barjohn Posted February 26, 2007 Share #3  Posted February 26, 2007 I too would like to know since I am down to about 4 or 5 spots that just won't dissapear no matter how I try. I have the Arctic Butterfly the green sensor clean swabs and the sensor clean fluid. They were there from the start but I too didn't notice until I looked at shots with the sky in the background and saw them appear. See the attached crop for an example. This was image 121 a few days after I received the camera. I only had one lens. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/17235-m8-dust-try-for-zero-or-accept-pretty-good/?do=findComment&comment=182924'>More sharing options...
farnz Posted February 26, 2007 Share #4 Â Posted February 26, 2007 ... I am down to about 4 or 5 spots that just won't dissapear no matter how I try. Are you certain that they're on the sensor rather than somewhere else, say, your rear lens surface perhaps? Â Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
barjohn Posted February 26, 2007 Share #5  Posted February 26, 2007 Yes, I thought of that too and I have since obatined another lens and I still have spots though not that bad as I have also done several cleanings.  Below are three 100% crops taken from an image just shot outside with a newer 50MM Cron at f16. The first is from the left corner, then about a third over from the left side and middle and then about two thirds over in the middle. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/17235-m8-dust-try-for-zero-or-accept-pretty-good/?do=findComment&comment=182932'>More sharing options...
Venkman Posted February 26, 2007 Share #6 Â Posted February 26, 2007 I had plenty of spots on mine before it went to Solms for the upgrade. When it returned, I immediately tested it for spots (since the proforma invoice mentioned cleaning) - there were still plenty of very dark spots. Â 2 Minutes with a hurricane blower later, I was spot free, so they did a great job in cleaning the sensor and the dust that settled was from the transport. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
j. borger Posted February 26, 2007 Share #7 Â Posted February 26, 2007 Advertisement (gone after registration) My M8 was cleaned at Solms during the upgrade .... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted February 26, 2007 Share #8 Â Posted February 26, 2007 I try and keep it clean, but then, when the photo is displayed in PSE (which I prefer over the full version; the M8 requires little post-processing in my experience) which it must be for maybe a crop, it is not much of hassle to hit a few spots with the healing brush. When I think back to the wet darkroom: Tramlines, impossible dust, scalpels, retouching paint- this is heaven Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shootist Posted February 26, 2007 Share #9 Â Posted February 26, 2007 I certainly wouldn't leave those spots, no matter what tools are available in PS to try and correct them. That's just more work. I've been using the Copperhill swap with PEC-Pads and Eclipse fluid with great success. There were spots on my sensor when I got it but not now. Cleaned it twice since I received it on 1/24. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker Posted February 26, 2007 Share #10 Â Posted February 26, 2007 I recognize your reasoning;I worked several early nights on mine M8. I thought it would never be clean and almost gave up. Still, one beautiful day it finally gave me a spotless image. I think there are two issues here: 1. the cleaning process itself may leave some new spots and it takes some skill to avoid that, 2. some spots are due to some kind of stuff that needs some time to soften up, probably half dried grease. Â In any case, I would never accept a dirty sensor - but there may be personal differences here (also). Â Willy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Sievers Posted February 26, 2007 Share #11 Â Posted February 26, 2007 The Polaroid dust and scratch removal plugin for CS2 will kill the 3 spots ;-) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
photolandscape Posted February 26, 2007 Share #12 Â Posted February 26, 2007 The Polaroid dust and scratch removal plugin for CS2 will kill the 3 spots ;-) Â Bill, that sounds very intriguing. Could you tell us where/how to locate it? Reminds me of the Silverfast software for scanners that spots dirt on the surface of the film and automatically removes it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_tribble Posted February 26, 2007 Share #13 Â Posted February 26, 2007 I have to say that compared with the Canon DSLRs I've been working with dust's hardly figured as an issue. I use Visible Dust brushes and that's it - so far no need for swabs... I think that as a user group we're REALLY lucky with the M8 from a dust perspective... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael M. Posted February 26, 2007 Share #14 Â Posted February 26, 2007 I'm facing dust problem too. I'm not happy with Think this will end up as a serious item to Leica. There are some solutions availabel (ultrasonic ...) Will see if Leica will follow up at M8a I tested with several different "manual cleaning options" but have still remaining spots. They will be visible best when f-stop is closed down max (f 22) and take shot to bright sky. Then I take the "enlarging" feature of the cameras playback mode (second last enlarging position) go with cursor to right side and step through top > down > left > bottom > up > left > top > down ... (or vice versa ... ) Â Will check if "washing" sensor with eclipse fluid will help to take away all spots ... Is there any experience with discharging static loadings by anybody that might show a way out? Â Michael Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
photolandscape Posted February 27, 2007 Share #15 Â Posted February 27, 2007 Are you certain that they're on the sensor rather than somewhere else, say, your rear lens surface perhaps? Â Pete. Â First, thanks for the suggestion. It is something I will check out on my equipment tonight. Â If dirt/dust on the rear element is what I may be seeing in my images, does that mean that I would be most likely to see dust on the rear element (as opposed to the sensor itself) on 15mm Voigtlander Heliar, or a new 28mm Elmarit than I would on my 90mm Elmarit, whose rear element is a good distance from the sensor? Â An inquiring mind would like to know. Thanks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_tribble Posted February 27, 2007 Share #16 Â Posted February 27, 2007 Â Will check if "washing" sensor with eclipse fluid will help to take away all spots ... Is there any experience with discharging static loadings by anybody that might show a way out? Â Michael - sorry you've got problems. Have you not tried the Visible Dust brush system - I've been using this with DSLR's for some time (and in my experience the Canon's are MUCH more of a problem than the M8) and it's kept my sensor pristine. Â Hope you get there. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael M. Posted February 27, 2007 Share #17  Posted February 27, 2007 Michael - sorry you've got problems. Have you not tried the Visible Dust brush system - I've been using this with DSLR's for some time (and in my experience the Canon's are MUCH more of a problem than the M8) and it's kept my sensor pristine. Hope you get there.  Hi Chris Thanks for your advise. Will follow up. But need still your help: Do you have any www link für this system to see, learn and order? Up to now I didn't know exactly what you mean by "Visible Dust brush system" Thanks for your help in this.  ... It helps a little to learn that some Canon's are facing much stronger the problem ...  Michael Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted February 27, 2007 Share #18 Â Posted February 27, 2007 The ad is at the top right hand side of this forum..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stunsworth Posted February 27, 2007 Share #19 Â Posted February 27, 2007 Dust is a problem with all digital cameras that have removable lenses. It's not a serious problem, it just 'happens'. All 3 Canon dSLRs that I've owned have had the same issue. In my case a hurricane blower has solved the problem every time. Â I doubt very much that the spots are caused by dust on the rear element of a lens. I would have thought that would be too far from the plane of focus to show up as a distinct spot. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
barjohn Posted February 27, 2007 Share #20 Â Posted February 27, 2007 I was using cleaning fluid with swabs and was down to a few dust specs, then I thought I'll take the bulb blower and blow off the last few. BIG MISTAKE! After that I had a lot of spots and they are very hard to remove. Maybe it is the climate here in Southern California but I am finding it very difficult to wind up with a clean sensor. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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