Dirty SL sensor - what can I do? Is wet cleaning permitted?

[wlaidlaw]

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I noticed a whole lot of the images I took on the Robert White day in Dorset, had a wiggly line and a whole lot of spots. I used a sensor loupe and saw a very fine hair on the sensor which blew off plus a fair amount of dust. However also to my horror, are a fair number of the spots, well known to digital M users as the dreaded Wetzlar Gnome Snot (see image below). I checked after a good blow clean with a HEPA filtered blower and the spots are still there. I don't have time to go to London to get it cleaned at Leica Mayfair, before I leave to go to Myanmar. Does anyone know if wet cleaning of the SL sensor is permitted? I know you can't wet clean the recent Olympus MFT sensors, as you remove the anti static coating by cleaning and this has to be re-applied, which is only available at major Olympus dealers and service stations. I have Eclipse, IPA and ethyl alcohol available as cleaning fluids plus both green and orange Visible Dust full frame swabs. If I can wet clean, I am very happy to do this, given that I have been wet cleaning sensors since the Contax ND in 2003. 

 

Wilson

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[wlaidlaw]

I should have added, I also have an Arctic Butterfly and EyeLead Sticky Lollipop in my cleaning box.

 

Wilson

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[Peter Walker]

Call me a wuz, but I'm terrified of cleaning my sensor. I have an Eclipse kit but, apart from practicing on a piece of glass, I have not plucked up the courage to wet-clean a sensor.

 

I also have some Wetzlar Gnome Snot but it's almost invisible on every image except for a couple: where it was easily dealt with in LR.

 

What is Wetzlar Gnome Snot? Condensation from temperature changes and a humid environment?

 

As you seem comfortable with the cleaning process, can you briefly explain your approach.

 

Regards

Peter

[jaapv]

from our FAQ:

 

 

 

jaapv, on 12 Jul 2010 - 12:29, said:

 

Question: There are spots on my images, especially at small apertures.

 

 

This is sensor dirt. All digital cameras with interchangable lenses have this problem, but an M9 is particularly prone, because there is no mirror as extra barrier and the lack of an AA filter makes the dirt more visible.

 

One should prevent dust from entering the camera as much as possible. There are a number of strategies.

1. Avoid changing lenses more than necessary.

2. Change lenses in as much of a dust-free environment as possible

3. Keep the rear end of the lens as clean as possible

4. Change the lens with the camera mouth facing downwards

5. (This may be a myth) Switch off the camera before changing lenses.

 

But dust will come on the sensor anyway.

Consult the manual to find the sensor cleaning item in the menu and use a FULLY charged battery. Before opening the shutter blow out the camera (using a bulb blower, not compressed air or your mouth!) to dislodge any loose dust.

 

If the dust on the sensor is loose one can blow off the sensor using a good bulb blower, (Rocket Blower by Giotto for instance) with the camera mouth facing downwards.

 

If that does not clear the problem there are sensor brushes like the Arctic Butterfly by Visible Dust that are quite effective or the little vacuum cleaner by Green Clean. At this stage the use of a Sensor Loupe can be very helpful.

 

If spots on the sensor persist you are dealing with stuck dirt like pollen or oil spots and need to revert to wet cleaning. There are numerous threads on the subject. The Visible Dust products are highly recommended or the Green Clean wet-and-dry method.

Use a proper solvent for grease if you think you are dealing with oil etc. (Visible Dust Smear Away or Dust-Aid Sensor Clean (my preference)

 

Open the shutter for cleaning and blow it once again with a bulb blower or vacuum clean it, to remove any loose particles which might be dragged across the sensor and cause scratches.

 

Although the M9 is full frame and there are size 1 sensor swabs on the market, I prefer using the swabs for 1.3 sensors (and APS-C swabs for the M8)

Take a clean swab, put on three small drops of Sensor Cleaning Fluid and in two sweeps, top and bottow go to one side - do not over-press!!- and sweep back again, using the other side of the swab automatically.

Or, using the wet-and-dry system, swab with the wet sponge and dry with a couple of sweeps with the dry swab. Don't let the fluid spill over the edge of the sensor too much - there are electronic connections there.

 

That is all - close the shutter and test the camera by taking an unfocussed image of an evenly lit surface at the smallest aperture.

 

In the unlikely case it is needed, repeat.

 

There are other cleaning systems, such as stamping tools. I find them quite effective, as long as there are no greasy spots on the sensor.

Just stamp, don't rub. They are a bit scary as one pulls the cover glass. Leica Customer Service seem to be quite happy using them, so they should be safe.

.

There are also sensor cleaning services or Leica Customer Service, but those are expensive and will keep the camera for a while. They may also not be readily available if one is travelling. Sensor cleaning is something any owner should be able to do himself.

 

If you are fairly certain your spots are oil or grease, it may be wise to omit the step with the Arctic Butterfly, as it may become contaminated by the grease. In case that happens it can be cleaned with the special fluid provided.

[wildlightphoto]

from our FAQ:

 

... Consult the manual to find the sensor cleaning item in the menu and use a FULLY charged battery....

 

The SL's shutter is open and the sensor is exposed when the camera is off.

[wlaidlaw]

Peter, 

 

I think a lot feel is is some form of lubricant from the shutter but Leica says this is not possible as there is no liquid lubricant on the shutter. My personal view is that it is condensed plasticiser from the plastic components in the camera, similar to the coating that adheres like high strength Araldite to the inside of your car windscreen and back window. 

 

My cleaning is a four stage process on M8/9/240. 

 

1) Blow with HEPA filtered blower

2) Use Arctic Butterfly to wipe any loose dust off sensor (I clean the Butterfly every time in IPA before use)

3) Remove any additional loose dust (which can be very abrasive) with EyeLead sticky lollipop. 

4) Now wet clean with Visible Dust wand/swab and Ethyl Alcohol until test shot through defocused Elmarit 90 at f16 of sky or using Expodisc, shows clean. 

 

However I am not going to clean SL until I know it is permitted. 

[wlaidlaw]

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Just spoke to Leica Mayfair customer service. Wet cleaning of the SL sensor with IPA or Ethyl Alcohol is permitted. There is no anti-static coating to wipe off or that needs re-applying. Phew - problem solved! 

 

Wilson

[LocalHero1953]

I would also have been reassured by Leica Mayfair's advice, but I note that the SL has ultrasonic sensor cleaning built in. Does this mean the sensor is not held rigidly? I'd be nervous about direct contact with the sensor for this reason.

You can sue Leica Mayfair if they're wrong!

[jrp]

Leica Mayfair will do the cleaning for you, if you pass by during the week, when the tech dept is open.

[wlaidlaw]

Unfortunately I cannot get to Leica Mayfair before I leave. They said there is nothing special about the way they clean the SL sensor, just do it like I I would an M240. They agreed that nothing shifts sticky blobs other than wet cleaning. I have just gone and got an eyedropper in a brown small glass bottle from our local pharmacy, as the Ethyl Absolute Alcohol I have is in a 100ml glass lab reagent bottle. 

 

Wilson

[wlaidlaw]

Interesting that after just a few months, my SL's sensor needs cleaning. After close to 3 years, my Olympus EP-5's sensor is still clean, when I did a test at the end of last year. Apparently Olympus patented the most effective method called the Super Sonic Wave Filter (SSWF) in 2003, using multiple piezo transducers and other camera makers have had to use less effective methods of ultrasonic cleaning. The Olympus method is described as vibrating the sensor cover glass in such a way that it is like shaking a table cloth to get all the crumbs off, where a wave travels across the cloth and flicks all the crumbs off. 

 

Wilson

[LocalHero1953]

I guess it will pick up dust quicker than the M because the sensor is open much of the time, even if it does have a sensor cleaning system. I still think "what have I done wrong?" each time I change a lens and see the exposed sensor. Jaap commented on another thread that from his observation the sticky stuff was mostly pollen and human skin.

[ramarren]

I find dust no matter how much I clean or how much care I take whenever I fit a pinhole to the camera, any camera. I find it even when shooting with film cameras. I haven't seen a big snake in the sky like your photo demonstrates, but those are easy. It's the persistent little ones that annoy me. I try not to let them bug me: open up the lens more and most become invisible. 

 

It's good to hear that cleaning the SL sensor is easy and you don't have to be specially careful of coatings or other stuff ... So far with the SL, I've blown out the body with a Giottos Rocket twice. That's pretty good. 

[pkwok]

As there is no IBIS in SL, it should be easy to clean the sensor just like any DSLR. I only tried to clean the sensor of Sony A7Rii, and is a bit horrified, as the sensor moves when touched, like floating in the air.

[wlaidlaw]

I have successfully cleaned the SL sensor. However it did not like either ethyl alcohol or iso propyl alcohol, both of which left a horrible smeared finish, easily visible with the naked eye on the sensor cover glass. I was contemplating having to make a quick trip to London to Leica Mayfair, when I spotted a small bottle of Visible Dust Smear Away in my tool box of cleaning products and camera tools. I was never impressed with this product on M sensors but it seems to work perfectly on the SL cover glass and left it spotless with no smears. 

 

Wilson

[tobey bilek]

from our FAQ:

 

 

 

jaapv, on 12 Jul 2010 - 12:29, said:

 

Question: There are spots on my images, especially at small apertures.

 

 

This is sensor dirt. All digital cameras with interchangable lenses have this problem, but an M9 is particularly prone, because there is no mirror as extra barrier and the lack of an AA filter makes the dirt more visible.

 

One should prevent dust from entering the camera as much as possible. There are a number of strategies.

1. Avoid changing lenses more than necessary.

2. Change lenses in as much of a dust-free environment as possible

3. Keep the rear end of the lens as clean as possible

4. Change the lens with the camera mouth facing downwards

5. (This may be a myth) Switch off the camera before changing lenses.

 

But dust will come on the sensor anyway.

Consult the manual to find the sensor cleaning item in the menu and use a FULLY charged battery. Before opening the shutter blow out the camera (using a bulb blower, not compressed air or your mouth!) to dislodge any loose dust.

 

If the dust on the sensor is loose one can blow off the sensor using a good bulb blower, (Rocket Blower by Giotto for instance) with the camera mouth facing downwards.

 

If that does not clear the problem there are sensor brushes like the Arctic Butterfly by Visible Dust that are quite effective or the little vacuum cleaner by Green Clean. At this stage the use of a Sensor Loupe can be very helpful.

 

If spots on the sensor persist you are dealing with stuck dirt like pollen or oil spots and need to revert to wet cleaning. There are numerous threads on the subject. The Visible Dust products are highly recommended or the Green Clean wet-and-dry method.

Use a proper solvent for grease if you think you are dealing with oil etc. (Visible Dust Smear Away or Dust-Aid Sensor Clean (my preference)

 

Open the shutter for cleaning and blow it once again with a bulb blower or vacuum clean it, to remove any loose particles which might be dragged across the sensor and cause scratches.

 

Although the M9 is full frame and there are size 1 sensor swabs on the market, I prefer using the swabs for 1.3 sensors (and APS-C swabs for the M8)

Take a clean swab, put on three small drops of Sensor Cleaning Fluid and in two sweeps, top and bottow go to one side - do not over-press!!- and sweep back again, using the other side of the swab automatically.

Or, using the wet-and-dry system, swab with the wet sponge and dry with a couple of sweeps with the dry swab. Don't let the fluid spill over the edge of the sensor too much - there are electronic connections there.

 

That is all - close the shutter and test the camera by taking an unfocussed image of an evenly lit surface at the smallest aperture.

 

In the unlikely case it is needed, repeat.

 

There are other cleaning systems, such as stamping tools. I find them quite effective, as long as there are no greasy spots on the sensor.

Just stamp, don't rub. They are a bit scary as one pulls the cover glass. Leica Customer Service seem to be quite happy using them, so they should be safe.

.

There are also sensor cleaning services or Leica Customer Service, but those are expensive and will keep the camera for a while. They may also not be readily available if one is travelling. Sensor cleaning is something any owner should be able to do himself.

 

If you are fairly certain your spots are oil or grease, it may be wise to omit the step with the Arctic Butterfly, as it may become contaminated by the grease. In case that happens it can be cleaned with the special fluid provided.

 

I do all these thing and have for years,  but my cameras all have a little guy who spreads gunk when I am not looking.  Mostly he hides, but comes out when I least expect it.  He reminds me of the guy in refrigerator who turns the light off when the door is shut.

[wlaidlaw]

I understand that the SL has a sticky pad to catch the dust shaken off the sensor cover glass by the ultrasonics. At some point, this will become so covered with dust, it will in effect be full and need changing. I hope this is a minor service item that can be done by the local Leica service centre, without disassembling the camera.

 

Otherwise it is like those Canon printers, which give an error code saying the head cleaning ink absorption pad is full and needs a service to change. The cost of a call out or getting a printer back to the Canon service centre (especially after the original carton, that you ever so carefully kept, has been "tidied" into the recycling) plus the service cost is so high, that it is usually easier and cheaper to throw the printer away. I had a couple of the small lithium battery rechargeable portable Canon printers (IP50 and IP80), which I used to find very useful on business trips. Both died after just around 18 months life, with this ink pad error code showing. I gave up and by the early 2000's, most larger hotels had a business service centre with printers in them anyway. The big Epson photo printers like my Stylus Pro 3880, are the only printers I know, with an easily user replaceable ink absorber. 

 

Wilson

[ramarren]

Wilson, 

 

The Olympus E-1 has the same thing (I believe that the sensor cleaning system in the SL is licensed/shared or at least very similar to the same system used in Olympus/Panasonic cameras). My E-1 was manufactured in 2003, the sticky pad has never been changed, and it is still effective and still shows no dirt on the sensor. I'm sure it was never serviced before I got it in 2008, and I've only once had to use a blower to take a largish, slightly sticky dust bunny off the sensor. 

 

I suspect that by the time the sticky pad needs to be replaced, it would likely be a good idea to have the camera serviced anyway ... if the service is still offered for such an ancient piece of equipment! 

[keithlaban.co.uk]

 

There are other cleaning systems, such as stamping tools. I find them quite effective, as long as there are no greasy spots on the sensor.

Just stamp, don't rub. They are a bit scary as one pulls the cover glass. Leica Customer Service seem to be quite happy using them, so they should be safe.

 

I've used these "stamp" tools such as the Eyelead for years on Hasselblad and Leica cameras without problem but I would encourage caution.

 

Never 'stamp and pull', but rather 'place on and rock off'.

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[wlaidlaw]

I've used these "stamp" tools such as the Eyelead for years on Hasselblad and Leica cameras without problem but I would encourage caution.

 

Never 'stamp and pull', but rather 'place on and rock off'.

 

Keith, 

 

I too have an Eye-Lead stamping tool. However, I found on very close examination with an illuminated sensor loupe, that it was leaving very faint lines at the edge of each sticky head application, like a chequer board. Now I don't know if this was sticky residue or where it had pushed the dust into a line but you could see it. I do still use it as I think it is the best way to remove dust, some of which under a microscope, will look like jagged rocks, before wet cleaning. The faint lines clean off very easily on the M8/9/240 with Eclipse, Ethyl Alcohol or IPA and on the SL with Visible Dust "Smear Away". 

 

Wilson