Sensor cleaning

[Waterden]

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Following a recent trip to China I was horrified to find my images were all badly spotted and required extensive post processing adjustment. I can only assume that this was caused by the particulate nature of Shanghai smog and am only too pleased I don't live there. On taking the camera to have the sensor cleaned I was told that the dust, although extensive, was only lightly adhering to the sensor so cleaning was straightforward and rapid.

 

I am very surprised by this. According to the manual the camera has an ultrasonic cleaning mechanism which takes place on start-up. Clearly, it is not very effective unless mine is malfunctioning.

Edited January 22, 2018 by Waterden

[helged]

The ultrasonic cleaning mechanism reduces - but does not eliminate - dust on the sensor. 

 

After 2+ years of use, I have recently gone through the second wet cleaning on the SL. This in contrast to the rather frequent cleanings of my previous four M-bodies. So the ultrasonic cleaning mechanism, possibly in combination with some properties of the sensor/sensor cover itself, does keep dust away.

 

I can imagine that changing lenses in heavy polluted regions may/will add lots of dust, and various types of dust, to the camera. But in more pristine air, there should be essentially no problem with dust on the SL-sensor. Depending on where you live, I would use the camera in less polluted air, preferably for some time. If dust is still a problem, there might be an issue with the ultrasonic cleaning mechanism. But as said above, and supported by many SL-users, the SL is far from being a dust collector... 

[frame-it]

but were you changing lenses on the streets of Shanghai ?

[ramarren]

Whenever I fit the SL with one of my Skink pinhole gizmos, I have to clean the sensor a few times before I get images that require only minimal spotting. Since I tend to shoot at relatively large lens openings (say f/4 to f/5.6) most of the time, I hardly see the dust build up in normal use. 

 

But compared to my M, used at similar lens openings most of the time, the SL stays perfectly clean all the time. I find myself cleaning the M about every second month. 

 

It's just the way it is. The SL's cleaning system is just as effective as the cleaning system of my Olympus E-M1 and the sensor is four times the size. We notice dust and dirt with digital cameras in ways that we would NEVER notice dust and dirt with film cameras too. 

[vladik]

My M 240 now sold seems to had a dust magnet build in and I become really really good in wet cleaning its sensor. SL different story, in 5 month of ownership I had to clean sensor only once by using air blower to remove a speck of dust, no wet cleaning necessary thus far.