Jump to content

Looks like I need to get a wet cleaning kit...


Recommended Posts

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Absolutely typical.

I have had this M240 for nearly 5 years and I’ve never needed to wet clean the sensor. In preparation for my annual holiday, I though that I’d give it a Giotto blow and an Arctic Butterfly. There were only a few specks of dust on the sensor, but it’s always good to start out as clean as possible, of course.

Well, it would appear that the A B tip must have become contaminated, despite it obviously always being in its case.

So, tomorrow, I’m going to have to go out and find a wet cleaning kit and take a brave pill.

 

What a complete PITA

 

 

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi,

Depends on where you are but if there’s a local Leica store nearby then you could take ask them to have a look at it. I’ve had mine cleaned a couple of times at the Leica store In Mayfair - doesn’t cost anything and can be done within the hour, depending on how busy they are.

Hope this helps,

Tom

  • Thanks 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Advertisement (gone after registration)

1 hour ago, jdlaing said:

Andy,

In the future never touch the sensor with the arctic butterfly. You pass over it ever so close and the static in the brush pics up the dust and minute particles.

The Arctic Butterfly is in the bin. 

 

44 minutes ago, Reini said:

@andybarton How could you take good pictures with such a sensor ... I'm surprised. 😯

Obviously, I need to clean it...

Link to post
Share on other sites

Dust is life. It is everywhere. The best clean rooms require everyone to wear hair covers and forensic overalls.

That's not for most of us. The least dusty places in your home are the bathrooms. (For Americans this is not a euphemism for a bog or loo or toilet or WC.) After someone has, let's say, used a shower the room will have no dust. Water vapour will have diminished dust to nothing. That's the time to get your lens off and vacuum the innards of your beloved Leica while the vacuum cleaner itself is located outside the room, and only the nozzle is inside the room. (Never use a vacuum cleaner in a bathroom while in the bath or shower for obvious health and safety reasons.) You may require a glamorous assistant to help with this task. If that is your male or female partner is of no interest to me. It is a free society! While you are in the bathroom your assistant can be called upon to "switch on" or "switch off".

This replicates what they do at Leica HQ, but on a domestic scale. I do recommend using a muslin or nylon screen between nozzle and sensor just in case anything you do want to stay in the camera doesn't get devoured. @jaapvhas contested this method. I respect @jaapvas he knows more than most people but, believe me, the method works perfectly.

  • Like 1
  • Haha 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, Peter Kilmister said:

Dust is life. It is everywhere. The best clean rooms require everyone to wear hair covers and forensic overalls.

That's not for most of us. The least dusty places in your home are the bathrooms. (For Americans this is not a euphemism for a bog or loo or toilet or WC.) After someone has, let's say, used a shower the room will have no dust. Water vapour will have diminished dust to nothing. That's the time to get your lens off and vacuum the innards of your beloved Leica while the vacuum cleaner itself is located outside the room, and only the nozzle is inside the room. (Never use a vacuum cleaner in a bathroom while in the bath or shower for obvious health and safety reasons.) You may require a glamorous assistant to help with this task. If that is your male or female partner is of no interest to me. It is a free society! While you are in the bathroom your assistant can be called upon to "switch on" or "switch off".

This replicates what they do at Leica HQ, but on a domestic scale. I do recommend using a muslin or nylon screen between nozzle and sensor just in case anything you do want to stay in the camera doesn't get devoured. @jaapvhas contested this method. I respect @jaapvas he knows more than most people but, believe me, the method works perfectly.

Hmmm. I have not tried this method, but my vacuum cleaner is very powerful. Is there a risk that it might, say, misalign the sensor?

It might also disturb the wobbly bits of the glamorous assistant, but that is a different issue ...

  • Like 1
  • Haha 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

I have the Green Cleen sensor cleaning kit, with vacuum, but the suction is minimal (works on Venturi principle I think I'm correct in saying) requiring the tip to be within mm's of the sensor. The principle is to hoover the loose stuff, followed by wet and dry cleaning using the items supplied. I've done the hoovering but so far I've bottled the wet and dry step, preferring to use the Giotos now and again, followed by the spot removal tool.

The funny thing is this: most of us can accept dust on analogue - I expect it - but with digital we expect perfection.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, andybarton said:

I have tried cleaning it, but it's still not right.

 

Off to Stephens it goes tomorrow

 

I am never, ever going to try to clean a sensor again.

Manchester Leica, as its now called. I almost purchased my M240 from them but Wilkinsons offered a much better deal which coincided with Digital Spash.

Best of luck tomorrow!

Link to post
Share on other sites

On 10/5/2019 at 5:18 PM, Viv said:

When I comes to cleaning sensors, I always chicken out and let someone else do it.

Cleaning your sensor is not as horrific some think it is - actually, its easy.  The key is to follow the instructions in your camera manual and the instructions that come with your swabs and cleaning fluid to the letter. 

I have cleaned my sensor 2 or 3 times a year (usually no more than twice) for the past five years and am batting a thousand - never have had any problems.  I use Eclipse Optic Cleaning Fluid and Photosol SensorSwab cleaning swabs.  

 

 

Edited by Herr Barnack
Link to post
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, Herr Barnack said:

Cleaning your sensor is not as horrific some think it is - actually, its easy.  The key is to follow the instructions in your camera manual and the instructions that come with your swabs and cleaning fluid to the letter. 

I have cleaned my sensor 2 or 3 times a year (usually no more than twice) for the past five years and am batting a thousand - never have had any problems.  I use Eclipse Optic Cleaning Fluid and Photosol SensorSwab cleaning swabs.  

 

 

I have done it twice.

Once with good results, one, not so good.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I wet clean the sensor in my M262 probably once a month on average. Some times I get lucky and can go 6-8 weeks but Eclipse fluid and  swabs do the trick.

Every once and a while it may take 2-3 swabs, but just follow the prescribed method and it’s hard to screw it up. 

I never wet-cleaned a sensor before the M262. My Olympus mirrorless and DSLR’s were pretty darn dust-resistant, but these M bodies do require it from time to time.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...