M9 sensor cleaning

[mmradman]

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If faced with potentially dodgy drinking alcohol it can be wise to set small amount (one table spoon) alight and conduct flame colour test, ideally in darkened room.

 

Methanol, CH3-OH Red Flame - AVOID

 

Ethanol, C2H5-OH Blue Flame - GOOD

 

This test was apparently devised by oil workers in Saudi brewing hooch in bath tubs from sugar and fruit bought in local market.

 

I while back I had a bad experience with home made hooch that left me temporarily blind, or maybe i just had too much of the stuff and passed out

[Paulus]

You're quite an expert on alcohol how about just using Vodka as sensor cleaning fluid?

 

What about Calvados? Can I use it for cleaning or just for drinking?

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[wlaidlaw]

What about Calvados? Can I use it for cleaning or just for drinking?

 

It varies a lot. Some I have tried would only be fit for paint stripping, sadly including the only British Calvados - Somerset Cider Brandy. I bought some of the 15 year old. I hate to think what the 3 year old must be like. Some Calvados is really pretty good (Berneroy XO 25 y.o.), although not as good in my view as the plum equivalent - Vieille Prune - preferably La Réserve Impériale made by Louis Roque in the Dordogne - nectar of the gods! La Vielle Prune - Distillerie Louis Roque I have a friend who comes to stay with me in France, who always brings a bottle of this with him as a prezzie.

 

Wilson

[Washington]

I was only kidding about drinking the stuff…. I like a good beer.

[ayewing]

Alcohols in general are quite good (although not perfect) cleaning agents. ..............

 

 

 

So after considerable R&D effort the science department at "Eclipse" decided that IPA was the optimum, also for reasons of cost & markup.

 

.

 

 

That is interesting. I thought that Eclipse was methanol though after some worry about the effect of methanol on coatings containing tin they introduced Eclipse 2 and then after a time discontinued it. Is that when Eclipse was reformulated to be Isopropyl Alcohol?

[SJP]

That is interesting. I thought that Eclipse was methanol though after some worry about the effect of methanol on coatings containing tin they introduced Eclipse 2 and then after a time discontinued it. Is that when Eclipse was reformulated to be Isopropyl Alcohol?

Indeed you are right. I was sure that it was IPA but apparantly not, see MSDS of Eclipse.

 

Still IPA is better & more cost effective.

[fotoism]

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With all these ethanol and methanol stuff in cleaning solutions, anyone has even had problems boarding a plane with a bottle of these?

[Washington]

Good question but I don’t know.

[jaapv]

Never. It is not allowed on board in theory, but I put it amongst my toiletries., so it looks normal on the Xray. I fail to see why it should be forbbidden when aftershave is allowed.

Edited March 12, 2012 by jaapv

[wlaidlaw]

With all these ethanol and methanol stuff in cleaning solutions, anyone has even had problems boarding a plane with a bottle of these?

 

Yes I had. I had just bought a whole new big 100ml bottle of E2 in Baltimore, MD in 2008, where it is half the cost of in the UK. It was still unopened, sealed and in its box. I put it in my hold luggage. When I arrived back in the UK, my luggage was missing. BA delivered it the next day. The TSA approved padlock was missing and inside was a note saying that they had opened it and removed an inappropriate substance. I put in a claim for the Eclipse and the padlock but never heard anything. You can phone up but it is a premium rate phone line and after being on hold for 10 minutes, I gave up, as the phone call cost was looking fair to exceed the amount I might recover. If going in or out of the US, I now transfer a small amount into a bottle marked as eye drops. It is a bit of a nonsense, as in reality, it is no more inflammable than perfume or eau de cologne.

 

Wilson

[exile]

Oh.

I see.

I though my sensor cleaning induced euphoria was caused by overwhelming relief that I had not scratched the sensor.

But now you mention it, it is obvious that I am over-dilligent with the sensor cleaning solvents in an enclosed draft-free environment.

 

 

I'm just going to clean my camera sensor darling - I may be some time...

[RoySmith]

I hope this will not encourage anybody else to use a Lens Pen... That is really not the tool of choice for sensor cleaning.

 

On 99% IPA: The stuff is hygroscopic. If you open the bottle regularly for use or do not keep it in a properly sealed bottle it will soon lose its concentration by the moisture from the air.

I would not drink it in any concentration, Rip, as it will burn your tubes out.... Nor will it do the rest of your system much good.

 

If it is meant for sensor cleaning make sure you get medicinal or lab grade. Consumer grade 70% or 85% is denatured by Bergamot oil, which will leave a fatty residue.

 

The IPA I use is only 5%, and I drink it rather than waste it on a sensor

[lars_bergquist]

Living as I do close to sixty degrees north, I have to ask about vodka. Is Absolut Vodka an acceptable sensor cleaning fluid? There should be few contaminants in it,

 

LB

[jaapv]

You only need a few drops - you can test the purity by drinking the rest of the bottle. If your headache -on a scale of 1 to 10- stays under 4 you can use it.

[wda]

I also would never again use those sticky pads to clean my sensor. I had a very lucky escape, when the pad split as I was peeling it off the backing strip rather than peeling it off the sensor. ....

Wilson

Wilson, last week at Focus I visited Just Ltd, who are one of the main UK suppliers of sensor cleaning consumables. I specifically voiced the concerns of many on the Leica forum about the use of Dust-Aid Platinum cured silicone DSLR sensor cleaner. The representative was surprised and proceeded to demonstrate to me how they did it. My somewhat surprising conclusion was that they used it purely to lift dry particles, not oil splashes, and preferred it to the Arctic Butterfly. The special cleaning paper was used once to remove particles from the platinum cleaner and was not uplifting adhesive which could be transferred to the sensor. He used an extremely light touch, rather than as if using a rubber stamp.

 

Although I had bought a DA Platinum kit some time ago, it had lain unused after reading cautionary tales on this forum. I think I shall stick with my Arctic Butterfly to remove dust particles having developed a technique whereby the brush does not actually touch the sensor. I rely on static attraction and it seems to work well. I rarely have to use it nowadays. Oh, and I use my illuminated magnifier to confirm need and after-cleaning success.

[jaapv]

The problem I had with Dust Aid was twofold:

1. The adhesive from the pad cleaning tape carried over onto the pad, contaminating the sensor with adhesive, which might have several causes, including a manufacturing error or improper storage

2. The silicone pad appeared to lift the IR filter, which did not do any permanent damage, but was scary in a period when cracked sensors were a hot topic.

Edited March 13, 2012 by jaapv

[wlaidlaw]

The pad I was using (a Dust Aid), split across the sponge layer between the two layers of adhesive coated plastic (strong on the wand side; weaker on the sensor side), as I was peeling it off the backing strip with the wand. If it had happened on the sensor, it would have left the whole of the sensor adhesive layer plus half the sponge interlayer, firmly stuck to the sensor. When the shutter closed, as it would have done when the battery went flat, the shutter would also have been destroyed. Sensor and shutter plus labor to repair, would be close to the cost of a new camera. Dust Aid said it was a faulty batch. Definitely not a risk worth taking in my view, especially when there are perfectly effective alternatives (Arctic Butterfly and wet swabs). I am not 100% convinced that Dust Aid would cough up for the cost of such a repair on an M9 and it's not particularly easy or cheap to sue them from Europe.

 

Wilson

[IkarusJohn]

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

[IkarusJohn]

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.

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[M9reno]

John, after having done the same a few hours ago, I recommend you follow the guidelines in Jaap's FAQ post. Nothing to fear! The Arctic Butterfly is expensive, but it does work. The 7x loupe is good, too. Try the swabs before the Butterfly, in case you have oil (so that you don't contaminate the Butterfly). Cleaning a sensor is a pain, but better (and once you get the hang of it, in the lon-run) cheaper than the alternatives. Best wishes,