Sensor cleaning and lollipops - merged thread.

[Chris W]

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18 hours ago, 250swb said:

I suppose on some planets the gravitational force must be high enough to render dust 'heavy' and it plummets to the ground, 

When you blast the sensor with air, the dust falls to the ground.

[250swb]

10 minutes ago, Chris W said:

When you blast the sensor with air, the dust falls to the ground.

Well if gravity gets dust out of the camera what gets dust in there, anti-gravity? You may be on to something important.

[Chris W]

I can see you can't be serious but just contrarian.

The simple fact is a few blows from a rocket blower cleans my sensor. If not that, then I swab with a correct sized swab. This.... probably a couple of times a year.

[Robert Blanko]

Sahara dust is transported over the Mediterranean Sea and over the alps to for example Munich before it falls down - sometimes seen as “orange rain”. Thus, I would say that for small particles gravity is not the dominating effect and the physics behind the transport process is much more complex than for let’s say for a brick which indeed falls down quite quickly.

But apart from that, my sensor cleaning experience has indeed confirmed that more than about 50% of dust particles can be removed with an air blower.

 

[Chris W]

I think you both drastically missed my point.

It was claimed blowing air into the camera body would only move the dust around, not remove it. I said if you hold the camera so the sensor points to the ground, then blow air into the body, it is highly likely that dislodged dust would fall to the ground. Then any persistent dust can be removed with a swab.

I have done this dozens of times and it works.

[jaapv]

Dust on and around the sensor is dust that has settled and most likely will settle again. Not dust that floats around. 

[dante]

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Hi - is the orange Pentax sticky sensor cleaner safe for use with the M11 series?

I know it is not for use with Sony, but it did work safely with the M240.

Thanks!

[pedaes]

Yes, if used properly. The M11 cover glass is no different to other sensors.

This was/is the method used by Leica on the assembly line.

[dante]

1 hour ago, pedaes said:

Yes, if used properly. The M11 cover glass is no different to other sensors.

This was/is the method used by Leica on the assembly line.

Thanks!

[ronaldc]

I had bad experience with one, see my post about it. Sticky residue left in sensor, only thing to took it off was Eclipse fluid. 

[ronaldc]

I had bad experience with one, see my post about it. Sticky residue left in sensor, only thing to took it off was Eclipse fluid. 
 

Read full thread here where I get one of these gel sticks and I post what happened 

 

https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/419683-sensor-clean/#comments

 

[jaapv]

The recommended one ( I believe the Internet in this instance) is the EyeLead Blue for Sony. I find that it works perfectly, have been using it for years. 

[High_n_Dry]

I also had a bad experience where it left sticky residue.

 

Had to take it in to get professionally cleaned. 

 

I'm sure it was user error, but still...

[pedaes]

On 5/10/2025 at 8:48 PM, High_n_Dry said:

'm sure it was user error, but still...

Please share how you used it? 

[High_n_Dry]

I just was dabbing it on the sensor and residue from the stick came off onto the sensor. Wet cleaning would not take it off. 

Since it was not coming off, I took it in to a local camera store and they cleaned it. Not sure what they used.

On 5/11/2025 at 2:00 PM, pedaes said:

Please share how you used it? 

 

[jaapv]

On 5/10/2025 at 9:48 PM, High_n_Dry said:

I also had a bad experience where it left sticky residue.

 

Had to take it in to get professionally cleaned. 

 

I'm sure it was user error, but still...

So where did the residue come from - it must have gotten onto the gel somehow.

[jakontil]

1 hour ago, jaapv said:

So where did the residue come from - it must have gotten onto the gel somehow.

Looks like an expired gel will produce residue?

[jaapv]

Maybe, but I tried a more than fifteen-year old one on a filter just now  and no problem.

[LocalHero1953]

Mods, please can you connect the last post in this thread to post #1 ?

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Hallo,

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[Velo-city]

I found the gel stick to be pretty good, but you do have to clean it properly with the sticky paper beforehand and have a relatively light yet firm touch and 'wiggle' it gently off rather than pull.  The Pentax one used in that Leica video is actually quite hard to find in the uk and I imported it from Japan (which cost less overall than buying here).

You can also target a very specific quadrant if needed, rather then the whole sensor if you have individual dust specs and you can remember which way round the mirroring of the sensor goes.

Have never used the swabs, but I think I would be inclined to go that way in the future, as they seem less prone to errors and also it requires less thought and less 'steady hand'. Fortunately 75% of my current cameras are fixed lens or film so I'm not doing much sensor cleaning.

Edited May 18 by Velo-city