Camera Sensor Cleaning

[Schittra]

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I start to notice small dusts when I shoot the clear sky at f11. Then I check the dust collection and found both of my M10 have the dust. I search the solution and try to blow it off first. It amazingly worked well. But still have some dusts left. Then I was thinking about wet cleaning but quite nervous. After watching several YouTube and ask some people in facebook, I decided to did it yesterday. 

It's easier than I thought and quite quick. I just want to share the results how it works. Thanks to the recommendation from this group chat too. Very useful.

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[Schittra]

This is from another camera.

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[250swb]

It's good to see a photographer taking things into their own hands and discovering the big secret about sensor cleaning, that it's easy.  👍

[Schittra]

4 hours ago, 250swb said:

It's good to see a photographer taking things into their own hands and discovering the big secret about sensor cleaning, that it's easy.  👍

Thanks! I like maintaining equipment and things. Maybe it’s from my 11 years in Engineering school (even though I’ve never had a single day as Engineer professionally).

[frame-it]

15 minutes ago, Schittra said:

11 years in Engineering school

Eleven years in Engineering school ?

[Schittra]

5 minutes ago, frame-it said:

Eleven years in Engineering school ?

Yes.

4 for my undergrad. 3 for my master (1 year break in between for working), and 4 for my PhD (1 year in between for working).

[250swb]

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27 minutes ago, Schittra said:

Thanks! I like maintaining equipment and things. Maybe it’s from my 11 years in Engineering school (even though I’ve never had a single day as Engineer professionally).

Maybe, but when people take their camera for a clean in a camera shop it's not a boffin that does it, just somebody who has read the instructions, same as you did 😄

[mpeterson]

Those look great. I need to do one of mine. Which swab product did you use?

[Good To Be Retired]

8 hours ago, mpeterson said:

Those look great. I need to do one of mine. Which swab product did you use?

While you didn't ask me, I would like to encourage you to investigate Sensor Swabs and Eclipse.  There a a lot of similar products out there and some may even be better, but over the past 20 years or so I haven't found any reason to experiment further.

[mpeterson]

5 hours ago, Good To Be Retired said:

While you didn't ask me, I would like to encourage you to investigate Sensor Swabs and Eclipse.  There a a lot of similar products out there and some may even be better, but over the past 20 years or so I haven't found any reason to experiment further.

Thanks much!

[Schittra]

18 hours ago, mpeterson said:

Those look great. I need to do one of mine. Which swab product did you use?

I use VSGO full size. Some people suggested to use APS-C size. But full size is ok.  Do all at once. 

[erniethemilk]

Have you any links to the You Tube videos you’ve watched on cleaning?

Mine was only cleaned last November by Leica UK and already showing dust spots from f4. 
 

Not sure when I’m ever going to get there again so home sensor cleaning I guess is something I need to try. 

[Herr Barnack]

I have had my M-P 240 for five years and have had to clean the sensor approximately once every six months. 

I just follow the directions in the M-P 240 manual and the instructions that come with the swabs & cleaning fluid to the letter.  I put 3 drops of solution on one side of the swab at the edge that contacts the sensor's cover glass and 2 drops on the opposite side and I have never had any trouble.

I am using Photographic Solutions Type 3 Sensor Swabs and Photographic Solutions Eclipse Optic Cleaning Solution; both available from B&H Photo.

 

Edited March 29, 2020 by Herr Barnack

[Good To Be Retired]

12 hours ago, Herr Barnack said:

Photographic Solutions Type 3 Sensor Swabs and Photographic Solutions Eclipse Optic Cleaning Solution; both available from B&H Photo.

 

Perhaps worth noting that B & H makes Eclipse available for in store pickup only.

Adorama will ship it, but to the US only.

Edited March 29, 2020 by Good To Be Retired

[Herr Barnack]

Hmmm, that's new.  When i got my Eclipse, B&H shipped it as I recall.  They are a bit quirky about shipping liquids and darkroom chemistry it seems.

[LBJ2]

My thoughts on the process and my own evolved process:

If you absolutely have to do a wet sensor cleaning, aka blower or butterfly brush doesn't lift debris first:

1. Then use an appropriate Sensor gel stick! Very lightly, very gently, dab the spots. Don't dab the whole sensor, only the spots. Use Genuine Eyelead stick from Germany do NOT buy Eyelead brand replica purchased on Ebay or Amazon.com

2. Apply 99.9% Isopropyl Alcohol. Very few drop or two to the swab. Note: 99.9% is very important, nothing less. Don't saturate the swab!

3. Choose APSC sized swabs. Not full frame so you have room to lightly, very gently, so gently scrub the sensor glass cover where the spots might be. Don't clean the whole sensor cover glass, only the spots( one swipe back and one swipe forth as many popular instructions indicate just doesn't work) I use these https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FPWCMC3/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

4. Check with narrow aperture against white wall, or poster or toward the sky and repeat steps 2-3 as needed. Sometimes I have to repeat this process six, seven, eight times. My M10 seems to have wet spots for some reason when I have to clean it. I check my progress before, after and while cleaning with a small, cheap LED torch. 

5. Clean the exterior of your silver Camera mount and the silver lens mount too. I use Zeiss wipes to clean both. I suspect dirty camera and or lens mounts might be the source of many of the spots I have encountered on the M10 sensor cover glass that will not be removed with the blower or butterfly brush. 

 

 

Edited March 31, 2020 by LBJ2

[250swb]

7 hours ago, LBJ2 said:

My thoughts on the process and my own evolved process:

If you absolutely have to do a wet sensor cleaning, aka blower or butterfly brush doesn't lift debris first:

1. Then use an appropriate Sensor gel stick! Very lightly, very gently, dab the spots. Don't dab the whole sensor, only the spots. Use Genuine Eyelead stick from Germany do NOT buy Eyelead brand replica purchased on Ebay or Amazon.com

2. Apply 99.9% Isopropyl Alcohol. Very few drop or two to the swab. Note: 99.9% is very important, nothing less. Don't saturate the swab!

3. Choose APSC sized swabs. Not full frame so you have room to lightly, very gently, so gently scrub the sensor glass cover where the spots might be. Don't clean the whole sensor cover glass, only the spots( one swipe back and one swipe forth as many popular instructions indicate just doesn't work) I use these https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FPWCMC3/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

4. Check with narrow aperture against white wall, or poster or toward the sky and repeat steps 2-3 as needed. Sometimes I have to repeat this process six, seven, eight times. My M10 seems to have wet spots for some reason when I have to clean it. I check my progress before, after and while cleaning with a small, cheap LED torch. 

5. Clean the exterior of your silver Camera mount and the silver lens mount too. I use Zeiss wipes to clean both. I suspect dirty camera and or lens mounts might be the source of many of the spots I have encountered on the M10 sensor cover glass that will not be removed with the blower or butterfly brush. 

 

 

Very sound advice, all the correct steps with the correct equipment in the correct order.