Sensor cleaning frequency

[Eclectic Man]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

With mirrorless cameras exposing the sensor whenever a lens is changed, dust and other particles can become attached to the sensor.  as the sensors tend to heat up with use, I wonder if particles can become 'baked on'.  The question I have is, how frequently do people clean their camera's sensor?  And how do you clean your sensor, do you just uses a blower, a brush, wet clean with swab or a sticky gel like Eyelead?

 

I believe that my ageing 'rocket' blower, where the bulb is made of rubber, is decaying and actually deposited fine particles on the sensor when I used it.  How can I check, and what is the design life of a rubber blower brush?  Some spots on my SL2 sensor took quite some removing with an alcohol-based wet cleaning kit and gel-based Eyelead.

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[ajmarton1]

I use the rocket blower. It’s around 5-6 years old and is fine. But it stays in an AC environment. If you have concerns over its age just get a new one - they are $16-$20 in cost. Why even take the risk of creating a situation where you need to pay to have your camera CLA’d. That’s a no brainer for me.  

[SrMi]

I never heard that particles could become 'baked on'; therefore, I do not think that you need preventive sensor cleaning because of that.
I clean the sensor when I notice the dust. I also check for dust before a trip. Sometimes a blower will do the job, and sometimes I need several passes with the swab. 
Note that SL2 does not have ultrasonic sensor cleaning.
I second ajmarton1: if you doubt the blower, get a new one.

[nwphil]

There are a few new blowers that have built-in  or serviceable filters - not sure how efficient they are, but the thing with blowers, filtered or not, is that they just dislocate dust from one location to another inmost cases. IMO they are fine for lenses front element, rear if a sealed back (zooms are out ), and in for mirror chambers - the M actually keeps the sensor protected when off.

So, yes, I still do use them nerveless in my mirrorless, but I keep the sensor pointed down, and I know that I have to pick some particles with a nylon brush here and there. Sensor swab is last resource, when they (dust specs) refuse to move

[nwphil]

8 minutes ago, SrMi said:

I never heard that particles could become 'baked on'; therefore, I do not think that you need preventive sensor cleaning because of that.
I clean the sensor when I notice the dust. I also check for dust before a trip. Sometimes a blower will do the job, and sometimes I need several passes with the swab. 
Note that SL2 does not have ultrasonic sensor cleaning.
I second ajmarton1: if you doubt the blower, get a new one.

not baked, but actually "welded" - that term I hear, and refers to static or moisture present in the dust particle, hence making it stick really hard to sensor. In the mirror cameras, some models are/were know to splatter oil all over making things even worse.

Indeed, nothing wrong with getting new blower - if indeed is showing the rubber cracking, and falling apart, it's time to recycle the bastard

[SrMi]

4 minutes ago, nwphil said:

not baked, but actually "welded" - that term I hear, and refers to static or moisture present in the dust particle, hence making it stick really hard to sensor. In the mirror cameras, some models are/were know to splatter oil all over making things even worse.

Indeed, nothing wrong with getting new blower - if indeed is showing the rubber cracking, and falling apart, it's time to recycle the bastard

Thank you for the 'welded' term. It seems to be caused by the dust's characteristic and when moving the camera between low and high humidity. The 'welded' dust issue should not be worse with mirrorless cameras than with DSLRs.

[nwphil]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1317994-REG/visibledust_19085408_zee_pro_sensor_cleaning.html

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1537703-REG/photographic_solutions_orbit_purified_hepa_filtered_rocket.html/?ap=y&ap=y&smp=y&smp=y&lsft=BI%3A514&gclid=CjwKCAiA-_L9BRBQEiwA-bm5fpTs1_GgH7xseQcytBdOaem4Ky8Kt03A4hRB3zZni1aPwvM92RAwnhoC2BoQAvD_BwE

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1317996-REG/visibledust_19112351_zee_pro_sensor_cleaning.html/?ap=y&ap=y&smp=y&smp=y&lsft=BI%3A514&gclid=CjwKCAiA-_L9BRBQEiwA-bm5fquc6P4UFiKuv-rH_i0HpfHhY9Wq_u7kqhmNx0SeZu5KMFZh8Snk6BoCRJwQAvD_BwE

 

one more:

http://www.kohglobal.com/JetAir.html

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1326694

Not that I am sponsoring B&H - is just that the search keeps showing them up in the first rows...

There is another type of blower showing up on EBay, but seems to be rebranded with several names...and I know what that means - I would stay away from those.

You will pay premium for the filtered versions, and honestly, not sure if they are that efficient and delivered a clean blow 

Edited November 24, 2020 by nwphil

[Herr Barnack]

I have had my M-P 240 for a little over five years now and have cleaned the sensor myself on average twice a year with no problems, no damage whatsoever.  All you have to do is follow the directions in your camera manual and adhere to the instructions that come with your sensor cleaning swabs and fluid.  If you do that, you should have no problems.

I use Photographic Solutions Type 3 Sensor Swab Ultra ($38 for 12) and Photographic Solutions Eclipse Optic Cleaning Solution ($9.50 for a 2 oz. bottle).  The cost of these supplies is a little less than the cost of having a camera shop clean my sensor at $50 a pop; after the first cleaning, you are saving money. 

Sensor cleaning is not the terrifying ordeal that some make it out to be.  The main thing is to not use too much fluid - 4 to 5 drops on the cleaning swab is all you need.

[graeme_clarke]

Interesting comments about baked or welded-on particles!

I've noticed the most sticky particles that cause me a problem are in spring and summer.  They are pollen grains, notably wind dispersed ones from trees and grasses and, because they have a protein coat. they literally stick like glue to the sensor!  I find neither a rocket blower or arctic butterfly will shift them - but these tools do work for the loose dust we often see  floating in  a sunbeam indoors!

The only thing I've found that shifts pollen is 2 or even 3 carefully done wet cleaning sessions with Eclipse or similar alcohol-based fluid and cleaning swabs.

I do it when dust is obvious as I look at 100% crops in Lightroom, especially on a light background or sky taken when I've used a small aperture.

So, in short, my answer is "as and when" needed, with wet cleaning required more frequently when pollen is about - otherwise a quick blow and an arctic butterfly wipe shifts the loose stuff when I put the lens I want on the night before going out for a particular purpose.

Take care everyone and stay safe and well,

Graeme

[laowai_]

‘Fused’ would be another term for welded or baked. In fact you fuse glass to glass at room temperature, solid state laser rods are built that way. 

You are not cleaning your sensor, you clean the glass that protects the sensor. It’s a lot less scary than it may appear at first. With clean sensor swabs and the necessary care this is not rocket science.

[bherman01545]

On 11/24/2020 at 11:12 AM, nwphil said:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1317994-REG/visibledust_19085408_zee_pro_sensor_cleaning.html

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1537703-REG/photographic_solutions_orbit_purified_hepa_filtered_rocket.html/?ap=y&ap=y&smp=y&smp=y&lsft=BI%3A514&gclid=CjwKCAiA-_L9BRBQEiwA-bm5fpTs1_GgH7xseQcytBdOaem4Ky8Kt03A4hRB3zZni1aPwvM92RAwnhoC2BoQAvD_BwE

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1317996-REG/visibledust_19112351_zee_pro_sensor_cleaning.html/?ap=y&ap=y&smp=y&smp=y&lsft=BI%3A514&gclid=CjwKCAiA-_L9BRBQEiwA-bm5fquc6P4UFiKuv-rH_i0HpfHhY9Wq_u7kqhmNx0SeZu5KMFZh8Snk6BoCRJwQAvD_BwE

 

one more:

http://www.kohglobal.com/JetAir.html

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1326694

Not that I am sponsoring B&H - is just that the search keeps showing them up in the first rows...

There is another type of blower showing up on EBay, but seems to be rebranded with several names...and I know what that means - I would stay away from those.

You will pay premium for the filtered versions, and honestly, not sure if they are that efficient and delivered a clean blow 

 

[bherman01545]

The ZeePro ones are great. They have particle filters built-in and are also anti-static. I have like four of them.