Leica SL2 sensor ultrasonic cleaning?

[caissa]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Yes, the SL always had ultrasonic cleaning. This was always clear. But the question for SL2 is not completely clear for me. I would really like to get an official statement from Leica about it (not just a seller). And if not, then an explanation why not and if they try to fix it ...

Afaik the S1R has it.

Edited December 23, 2019 by caissa

[wellfleet]

The SL2 does not have it. See my post in "SL2 Questions" number 35. It's a response from Leica NJ.

[SrMi]

2 hours ago, scott kirkpatrick said:

That might mean that they tried to do it with the IBIS mechanism, which is tuned for human scale motions, not ultrasonics.  My understanding is that ultrasonic cleaning takes another layer of glass, and Leica would probably not want to do that.

This is disassembly and teardown of Panasonic S1R:

https://kolarivision.com/the-panasonic-s1r-disassembly-and-teardown/

Ultrasonic cleaning seems to be separate from IBIS:

The top layer of this IR/UV blocking glass (above) doubles as the camera’s automatic sensor cleaning mechanism. It is connected to the motherboard electronically via that ribbon cable you see in the photo which can trigger vibrations that shake off surface dust particles.

[caissa]

Is this a handicap if SL2 does not have it ? Why should it not need it ? Or was time too short to add it (and will it be fixed later ?)

What is the recommended service interval for cleaning it manually ?   🐣🤔

[scott kirkpatrick]

13 minutes ago, caissa said:

Is this a handicap if SL2 does not have it ? Why should it not need it ? Or was time too short to add it (and will it be fixed later ?)

As was said a few posts ago, Leica keeps the glass over its sensor as thin as possible, and would be reluctant to add it to what is already a more complex stabilized chip.  No, I doubt that it will be fixed later.

[caissa]

This sounds as if also future generations of SL will not be able to have it ....    😥🧐

[SrMi]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

10 minutes ago, caissa said:

This sounds as if also future generations of SL will not be able to have it ....    😥🧐

Technology changes :-).

[SrMi]

2 hours ago, caissa said:

Is this a handicap if SL2 does not have it ? Why should it not need it ? Or was time too short to add it (and will it be fixed later ?)

What is the recommended service interval for cleaning it manually ?   🐣🤔

I do not think that there is a recommended service interval. I do check the sensor with a sensor loupe after a long day of photography, or before going away to photograph. Otherwise I check it rarely and only if I see smudges appearing in images.

Just had a full cycle cleaning on my SL2: blower, sensor brush and wet cleaning. The final test is to close the aperture completely and take a picture of a white background. If you do not see anything, then the sensor is clean enough (there will always be a tiny speck of dust somewhere visible with the sensor loupe alone).

Edited December 23, 2019 by SrMi

[hoppyman]

In the three years I used my SL I never knew it had that ultrasonic cleaning function! I always assumed that the cover glass stayed clean because I had just one lens until the very end. 20 000 frames and I literally never cleaned the cover glass nor saw a dust spot or a single issue with the camera or lens function for that matter.

I hope that my SL2 is as reliable

[Rcon]

New SL2 sensor dust is a problem with electronic - my Nikon D850 has a self clean option so disappointed not have this facility on a Leica. I had the typical seagulls on every shot after only 3 weeks of use (I keep the lens connected at all times)

so I grasped the bullet set to clean the sensor. First used cotton buds no good must have something in them as it left smears. Used spectacles cleaner bad idea even more smears. Toilet paper wrapped around bud - still smears. Ok now it’s saliva and cotton bud and smears are not more solvent and used spectacle cloth which kind of worked. So finally microfibre tiny square end of bud and my breath and smears disappeared gradually after 15 mins - I checked against a blue sky and was down to 3 dark circles another piece of microfibre and more breath and after 10 mins the sensor was completely clear - so breath and microfibre sensitively used as the sensor moves. 20-30 mins should do it - don’t use anything else you simply move the mess around. Hope this helps.

 

[FlashGordonPhotography]

26 minutes ago, Rcon said:

New SL2 sensor dust is a problem with electronic - my Nikon D850 has a self clean option so disappointed not have this facility on a Leica. I had the typical seagulls on every shot after only 3 weeks of use (I keep the lens connected at all times)

so I grasped the bullet set to clean the sensor. First used cotton buds no good must have something in them as it left smears. Used spectacles cleaner bad idea even more smears. Toilet paper wrapped around bud - still smears. Ok now it’s saliva and cotton bud and smears are not more solvent and used spectacle cloth which kind of worked. So finally microfibre tiny square end of bud and my breath and smears disappeared gradually after 15 mins - I checked against a blue sky and was down to 3 dark circles another piece of microfibre and more breath and after 10 mins the sensor was completely clear - so breath and microfibre sensitively used as the sensor moves. 20-30 mins should do it - don’t use anything else you simply move the mess around. Hope this helps.

 

This is a lesson in how to scratch a sensor. Cotton buds and toilet paper are fibrous and able to grab small particulates and drag them across the sensor. Sometimes you'll get big scratches but mostly micro scratches which over time will degrade the coverglass on your sensor. Proper cleaning tools (rocket blower, Arctic Butterfly, Eyeled sticks and wet swabs) aren't expensive and are designed to do the job without damaging the sensor cover glass.

90% of my sensor cleaning is done with a rocket blower. 8% with an Arctic Butterfly and only 2% with swabs and gel sticks. Generally the only time gels or swabs are needed is the sensor gets covered in something like salt or humidity or if the *dust* is a wet particulate like pollen. Most dust leaves quickly with nothing more than proper use of a rocket blower. A rocket blower is probably more effective than ultrasonic cleaning. And if you're up to needing a wet clean then ultrasonic wouldn't have helped anyway.

Rcon.... If you didn't scratch your sensor you were lucky. Probably won't be that way if you keep using the tools you used this time.

Gordon

[Photoworks]

3 hours ago, Rcon said:

New SL2 sensor dust is a problem with electronic - my Nikon D850 has a self clean option so disappointed not have this facility on a Leica. I had the typical seagulls on every shot after only 3 weeks of use (I keep the lens connected at all times)

so I grasped the bullet set to clean the sensor. First used cotton buds no good must have something in them as it left smears. Used spectacles cleaner bad idea even more smears. Toilet paper wrapped around bud - still smears. Ok now it’s saliva and cotton bud and smears are not more solvent and used spectacle cloth which kind of worked. So finally microfibre tiny square end of bud and my breath and smears disappeared gradually after 15 mins - I checked against a blue sky and was down to 3 dark circles another piece of microfibre and more breath and after 10 mins the sensor was completely clear - so breath and microfibre sensitively used as the sensor moves. 20-30 mins should do it - don’t use anything else you simply move the mess around. Hope this helps.

 

does not sounds like a professional advise , but this days nothing is surprising..

anyway you should keep you spit and breath to yourself, it was all acid, should not go on a sensor or a lens.

for all mirrorless camera is recommended to have a rocket blower and wet sensor wipes. It is not like the old days of DSLR. You have to clean your sensor more often, and the High MP shoes more dust then the 24MP

[albireo_double]

I have always used a rocket blower first and then sensor swabs with a few drops of the Eclipse solution, applying minimum pressure and pushing the swab rather than pulling. On all my cameras. I would never breathe on the sensor or use anything else. Have not had to clean the SL2 sensor yet, since November. In comparison, my M cameras seemed to attract much more dust and oil spots on the sensor, same thing with the S. 

[michali]

I've taken the SL2 on a coupe of safaris and as much as I'm very careful when changing lenses -something I try to avoid doing in the field- the sensor glass attracts dust and moisture.

I use the rocket blower primarily, followed by Arctic Butterfly and only as a last resort use wet cleaning.  I use the following procedure detailed here:

Despite the internet wisdom about the "magical" cleaning ability of microfibre cloths, I cringe at the thought of someone using them on lenses or sensors.  Microfibre cloths contain nylon and other synthetics which can be abrasive and cause minute scratches which are not easily visible, but believe me they're there..... 

 

[tom.w.bn]

I had an M8, M9, M240 and was used to wet clean these 3 or 4 times a year. After that I had some Fuji stuff for roundabout two years and never had to clean the sensor because the internal sensor cleaning was really working well. Now with the Panasonic S1 I'm back at wet cleaning regularly. That's a bit disappointing.

[Rcon]

Am very concerned re my new SL2 and dust on the sensor. Blue sky shots increase each time I have a shoot - advice please to clean - I hate sticky buds or lens spray as they have residues - water is also difficult it smears - so I use a cotton bud but it takes an hour or so. A check and there it is again in a different area - I’m so careful doing anything like this am patient and deliberate - is there any third party cleaning kit which really works ? Thanks 

[michali]

5 hours ago, Rcon said:

Am very concerned re my new SL2 and dust on the sensor. Blue sky shots increase each time I have a shoot - advice please to clean - I hate sticky buds or lens spray as they have residues - water is also difficult it smears - so I use a cotton bud but it takes an hour or so. A check and there it is again in a different area - I’m so careful doing anything like this am patient and deliberate - is there any third party cleaning kit which really works ? Thanks 

Visible Dust Products- I've been using them for over 10 years, not sticky & no sprays.

See my post here:  https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/305975-wet-cleaned-sl2-sensor-today/?tab=comments#comment-3903812

[DrM]

I found this video interesting for cleaning the SL2 sensor:https://youtu.be/U4HqjzEIU-0

Best regards

Marc

[AZN]

On 12/24/2019 at 6:40 AM, hoppyman said:

In the three years I used my SL I never knew it had that ultrasonic cleaning function! I always assumed that the cover glass stayed clean because I had just one lens until the very end. 20 000 frames and I literally never cleaned the cover glass nor saw a dust spot or a single issue with the camera or lens function for that matter.

I hope that my SL2 is as reliable

OTOH my SL Typ 601 has had numerous pieces of dust behind the glass from the day I bought it in 2017.

Not only that, but also a piece of fluff in the middle 1/3 from the top.  Just where the sky usually is.

No amount of dust-bulbing/ ultrasonic-cleaning/ shaking/ v.gently wiping could shift them because they are behind the sensor cover glass.

Luckily they are only visible at f5.6 - f11 and even then only in areas of plain colour.  Also they are more-or-less fixable in Capture One and retouching in a photo editor.

So I lived with it.  But finally it irritated me enough to send my camera in to Leica Australia to be serviced.  Did that in February.  Of course it has disappeared into the COVID-19 black-hole and I assume I won't see it again in 2020.

Luckily I also have a Sony A7RII and A7RIV to use with my R lenses.  No problems at all. The ergonomics and user menus are horrible, but these cameras have never had the dust-behind-the-glass problem.

Edited May 3, 2020 by AZN
Typos

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Leica L-Mount

[hoppyman]

Very unfortunate timing on returning your camera. I hope that they do get it sorted out in Wetzlar for you ( replace the whole sensor assembly?) and back to you as soon as possible. I traded mine for the SL2 but right now faced with disruption by the  pandemic too. The camera is fine but I can’t shoot anything in my home studio so far.