How Often Do You Wet Clean Your Sensor? Etc...

[Gregm61]

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After having used Olympus digital cameras for so long with virtually no such issues (still have/use an E-M1 outfit), I picked up a couple of used M9's the past several months, both of which I have had to send in to have sensors replaced, the second of which is due back in mid-April, and the one I had replaced last year is in need of going back yet again to have the replacement sensor installed as I see the dreaded signs again...

 

Now, on to a brand-new M262, bought 2/26 and which, after 4-5 trips out and doing what I consider extremely careful lens changes, I had to resort to my first ever "wet" cleaning after having 8-9 spots in the skies after my latest outdoor adventure that would not budge for love or money using the rocket blower.

 

Bottom line, it took 6 Ultra cleaning swabs with eclipse fluid, one swipe back & forth each, to finally rid the dust particles completely off. Obviously a newcomer to this process, I probably was not applying a proper amount of pressure the first 2-3 of those swabs.

 

How often exactly does one need to figure on performing this ritual? One things' for sure, I'm online ordering "supplies" for the coming months and it was interesting to see the 2oz bottle of Eclipse fluid at B&H was available to buy, but no shipping....in-store pick-up only. What's the deal with that? I see it available in smaller sizes, especially with cleaning kits like the one I purchased, no shipping issues at all, but forget those "kits"....seems like I need to be buying swabs by the dozen per box and all the eclipse fluid needed for them.

 

Thanks for any insight you can provide about cleaning and picking up the needed accessories. Living in Dallas, I'm assuming I'll be able to run at least some of this stuff down locally tomorrow.

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[jdlaing]

Short answer: Wet clean when it needs it.

 

Try Arlington Camera.

[bocaburger]

I have not yet needed to wet clean either of my M240's.  One was a demo, the other a CPO, so past the point where the shutter spits lube on the sensor, and probably were cleaned when in Leica's possession.  I have used the dustfinder utility, and so far a couple puffs from a bulb blower have removed any specs. 

[Exodies]

Same here, bulb blower only in over two years.

[Steve Ash]

About once a year.

[Echo63]

I haven't done mine yet, and i have had the camera for 2 years now, it really needs doing.

I just need to get the appropriate wipes and cleaning solution.

[Printmaker]

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Other than using an Arctic Butterfly once in a blue moon, I don't need to clean the sensors on my M9 or Monochrom. The M9 received a new sensor two years ago even though it was never wet cleaned. At that time, my dealer claimed the problem was wet cleaning. Impossible, but that was the party line back then before Leica discovered the cover glass design failure.

 

Of course the M9 has a 35 Summicron nearly permanently mounted and the Monochrom always wears a 50 Summicron. I try not to change lenses in the field whenever possible. If I know I'll need something wider or longer, I try to change the lens indoors.

[Peter H]

Never in the nearly 3 years of daily use. 

 

I don't know why but I had far more dust problems with my M9 than with my M (240) which seems almost immune, but when I do see the spots, a blower always does the job.

[ayewing]

Never in the nearly 3 years of daily use. 

 

I don't know why but I had far more dust problems with my M9 than with my M (240) which seems almost immune, but when I do see the spots, a blower always does the job.

 

That seems to be my experience too. When I had a M9 it needed cleaning fairly often. In over two years I have cleaned the sensor of the M240 once. I do change lenses now and then usually indoors.

[arno_nyhm]

for private use, i never ever cleaned a sensor.

 

for professional use one might want to clean the sensor as soon as the specs become visible when smaller apertures are in use. this varies from camera to camera. some need it every couple of hundred acutations, others dont  need it until a few thousands.

[coupdefoudre]

My M-P 240 from June 2015 has (recently) gotten 3 fairly substantial spots that refuse to budge. One shows up at the top right edge of photos so I always  have to take it out of the sky. The other two are lower left so often do not show up under normal viewing and sizes. Other spots have been removable with lots of Rocket blower action.

 

I never had much of a problem with stubborn spots before so I am about to tackle the 'wet' cleaning process with trepidation!

 

I'd like to mention, by the by, that my Fujis never seem afflicted with this sort of thing, something I attribute to their sensor cleaning vibration set-up.

[Schrödinger's cat]

 

 

Bottom line, it took 6 Ultra cleaning swabs with eclipse fluid, one swipe back & forth each, to finally rid the dust particles completely off. Obviously a newcomer to this process, I probably was not applying a proper amount of pressure the first 2-3 of those swabs.

 

How often exactly does one need to figure on performing this ritual? 

 

 

I think this is probably fairly typical for someone learning.  I started cleaning these silly things during the Nikon D1 era when Thom Hogan was advocating a PecPad wrapped around the end of cut off plastic knife from Wendies (which worked perfectly well by the way. )

 

And I finally got it down to three or so on the Nikons.  With the M240, I suspect due to the much shallower throat, I have it down to one.

 

Which, during the last year, I have only needed to do once.  Perhaps this is because I always used zooms on the Nikons.

 

I can second the recommendation for Arlington Camera, and I also like Competitive Camera in downtown Dallas.  If you are going to purchase a large bottle, be aware that it evaporates if not tightly capped.

 

 

My etc, on the other hand, I clean every morning 

[CheshireCat]

Never. Always used my rocket blower with proper technique (firm hand, as near to the sensor as possible, without touching it).

 

All my other cameras have automatic dust removal. But don't worry: Leica will catch up in a few decades.

[icqcq]

I also make a point of, after cleaning the sensor and when the shutter is again closed, blowing out the chamber itself, and then the backs of the lenses, and often will wipe the caps for the lens-backs, as well as the body-cap.

[rafael_macia]

I clean the sensor when the dust keeps reminding me where it is. Also, before I take a trip, or take on a photo assignment.

I wet swab only.

Nothing else ever worked for me. Not a Rocket blower which just seemed to stir up add dust, not Arctic Butterfly which made no sense .... never worked, not a gel stick pickup, those sticks left residue, not a Sensor Scope cleaning kit, which is airline carry-on size, not any of those pickup-stick/pen designs Kinetics Speck Grabber, left marks, finally the Lens Pen, with the triangular tip ... ha! useless.... and a few more ..... 

Like I said .....For me sensor maintenance was a nightmare.

 

Of course many here (sniff) have no absolutely no problem sensor cleaning               

 

The wet swab system which works, again ..... for me        .....   a pre cut paper wrapped around the end of a flexible plastic wand that fits the sensor.

And Eclipse liquid.

My sensor supplies came from Copper Hill Images. I looked for their site to pass on to you, but alas, they seem to not be around anymore.

Research them. Their system was simple, again, for me,      perfect.

Good luck!

Rafael

[jmahto]

Rocket blower every six month. But I am not that picky about spots and hardly shoot above f/8.