Why... do I have such a fear of cleaning the sensor...

[schimmey]

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Good afternoon all,

Just thought I would put it out there. I have a very, very, deep fear of going anywhere near the sensor with any type of sensor cleaning brush/liquid. I am petrified that I will irreparably damage it. I wasn't overly convinced by a previous visit (a long time ago) to Leica where they used a Pentax stick with a bit of rubber.

Any advice greatly received.

Thanks.

Paul

[spydrxx]

Fear can be a good thing as long as it doesn't impede getting a job done. Unless you're pretty sloppy, or working in a heavily dusty, sandy or rainy environment there is very little need usually to clean a sensor.

[jaapv]

Try the technique out on a filter. Read the instructions in the  FAQ. The cover glass of the sensor is not made out of marzipan. Don't try this at home - Once I was photographing a pack of wild dogs in a tropical downpour with my CL- I had to wipe the sensor dry regularly and used a bit of clean cloth for it (actually a spare T-shirt) No harm came to it. (the sensor, I mean 🙃)

[jaapv]

6 minutes ago, spydrxx said:

Fear can be a good thing as long as it doesn't impede getting a job done. Unless you're pretty sloppy, or working in a heavily dusty, sandy or rainy environment there is very lite need usually to clean a sensor.

Disagree: a sensor needs the occasional swab to remove the film that comes from pollutants in the air (just ask your wife about her windows.) I usually do a wet clean twice a year., regardless of dust. It depends on the air quality in your area, obviously.

[Herr Barnack]

The sensor has a sheet of cover glass over the sensor to protect it.  If you use supplies intended for sensor cleaning such as Photographic Solutions Type 3 Sensor Swab Ultra for FX or Full-Frame Sensors and Photographic Solutions Eclipse Optic Cleaning Solution you will not damage the cover glass or the sensor.  These are the same kind of products that the "experts" (🙄) at camera stores use to clean your sensor when they charge you $50 for a so-called "professional sensor cleaning."

If you use these https://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Basics-Stainless-Brushes-3-Pack/dp/B08D9PS769/ref=sr_1_6?crid=3F2G6X7VQLTCF&keywords=wire+brushes&qid=1707831764&sprefix=wire+brushes%2Caps%2C102&sr=8-6 all bets are off. 

I have cleaned the sensor cover glass in my M-P 240 around 3 times per year since I bought it in 2015 and have never had a problem resulting from improper sensor cleaning.  That has saved me $1350 USD in unnecessary sensor cleaning charges over the years.  It's really not that big of a deal to do it yourself.

Edited February 13, 2024 by Herr Barnack

[schimmey]

Thanks Chaps,

I haven't cleaned the sensor/cover glass since I purchased the camera two years ago (although I have used an air blower which worked at the time). Today I have tried the air blower, and arctic butterfly (the later seems to have made it worse). I have just used the air blower again and going to swab with some vDust Plus. The swab I have is a vDust  vSwab 1.0x size. Am I correct in saying that with this swab I can clean across (i.e. from left to right) as opposed to top to bottom? If I do top to bottom a fair bit of the sensor will remain untouched.

Thanks.

Paul

[jaapv]

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Sensor swabs are meant to be used from side to side. I prefer to use swabs one size down I.e. APS for FF sensor Left to right top half, same swab right to left bottom half. The main and really important thing to do is to blow the sensor before swabbing to prevent dragging potentially sharp pieces of grit across. And only use two or three drops of fluid. 

[lct]

Having broken a sensor already i don't touch them with anything else but the air blow of a blower. YMMV.

[evikne]

Every time I use some kind of sensor swab, it leaves at least as many new spots as it removes. Clearly, I'm doing something wrong. 🙄 But one thing I can't use wrong is sensor gel sticks. These always work great and leave no spots.

[Jeff S]

There are tons of videos showing sensor cleaning techniques.  But if you still have issues, any good dealer will do it for you.

Jeff

[lct]

28 minutes ago, evikne said:

[...] ne thing I can't use wrong is sensor gel sticks. These always work great and leave no spots.

Yours must stick less than the LensPen Cleaner with which i broke a Sony sensor hopefully but thanks no thanks never again.

[jdlaing]

You didn’t break the sensor.

[lct]

I did.

[evikne]

9 minutes ago, lct said:

I did.

Did you pull it straight up or did you tilt it first?

[jaapv]

Gel leaning sticks must always be wobbled off, otherwise there is a risk on pulling up the sensor cover glass. especially with Sony. Alwaus use one that is "for Sony". 

[marchyman]

I clean mine in steps.

1) blower.  That is usually enough, but sometimes I need to use...

2) brush.  The one I have is called "The Dust Patrol".  It is the only one I've used and therefore can't compare to any other.  If the brush doesn't remove the dust I need to use...

3) Wet cleaning kit. I've only had to use that once and still have plenty of sealed swabs and lots of cleaner left.  My kit came from VSGO.

[jaapv]

The M FAQ comes to the rescue..
 

 

[lct]

57 minutes ago, evikne said:

Did you pull it straight up or did you tilt it first?

Happened 6 years ago so i don't remember sorry. I've heard that Sony sensors are fragile since then so i tossed the LensPen thing given that my main cameras, including the M11, have a Sony sensor.

[LBJ2]

10 hours ago, schimmey said:

Good afternoon all,

Just thought I would put it out there. I have a very, very, deep fear of going anywhere near the sensor with any type of sensor cleaning brush/liquid. I am petrified that I will irreparably damage it. I wasn't overly convinced by a previous visit (a long time ago) to Leica where they used a Pentax stick with a bit of rubber.

Any advice greatly received.

Thanks.

Paul

What works for me if the blower doesn't do it:

1. Eyelead Sensor Cleaning Stick Kit for Leica or the Pentax Stick( this usually does it but you must use the sticky pads to clean the stick before, during and after) 

2. LED torch so you can see before, during and after ( see step #3) 

3. Only dab the spots with the Stick--not the entire sensor. *Very important to roll the cleaning stick to an angle/tilt and then pull up gently after the dab ( as mentioned by @evikne)

*Wet clean as a last resort and again only wet clean the spots, don't clean the entire sensor back and forth as many suggest 

**If you do need wet clean after the above, try a very few drops of Isopropyl Alcohol 99.9% on a small swab, it evaporates immediately. Most other solutions contain too much water which might add more stains/streaks/spots after cleaning

***I use very small sensor swabs for wet cleaning not APSC or FF size swabs and I only clean the spots--never the entire sensor or areas of the sensor that don't have spots 

**** Work carefully and gently, clean working space and use the LED often so you know exactly what to clean and what not to clean 

****Any sort of brush/butterfly used to clean a wet spot on the cover glass should be brand new and one time application only. Otherwise it just smears whatever from the previous cleaning 

And finally, the above at your own risk of course. But once you get the hang of it, one of the above can go pretty quickly, but never force or apply too much pressure or liquid. 

Edited February 13, 2024 by LBJ2

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[High_n_Dry]

I have cleaned my sensor in the past using the wet technique and never had a problem. However, the last time I used the sensor gel stick and it was crazy bad! The gel left this residue on the glass that I could not get off. I ended up taking it in and thankfully they were able to get the residue off. 

However, I now have a fear of cleaning the sensor and likely will just pay the 50 bucks once a year...