M9 sensor cleaning

[standard67]

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I've often wondered about the M9 sensor with dust and cleaning

I too have my D3's cleaned about every 6 months by NPS is DC

and have also learned that you can do quite a lot of damage to your camera - if sensor cleaning is not done properly/pilot error

Dick at Pro Photo in DC told me to keep my camera bags clean and vacuum the interior pockets frequently to help with this problem

Edited June 26, 2012 by standard67
edit

[kdriceman]

I've read the FAQ and this thread, but I remain a little uncertain (replacing that sensor would cost a lot).

 

On checking my sensor (photo of a plain wall stopped down), I seem to have some spots towards the bottom of the frame. I have tried a blower (Rocket, with the camera held inverted), but some of the spots won't budge.

 

So, do I get some Sensor Swabs (how can they cost so much!) and a bottle of Eclipse E2, or do I get an Arctic Butterfly? How do I tell if this is dust or some oily residue flicked up by the shutter?

 

Other suggestions? I get the reference to Pec-Pads being not recommended for CCD. My preferred dealer stocks Visible Dust and Eclipse products. Or, do I just get an cotton bud, put a drip of IPA (bought from the local chemist), and give the sensor a wipe?

 

Cheers

John

 

PS - image attached. There's more than I thought. Is it possible to tell anything from this? With an image, it isn't really noticeable.

 

Get some sensor swabs and some Eclipse cleaning fluid and follow Jaap's instructions. If the spot is still there, try again. Finally, if it doesn't go away and you can't live with it, my suggestion is to send it to Leica. I personally don't trust anybody other than myself and Leica to touch my sensor. The reason is that I don't know what anybody else is doing to the sensor (I don't know if the pro camera shop hands if off to a 22 year old technician that was out partying until 4:00 am) and if anybody but Leica scratches it you are the one that is going to pay for the new sensor...

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[wlaidlaw]

I had some weird white spots appear on my sensor, that on inspection with an illuminated sensor, appeared to be below the IR filter/cover glass and on the actual sensor itself. In any case they would not clean off. Even though my M9 is now out of warranty, Leica replaced the sensor free of charge. As I am on their professional register, they did it extremely quickly as well. Great service!

 

Wilson

[brill64]

and have also learned that you can do quite a lot of damage to your camera - if sensor cleaning is not done properly/pilot error

 

..specifically with the M9 sensor in mind, could you explain a little further the kind of damage they're talking about?

[mark_j]

..specifically with the M9 sensor in mind, could you explain a little further the kind of damage they're talking about?

 

I have posted this before but as you have specifically asked here is an extract from an email from Leica Mayfair who tried to clean my M9 sensor:

 

"My colleague tried to clean your M9 sensor this afternoon. Unfortunately, there seem to be marks on the glass coating which do not clean off. Our guess is that the sensor has been cleaned before, and damaged in the process."