sensor cleaning for first timers- need help

[haribo]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

How do I go about it?

Do I first go into menu and choose sensor cleaning, then take off lens?

Or do I first take off the lens, turn on camera, go to menu, etc., etc.

 

This is my first time doing this and need some help here. leica manual is not really all that helpful. Please tell me what are the do's and don'ts.

 

Thanks.

[Advertisement]

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

[Shootist]

CopperHill Images has a tutorial on sensor cleaning and they sell a kit to do it.

I've been using there sensor swab for over a year with Pec-Pads and Eclipse 1 (standard) and E2 solutions. I bought there pro kit but only use the swab and the supplied Pec-Pads and solution. Actually I have bought more Pec-Pads and E1 & E2 solution form other sources recently.

[haribo]

Thanks.

But that's actually not what I was asking.

Got Artic Butterfly and stuff, came in mail today, and like to clean sensor now.

 

My question is a lot more basic.

[Shootist]

Sorry I didn't read all of your post. I have never used one of these AB and the one sensor bush I do have I used once and it didn't work. So I only do blowing with a rocket blower and wet cleaning, the blower is just to remove any loose particles prior to touching the sensor with the swap and solution.

 

Good luck and someone will help you out.

[philipir]

Switch on camera

Press Menu button

Scroll to Sensor Cleaning and press "Set"

It will prompt for yes or no - select Yes with "Set"

Press shutter release, as it says - shutter will open and stay open

Take off lens if it isn't already off - you will see the sensor

Now clean it - see below

When finished just turn off camera - the shutter will close. You are done.

Take a sky picture at f16 - this gets any remaining dirt into the focus circle of confusion so you will see it clearly if you view zoom in a bit on the camera back and pan around.

Make sure your battery has plenty of power - you don't want it running flat with you poking into the innards, I think. There is no rush once it is open.

 

Cleaning - many ways; here is mine:-

I use Sensor Swabs Type 1 (which are as wide as the sensor is high - perfect) and Eclipse fluid

2 drops on the swab and two wipes in the same direction but turning over the swab after the first. You can make the swab bend a little which seems to be a mechanically sympathetic amount of pressure to me. Discard it after one use - very important.

 

Others posting here will have their own methods. The brush thing doesn't work for me conceptually - some muck can be oily in a new M8, so a brush will spread this around effectively, plus it just moves dust around in the camera, rather than removing it. Whatever, it will be contaminated after first use - IMHO

 

As an aside, does anyone know how well the ultrasonic sensor shakers work in some DSLRS? Should it be on an M9 wish list?

[haribo]

Thanks everyone, I figured it out.

 

Noticed in the small print that Visible Dust, the maker of the Artic Butterfly, recommends to go to a site called 'sensorcleaning.com' for instructions how to go about it.

 

Used only the AB and it worked like a charm. Didn't need to use any solvents.

Btw, I bought the loupe as well. It's worth every penny.

 

Thanks again. My threadcom alarm is back down to a more relaxed color

 

 

 

PS: To be clear, I am in no way affiliated with Visible Dust and their products. Now back to the regular scheduled program.