Downsides to a wet clean?

[rjsphd]

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My m240 is a couple of years old, bought second hand and the previous owner never wet cleaned it. (I asked.)  I did a blower over the sensor a couple of times but there are a couple of spots always showing up in dust detection.  I don't see them on my screen when I look at prints.  However, a local Leica dealer is running a weekend special on wet sensor cleaning--$20 instead of $70.

 

Any downside of taking advantage of this?  Or is it a waste of money?

[jaapv]

Never harms - 70 $ would be ridiculous imo, though

[Peter H]

Never harms - 70 $ would be ridiculous imo, though

 

 

I'd happily pay it rather than do it myself.

 

Some find it easy. I find it impossible to do well.

[jdlaing]

No downsides..

[BBHewee]

If you have a proper Leica store anywhere near, they will do a sensor clean for free. But 20 USD seems a bargain anyway.

[Exodies]

The mechanics of it are simple. Summoning the nerve not so much. If you regard the 20$ as an initiation fee then it's well spent; 20$ to learn how to wipe something with a damp swab is a bit much.

[jaapv]

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I'd happily pay it rather than do it myself.

 

Some find it easy. I find it impossible to do well.

Well, if you are willing to pay 70$ for 5 minutes work I would be happy to have you as a patient,

[Peter H]

Well, if you are willing to pay 70$ for 5 minutes work I would be happy to have you as a patient,

Yes, $70 is a bit steep, but the principle's right.

 

I'd rather pay you to save my tooth than try it myself. Now let's haggle about the price!

[edwardkaraa]

I wouldn't trust anyone to clean my sensor but myself. I've tried Canon professional center cleaning, Sony, Leica, the local technician, but my cleaning has always been better. The only downside I can think of is streaking. Once it happens it requires quite a lot of work to remove it. However it only can happen when there is oil on the cover glass.

[keithlaban.co.uk]

I used to wet clean my Hasselblad sensor glass regularly as a matter of course. But that was easy, remove the back and there's no hindrance to access. I'm less keen on wet cleaning sensor glass deep in a camera body and would only do so if absolutely necessary.

 

Thankfully, using my Leica cameras over the last few years and despite working in adverse conditions and changing lenses regularly that necessity hasn't reared it's ugly head. So far a filtered blower and eyelead lollipop has always sufficed.  

[rjsphd]

To be clear, I wouldn't pay $70 either and am not sure $20 isn't better spent on swabs.  But watching the technique might be worth a Andrew Jackson.

 

And Keith, what is a "eyelead lollipop?"

[jdlaing]

To be clear, I wouldn't pay $70 either and am not sure $20 isn't better spent on swabs.  But watching the technique might be worth a Andrew Jackson.

 

And Keith, what is a "eyelead lollipop?"

 

An I lead lollipop is a gel stick with a sticky surface. I'd recommend staying clear of these until after a wet clean in case there is any oil on the sensor. The gel stick is only good for dust and not anything more firmly attached to the sensor. 

[Peter H]

I've lost count of how many wet cleans I've done myself. None have been disastrous but not one has been completely successful, so I've given up and haven't done one for about three years now, since I got my M240.

 

Fortunately the M240 seems quite dust-resistant and only needs an occasional blow to keep it clean, but if it ever needs a wet clean I'm paying someone else to do it.

[david strachan]

Yes, $70 is a bit steep, but the principle's right.

 

I'd rather pay you to save my tooth than try it myself. Now let's haggle about the price!

You've all seen this one???

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fB9c2ocJOx4

[edwardkaraa]

I've lost count of how many wet cleans I've done myself. None have been disastrous but not one has been completely successful, so I've given up and haven't done one for about three years now, since I got my M240.

 

Fortunately the M240 seems quite dust-resistant and only needs an occasional blow to keep it clean, but if it ever needs a wet clean I'm paying someone else to do it.

I think there is no such a thing as a perfect cleaning. I sometimes did the mistake of cleaning sensors with only 5-6 spots, easy to clone out in LR, in order to get even more spots after cleaning. Then I decided to only clean when there are too many spots, so that my cleaning could only make it better, not worse. I'm normally happy to have 2-4 spots after cleaning.

 

This said, I've not had to clean my SL yet after 2 months of ownership. No oil, no dust, nothing. Impressive.

[honcho]

I won't pay anyone to do something I can do myself, especially something as straightforward as cleaning a camera sensor, although I can understand why some people aren't very confident poking around inside a camera with swabs and gel sticks. It is only routine housekeeping though and is worthwhile learning how to do it yourself.

[keithlaban.co.uk]

And Keith, what is a "eyelead lollipop?"

http://www.amazon.com/eyelead-SCK-1-Sensor-Cleaning-Olympus/dp/B0046VBEE0

 

Used many times without problem.

[250swb]

I think the chief reason for failure is using the wrong cleaning fluid for the job. Ideally you need two, one for oil and greasy spots, and one general purpose for sticky dust. On any camera that hasn't been wet cleaned before oily spots are likely, so start with a fluid for those and because the fluid for cleaning oil can sometimes leave a film on the sensor the general fluid is good for cleaning that off. If you are repeatedly going back over the sensor without success you are most likely using the wrong product or in the wrong sequence. Then for quick cleans just before a day out an Eyelead wand is a great tool.

 

 

Steve

[FlashGordonPhotography]

^^^^^

What he said...

 

I got shown how to clean a sensor properly and since then get perfectly clean sensor every time.

 

Blower first, Artic butterfly second, Eyelead third. Then wet clean if required. It just takes a bit of patience. I was also taught that a dry room with low humidity isn't great for cleaning sensors as the room dust floats into the camera as you clean. Unless you have a clean room at home you should avoid putting a cloth down on the table and clean your sensor on a wood/hard table after wiping it down with a damp cloth so the dust sticks to the table and not the camera/sensor.

 

Gordon

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[sblutter]

1st, do a dust detection or a sky shot.  If there's nothing visible in an image or easily correctable in pp, leave it be

 

When there are enough to become bothersome, I put the camera on an eye level surface (top of file cabinet) and gently shoot the sensor with upright compressed can of photo air from about 10" away, checking for dust with a small focused flashlight, then finishing off with a rocket blower, camera facing down (gravity).  Then, with the shutter closed, another blast of compressed air to clean the inner chamber safely

 

Be sure to clear the can & pipette 1st with a few hard blasts aimed elsewhere.  There could be moisture or particles.  For stubborn bits, gel stick

 

7 yrs of M9 - now the 240, never needed a wet clean

 

I am however, getting way more dust more often than M9.  Anyone else?  I suspect LV has something to do with it - more electricity?  Is there a way to keep the shutter open with the battery out?