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When is a sensor "clean enough"?

traderjoe

By traderjoe
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traderjoe

traderjoe

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Hello all,

I recently acquired a used M Monochrom, aka Monochrom typ 1, MM, M9M, you know the one.  Wishing to get off on the right foot with my new baby and being one of those, "clean the sensor yourself" wimps, I sent it off to Leica NJ for a checkup which included cleaning the sensor.  It was returned five weeks later (ostensibly due to two staff covid-related quarantine episodes) but the sensor still shows 20+ small dust spots. 

My question is this, what are the expectations here?  I was (perhaps unrealistically) expecting a virtually dust free sensor.  I understand that absolutely dust free is unattainable.

Perhaps this falls into the acceptable amount of dust?

I am loathe to return it for another go as I would like to actually shoot some photographs with it after owning it for two months.

Here is a Dropbox link (I suppose this is allowed, if not I'm sure I'll be told) showing the dust in the full .DNG file:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/yuzs760qbb1lv4h/L1000027.DNG?dl=0

 

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pedaes

pedaes

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1 hour ago, traderjoe said:

virtually dust free sensor

I think a professionally cleaned sensor should be dust/debris free, absolute not virtual, as it is not difficult. To answer your question - depends how much spot removal you are prepared to do, and to a lesser extent your subject. Clear or grey skies in b&w with any contrast will drive you mad.

As it is not new, a clean sensor should stay clean for a long time if you are careful changing lenses, so I would get it clean.

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adan

adan

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I clean my own.

My "time to clean" warning signal is more than 2 or 3 blurry spots at f/5.6 with a normalish lens (I use a 35, a 50 is close enough).

My "clean enough" standard after cleaning is no more than 10 tiny spots, usually in the extreme corners, with the same lens at f/16.

Like jd, I find dry air blowing is often enough. If not, then I have stages I proceed through to remove the "stickier" stuff: Arctic Butterfly "static electricity" brush; dry Q-tip; wet clean with Eclipse fluid and paddle-swabs. I haven't had to use stages 3 and 4 for quite a while - the blow and brush almost always suffice.

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250swb

250swb

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12 hours ago, traderjoe said:

My question is this, what are the expectations here?  I was (perhaps unrealistically) expecting a virtually dust free sensor.  I understand that absolutely dust free is unattainable.

If it was dust free when it left NJ it's not hard to imagine that a day or two in the post would shake some more dust out and onto the sensor.

Many people blame dust only on the stuff that comes in through the lens mount and they perform all sorts of absurd rituals to avoid it, but the camera itself contributes to dust itself just from the moving parts inside, and maybe even more dust than from outside.

Get some cleaning materials, a wet cleaning kit and maybe also an Eyelead for everyday cleaning. I always make a point of avoiding a Rocket blower because it can move dust, but where to? The blast of air doesn't mean the dust comes out of the camera, and if any dust is ready to detach inside the camera a blast of air will encourage it. Get dust out, don't redistribute it.

The point you should get to is where you can change lenses in a normal way and without worrying about dust because you are equipped to do a quick and simple job.

 

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evikne

evikne

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I usually shoot with large apertures, and spots on my sensor is my least concern.

But on a rare occasion I stop down to take a landscape photo, and when I come home and see annoying spots all over the sky, then I get a reminder that it's time to clean my sensor. 😉

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traderjoe

traderjoe

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I like the idea of the Arctic Butterfly brush, pricey but seems to be effective, but then, so is a Leica. 🙂

Also the Eyelead. There's an Eyelead specifically for Leica and Sony so I suppose there's a reason for that.  Is there anything about a Monochrom sensor that calls for different treatment?

Thank you all for your input.

Stay well and away from trouble!

 

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jaapv

jaapv

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On 12/18/2020 at 8:40 PM, traderjoe said:

Hello all,

I recently acquired a used M Monochrom, aka Monochrom typ 1, MM, M9M, you know the one.  Wishing to get off on the right foot with my new baby and being one of those, "clean the sensor yourself" wimps, I sent it off to Leica NJ for a checkup which included cleaning the sensor.  It was returned five weeks later (ostensibly due to two staff covid-related quarantine episodes) but the sensor still shows 20+ small dust spots. 

My question is this, what are the expectations here?  I was (perhaps unrealistically) expecting a virtually dust free sensor.  I understand that absolutely dust free is unattainable.

Perhaps this falls into the acceptable amount of dust?

I am loathe to return it for another go as I would like to actually shoot some photographs with it after owning it for two months.

Here is a Dropbox link (I suppose this is allowed, if not I'm sure I'll be told) showing the dust in the full .DNG file:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/yuzs760qbb1lv4h/L1000027.DNG?dl=0

 

Basically a sensor should be spotless if you have to pay for the cleaning. I only clean my sensor when I get fed up with looking for dust spots to click during postprocessing.

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traderjoe

traderjoe

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Yeah, it was not the brightest question I've ever had before.  I expected a virtually dust free sensor when I sent it in for that and a couple of other adjustments.  I was so dumbfounded and confounded my brain went into reverse! mode!

Disappointed.

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pgk

pgk

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15 hours ago, jaapv said:

I only clean my sensor when I get fed up with looking for dust spots to click during postprocessing.

The balance tips when its sensor cleaning is preferable to cleaning spots up in photoshop. Which in my case depends on my laziness quotient - can I be bothered ferreting out the brushes and blowers and cleaning the sensor or am I prepared to continue to sort out yet more dusty images?

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pippy

pippy

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2 hours ago, pgk said:

The balance tips when its sensor cleaning is preferable to cleaning spots up in photoshop...

Pretty much this ^

A few tiresome spots are a PITA but hardly the end of the world but more than a few IMX can be very time consuming to retouch so my advice to you would be please DO learn how to clean the sensor yourself. As has been said; it's not rocket science. Also if you are away on a three week (say) trip and you notice that there are dozens of dust-spots but you are in the middle of (say) the Amazonian Rainforest being able to whip out your Rocket-Blower-Arctic-Butterfly-Wet-Wipes to rectify the situation There and Then will, ultimately, prove to be a Very Good Thing.

Believe me....

Philip.

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