Strangest dust on sensor you've ever heard

[nek724]

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By the way, if y'all spot a dirt on your M11 can you guys confirm back? When not zoomed in on live view, if you do spot the dot(s), you can see the dot doesn't move, but when zoomed in I'm 100% sure your M11 will do the same. The dot moving along with your motion. I'm on the latest firmware. I hope I'm not the only crazy one here.

Edited August 23, 2024 by nek724

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[J S H]

What you are seeing in the video is just normal dust and actually a pretty small speck...you probably won't be able to see it with your eyes. Maybe with a magnifying glass though. As mentioned, it appears to be moving because of the digital image stabilization, but it is not actually moving. You just need to wet clean the sensor and make sure the entire chamber is clean. If you don't feel comfortable doing that, then you might try a local camera store, assuming you don't have a Leica store nearby. 

Cleaning sensors is just part of owning a camera...best to learn how to do it and save tons of headaches down the road. 

[nek724]

7 hours ago, J S H said:

What you are seeing in the video is just normal dust and actually a pretty small speck...you probably won't be able to see it with your eyes. Maybe with a magnifying glass though. As mentioned, it appears to be moving because of the digital image stabilization, but it is not actually moving. You just need to wet clean the sensor and make sure the entire chamber is clean. If you don't feel comfortable doing that, then you might try a local camera store, assuming you don't have a Leica store nearby. 

Cleaning sensors is just part of owning a camera...best to learn how to do it and save tons of headaches down the road. 

I've owned a DSLR long time ago and dust wasn't that bad. Thanks to the mirror in the way I guess.

 

Now with M mirrorless system, and after some researching, I got the picture now. I've not owned many modern digital cameras so modern image stabilization is new to me.

 

So firstly, if just dust, try a light blow with the pump, if it doesn't move, I'll invest in a gel stick, and if it doesn't come out I'll try the swabs.

[J S H]

18 hours ago, nek724 said:

I've owned a DSLR long time ago and dust wasn't that bad. Thanks to the mirror in the way I guess.

 

Now with M mirrorless system, and after some researching, I got the picture now. I've not owned many modern digital cameras so modern image stabilization is new to me.

 

So firstly, if just dust, try a light blow with the pump, if it doesn't move, I'll invest in a gel stick, and if it doesn't come out I'll try the swabs.

That sounds like a decent plan. I gave up on the gel sticks, as they can actually make things worse. If the blower doesn't move it, I go straight to the wet clean.

Digital M's really aren't that much worse than any other cameras. DSLR's certainly weren't immune to dust spots either. I used my Canon bodies for work and usually ended up cleaning the sensors every few weeks. I do think our tolerance for it has diminished over the years and the new generation of hi res cameras and monitors makes the dust spots much more of a visible problem and thus harder to ignore. I now use Sony bodies for work and still have to clean them once a week when I'm shooting every day.

The best way to minimize the issues is to always change lenses inside (rather than out in the wind), turn the power off before removing the lens and keep the sensor pointed down during the process.

[nek724]

4 hours ago, J S H said:

That sounds like a decent plan. I gave up on the gel sticks, as they can actually make things worse. If the blower doesn't move it, I go straight to the wet clean.

Digital M's really aren't that much worse than any other cameras. DSLR's certainly weren't immune to dust spots either. I used my Canon bodies for work and usually ended up cleaning the sensors every few weeks. I do think our tolerance for it has diminished over the years and the new generation of hi res cameras and monitors makes the dust spots much more of a visible problem and thus harder to ignore. I now use Sony bodies for work and still have to clean them once a week when I'm shooting every day.

The best way to minimize the issues is to always change lenses inside (rather than out in the wind), turn the power off before removing the lens and keep the sensor pointed down during the process.

I figured if it's not oily (hopefully you don't have greasy dust balls flying in your area), then if it's just stuck on dust, without too much pressure and relaying on adhesive to do it's job, it should lift it out.

 

As for the liquid used for wet cleaning, I'd imagine that the same liquid used for cleaning sunglasses would work, right? I've always used the alcohol free Zeiss spray so if I get some swabs, I think they should do the exact same thing.

Yeah, with the M, I don't bring out a second lens anymore, and just focus on what you got when you're out. More enjoyable and get better results. And less things to carry!

Edited August 28, 2024 by nek724

[LocalHero1953]

My experience with cleaning: first blower, second anti-static brush (Arctic Butterfly), third wet clean with non-aqueous cleaner.

I have also had poor experiences with gel sticks so I avoid them. Aqueous cleaners have no effect on greasy/oily marks.

But I haven't done more than a regular blow for at least a year.

[nek724]

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3 minutes ago, LocalHero1953 said:

My experience with cleaning: first blower, second anti-static brush (Arctic Butterfly), third wet clean with non-aqueous cleaner.

I have also had poor experiences with gel sticks so I avoid them. Aqueous cleaners have no effect on greasy/oily marks.

But I haven't done more than a regular blow for at least a year.

I'll have a look into the antistatic brush, thanks.

[Maarten]

33 minutes ago, nek724 said:

As for the liquid used for wet cleaning, I'd imagine that the same liquid used for cleaning sunglasses would work, right? I've always used the alcohol free Zeiss spray so if I get some swabs, I think they should do the exact same thing.

Please do not use a cleaner for (sun)glasses! These are water based and contain a detergent to dissolve fatty residue. They do not dry quickly and are designed to be cleaned away with an optical cloth. This is not how you want to clean your sensor.

Use proper swabs and an alcohol based fluid designed to clean a camera sensor. Read the instructions or read the relevant topic in the how-to section of this forum.

[nek724]

1 hour ago, Maarten said:

Please do not use a cleaner for (sun)glasses! These are water based and contain a detergent to dissolve fatty residue. They do not dry quickly and are designed to be cleaned away with an optical cloth. This is not how you want to clean your sensor.

Use proper swabs and an alcohol based fluid designed to clean a camera sensor. Read the instructions or read the relevant topic in the how-to section of this forum.

Thanks, I'll remember that!

[marchyman]

I find a rocket blower is all I need most of the time.  Once in a while I need to use a brush.  Mine is a 16mm ChamberSwab from Dust Patrol.   It is the only one I've ever used so can's say if it is any better or worse than others.  The one time I had a spot the brush couldn't handle I used a sensor cleaning kit from VSGO  The VSGO cleaner is not alcohol based.  Don't know if that is good or bad.  It worked well on my camera.  This kit ==>  https://amazon.com/VSGO-Camera-Cleaning-Sensor-Cleaner/dp/B08D6CVPB4/

[nek724]

2 hours ago, marchyman said:

This kit ==>  https://amazon.com/VSGO-Camera-Cleaning-Sensor-Cleaner/dp/B08D6CVPB4/

Interesting, but man, none of these sensor cleaning products could just be decently priced nowadays? They out to get you knowing you need it so you have no way out but pay up 😂

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9 minutes ago, nek724 said:

Interesting, but man, none of these sensor cleaning products could just be decently priced nowadays? They out to get you knowing you need it so you have no way out but pay up 😂

Yes, € 25 are sure to break the bank.

[nek724]

54 minutes ago, pop said:

Yes, € 25 are sure to break the bank.

25€ won't, and like everyone already said, if you could pay Leica, you can blah blah blah  I get it, but the way I'm seeing from looking around the net, few swabs aren't worth that much to manufacture this piece of stick in China. I'll be gladly to pay premium no doubt. But oh yeah, Amazon tax. As an American living in France, don't even get me started about shipping cost here either.

Edited August 28, 2024 by nek724

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6 hours ago, nek724 said:

But oh yeah, Amazon tax. As an American living in France, don't even get me started about shipping cost here either.

Aren't there any dealers in France? I avoid Amazon whenever I can, and I can do so very often.

[marchyman]

 

18 hours ago, nek724 said:

Interesting, but man, none of these sensor cleaning products could just be decently priced nowadays? They out to get you knowing you need it so you have no way out but pay up 😂

That particular kit is good for 12 cleanings (contains 12 sealed swabs).  That is about $2/cleaning.  Seems cheep to me.  Given that I've need to do a wet cleaning exactly once in the 8 years I've owned an M (first the M 262, now the M11) it is quite possible the kit will outlast me.

[nek724]

7 hours ago, marchyman said:

 

That particular kit is good for 12 cleanings (contains 12 sealed swabs).  That is about $2/cleaning.  Seems cheep to me.  Given that I've need to do a wet cleaning exactly once in the 8 years I've owned an M (first the M 262, now the M11) it is quite possible the kit will outlast me.

Do you keep the the swabs and fluid in the fridge? Not the swabs I would guess but for the fluid to keep longer. I think I'll buy a pack of those to try. Seems VSGO is positive to most users.

 

Kind of getting off topic, as for the price, I'm alright with it, but out here in Europe, if it's not made in Europe, the import fees just make it stupid expensive and that's not even the fact the price converting over to euros yet. And then again, shipping, in the US, shipping is usually free and convenient, here shipping ain't cheap, and service is just alright. Sorry about the rant, but price + shipping price, out here, it isn't that decently priced anymore if that makes sense.

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5 hours ago, nek724 said:

but out here in Europe

Living in the sticks carries its hardships.

I just had a look. The product under discussion costs about the same in Switzerland. Some dealers add the postage, of course, others don't and still others add the postage for orders less than a certain amount. One of my dealers also offers a 'testing' kit with three swabs, costing the horrible sum of not quite nine Swiss francs.

[LocalHero1953]

On 8/28/2024 at 11:48 PM, nek724 said:

25€ won't, and like everyone already said, if you could pay Leica, you can blah blah blah  I get it, but the way I'm seeing from looking around the net, few swabs aren't worth that much to manufacture this piece of stick in China. I'll be gladly to pay premium no doubt. But oh yeah, Amazon tax. As an American living in France, don't even get me started about shipping cost here either.

I suggest instead you use a short piece of double sided tape on the end of your finger. Use it a couple of times on a piece of old carpet to remove most of the stickiness and make it just tacky. Then dab it across the sensor to clean it.

Even cheaper, cut a short length of one sided tape and fold it in a loop to make it double sided.

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[JNK100]

I don't know.the situation I'm other countries , but Leica here offer two free sensor cleans per year whilst under warranty.

Jeff

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8 hours ago, nek724 said:

for the fluid to keep longer

The fluid is just a solvent. You don't have to cool it for it to keep longer. Be careful that no foreign substances come into the bottle and  your grandchildren will be able to use it.