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sensor cleaning & streaking


marius

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hi — i use eclipse e2 & the visible dust 1.3x orange swabs for cleaning, but i can never seem to get it free of streaking.

 

i've used everything from 2 drops to 4, with no real difference.

 

i'm suspecting that the smears are actually caused by dirt, and that i just need to clean it more ... but i've done about 8 swabs at this point, and the streaks are still there.

 

any ideas?

 

ty, marius.

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Maybe you are applying too little pressure? You do not want to scrape your sensor obviously, but just wiping it with no pressure at all won't clean it either.

 

hm. i thought i was applying enough pressure, but i could always try a little more ...

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I find that you need to move the swab fairly slowly across the sensor surface and apply enough pressure so that the entire edge of the swab contacts the sensor. You can tell when you have the pressure and speed correct because as you sweep across the surface it leaves a continuous short trail equal to the width of the swab. The length of the trail depends on the sweep speed and evaporation rate.

 

If you sweep too fast there is not enough time to dissolve oil etc. and too slow the swab will dry out. One pass with one side of the swab and another in the opposite direction with the other side to cover the complete sensor area. I find two drops of fluid to be sufficient - that would depend on the size of the swab though.

 

I've found the M8 a dream to clean compared to some other cameras. There is enough room around the non active edge of the sensor such that it doesn't matter if you can't remove all the particles from the corners.

 

Bob.

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I have used e2 with the green swabs which might be more solvent resistant based on my reading of their confusing product description.

try sensor swabs, pecpad, or green swabs.

I think the isue may be the swab / fluid combination.

thanks

-bob

 

I use three drops per side, no more, no less

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When I cleaned all the smears and grot I went through a packet of swabs. Another two swabs eventually cleared the sensor completely so I would suggest perseverance should combat this. I would re-iterate the point about drawing the swab slowly across the sensor - I got through so many swabs by being afraid that anything but a very light touch would destroy the sensor. It doesn't and its actually the very thin glass over the sensor that is being cleaned. Be gentle but firm!

 

Since this cleaning in May I have not found a repeat necessary. I do use a rocket blower every week or so to blow anything out though.

 

Pete

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Meant to mention another approach to cleaning - have a look at Sensor-Film: Next generation sensor cleaning

 

This was discussed on a recent FocusRing podcast. I have not tried it but sounds interesting albeit slightly scary. Briefly, a viscous liquid is painted onto the filter over the sensor, it dries and is peeled off taking all the dust and grot away with it. Be really interested to know if anyone has tried it?

 

Pete

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Meant to mention another approach to cleaning - have a look at Sensor-Film: Next generation sensor cleaning

 

This was discussed on a recent FocusRing podcast. I have not tried it but sounds interesting albeit slightly scary. Briefly, a viscous liquid is painted onto the filter over the sensor, it dries and is peeled off taking all the dust and grot away with it. Be really interested to know if anyone has tried it?

 

Pete

 

No, and I find the approach foolish on the face of it.

spreading on a goo and allowing it to dry for awhile with the shutter open leaves open the potential for even more dust to creep in.

A sensor swab or a pec pad and a bit of e2, rinse and repeat maybe three times.

Blow with a rubber bulb as required, and you will have a pristine sensor with very few small blemishes if any.

I don't see the improvement. please someone convince me otherwise.

-bob

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Yep, I remember myself using such a method for cleaning my lenses, it was... early 90's if I am not wrong.

It was supposed to be very effective and very gentle too, suitable for very expensive lenses, at least this is what the maker was advertising.

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Yep, I remember myself using such a method for cleaning my lenses, it was... early 90's if I am not wrong.

It was supposed to be very effective and very gentle too, suitable for very expensive lenses, at least this is what the maker was advertising.

I used it myself as well, my memory of cleaning the front element of a 560mm telyt was that it was not always easy to get all of it of in one easy pull so I'm not how I would like to use on a sensor deep in a camera body.

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I have been using the DustAids sticky pads, which is a similar approach to the film. They work well for dust but not for the shutter oil, which has to be removed with wands and E2. I too have found that E2 seems to take quite a few more wands than E1 did. I rarely get away with less than two wands and it is often 4 - that's not cheap. I have kept all my old wands and have thought of recovering them with Pecpads but felt this might be a false economy. This extended cleaning procedure coupled with days like yesterday, when for the first time, the M8 decided first it did not want to open the shutter nor switch off in clean mode and then decided it did not want to switch off or close the shutter. The whole miserable procedure, along with trying things like re-loading the firmware (twice) changing batteries (about 10 times) took over two hours - grrrrrrr!

 

Wilson

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