Anyone here wet clean their own M9 sensor?

[enivre]

Hi guys,

I know I'll get a whole bunch of "you should send it back to Leica" comments, so yes I'm aware of it. But it's like having to send your bicycle in to the shop for some lubrication when you can do it teach yourself how to do it and do it repeatedly and safely.

I usually just use a blower & my arctic butterfly, but I recently got some glue/oil smudged over the sensor using the butterfly so I had to send it in to get it cleaned. Don't even know why there's glue/oil on the edge of the sensor, don't recall seeing it there. Anyway it took them 4 days (including weekend) to get it back to me, that's a little too long for my liking.

I was wondering if anyone here wet cleans the sensor themselves and if so what do you use and how do you do it. I've read the forums from overseas and I'm not sure if some of the brands they use are available here in Singapore. I've also read you can't even ship over some of the chemicals they use.

Any ideas?

Thanks!
Ervine

 

[Double Negative]

Yup, sure do. Have been since I got it - and other cameras before that. I use (and recommend) the "Copperhill Kit" or similar. It's not rocket science but does take a little care. After you do it a few times - you'll be a pro.

Forget sending it back to Leica... That's ridiculous.

 

[raytoei]

... was talking to a kind gentleman who owns a camera shop somewhere near the crowne plaza in bkk,
he was complaining that a few of this customers tried to diy and then sent to Schmidt in hk
who promptly informed that warranty was void because of the diy.

raytoei

 

[Double Negative]

If you damage the sensor, no - it's not covered under warranty. So if you have "two left hands" leave it to a pro.

Many camera companies will allow a one-time cleaning under warranty - after that it's basically the cost (in money and time) of a service. It behooves you to learn to do this yourself however. Dust is a fact of life and you WILL need regular cleanings. Of course, just how regular depends on you (your technique in changing lenses, etc.) as well as your environment...

 

[enivre]

I use (and recommend) the "Copperhill Kit" or similar. It's not rocket science but does take a little care. After you do it a few times - you'll be a pro.

Hm, I wonder if I can find that here in Singapore. If not I know they sell Eclipse and the some other brand.

Do you happen to use the "full frame" swaps or the smaller ones?

Yes I agree, it's a skill to be learnt. I would have stuck to just my blower and artic butterfly if not for the recent glue/oil crap.

 

[edutilos-]

I usually just use a blower & my arctic butterfly, but I recently got some glue/oil smudged over the sensor using the butterfly so I had to send it in to get it cleaned. Don't even know why there's glue/oil on the edge of the sensor, don't recall seeing it there. Anyway it took them 4 days (including weekend) to get it back to me, that's a little too long for my liking.

Probably oil from the shutter.

I don't have M9 but you can purchase the Copperhill international kit (for some reason they can ship it, most companies don't ship flammable substances) with Eclipse solution: Sensor Cleaning

Go to the bottom of the page, got a whole load of international kits, choose what you want after reading up. You should be getting the FF sized kit - if you think about it, having to drag the swab/spatula twice will probably be less effiicent.

Photographic Solutions Sensor Swabs and Eclipse are also easily available locally, but the Copperhill method works fine as well. I have also tried VisibleDust's wet cleaning product (specifically Vdust Plus). The advantage of VD's products are that they are not flammable and are as such, flight-safe - I purchased that for holidays. That said, as others have said, if you have no confidence and lack common sense (e.g. someone I know told me that his friend used a screwdriver with a Pec Pad loosely draped over it to clean his sensor and ended up scratching it), then just send it to the service centre.

One point to take note, many a time, owners who end up damaging their sensor with wet cleaning DIY cite the fluid seeping underneath the hot pass filter. This is really probably because they oversaturate the swab. I have self-cleaned DSLR sensors for nearly 6 years now and never have experienced that. Cheers.

 

[enivre]

Probably oil from the shutter.

I don't have M9 but you can purchase the Copperhill international kit (for some reason they can ship it, most companies don't ship flammable substances) with Eclipse solution: Sensor Cleaning

Go to the bottom of the page, got a whole load of international kits, choose what you want after reading up. You should be getting the FF sized kit - if you think about it, having to drag the swab/spatula twice will probably be less effiicent.

Photographic Solutions Sensor Swabs and Eclipse are also easily available locally, but the Copperhill method works fine as well. I have also tried VisibleDust's wet cleaning product (specifically Vdust Plus). The advantage of VD's products are that they are not flammable and are as such, flight-safe - I purchased that for holidays. That said, as others have said, if you have no confidence and lack common sense (e.g. someone I know told me that his friend used a screwdriver with a Pec Pad loosely draped over it to clean his sensor and ended up scratching it), then just send it to the service centre.

One point to take note, many a time, owners who end up damaging their sensor with wet cleaning DIY cite the fluid seeping underneath the hot pass filter. This is really probably because they oversaturate the swab. I have self-cleaned DSLR sensors for nearly 6 years now and never have experienced that. Cheers.

Thanks! I'll probably head down to Cathay to take a look. I asked a few other shops, none sell swabs.

Apparently Leica said it's glue from the IR filter or something... shrug

 

[edutilos-]

Thanks! I'll probably head down to Cathay to take a look. I asked a few other shops, none sell swabs.

Apparently Leica said it's glue from the IR filter or something... shrug

Can try OP as well. Their prices seem a bit steep though if I do not remember wrong.

Can call them to ensure they have stock. I know Cathay Marina Square usually has Eclipse and Swabs. Hope this helps.

 

[Chandler]

Why don't you just send it back to Leica Sg? The last I spoke to Andrew, the sensor cleaning is free. The only catch being that your camera has to be left with them for at least a day.

It's better than running the risk of scratching the sensor no matter how careful or skilful your hands are, which would mean voiding the waranty.

Let the techs do it.

 

[edutilos-]

Why don't you just send it back to Leica Sg? The last I spoke to Andrew, the sensor cleaning is free. The only catch being that your camera has to be left with them for at least a day.

It's better than running the risk of scratching the sensor no matter how careful or skilful your hands are, which would mean voiding the waranty.

Let the techs do it.

Agree that if want to let Leica Singapore take the risk of damage to sensor (though it isn't that easy to do so), then let them clean, especially if not in hurry and since there is no cost beyond the hassle of making the trip and associated transport costs.

That said, there may be benefits in being well-acquainted with DIY cleaning. I would imagine that if you take a trip to more remote areas there will be no dealer or technician around to take the abovementioned risk for you. Yes, just accepting the dust spots and cloning them out in Photoshop when you get home is an option, but imagine if it gets very dirty especially in dusty environments and the blower doesn't help.. You would literally curse and swear when processing the photographs! :bsmilie:

 

[enivre]

Yes of course if I had the time sure I can send it down to Leica, wait a day or two (or in my case 4).

But there are times you need your camera clean NOW... For example, I'm leaving for Boston this week, if my camera was sent in today I might not have been able to bring it with me.

 

[Double Negative]

Hm, I wonder if I can find that here in Singapore. If not I know they sell Eclipse and the some other brand.

Do you happen to use the "full frame" swaps or the smaller ones?

Yes I agree, it's a skill to be learnt. I would have stuck to just my blower and artic butterfly if not for the recent glue/oil crap.

The kit is pretty simple; spatula, a pack of Pec Pads and a bottle of Eclipse. One of those LED illuminated sensor loupes is also money well spent as it will cut down on a lot of back-and-forth shooting and peeping. Not sure if it's available in Singapore complete, but individually I don't see why not.

Since I got my kit originally for use with my Canon 1D, I use a smaller one. It just means two swipes across instead of one. The real trick is to use as little Eclipse as possible - one drop, really. If it doesn't work, try a fresh pad and give it another go.

I agree with those that say to just "send it in and let them worry about it" but like I said, that only works once under warranty. Beyond that you're out not just time (which can be significant if you don't happen to live near a service center) but additional expense also. Also as mentioned, if you're not in a position to do so (out in the field, impending event, whatever). You'll have to decide for yourself if you can do the procedure and if you can live with the consequences.

 

[mokjw]

Yup, I do. It's not difficult.

It cost me about $70 in visible dust swabs before I worked out a cheaper way.

I started out using visible dust swab kits and the swabs cost $4-5 each. When my M9 was new, the shutter threw up quite a bit of gunk, not cleanable with a blower. I've found I usually need 2 swabs to get it clean so that was like $10-15 a clean.

Then one of the guys in Cathay recommended that I keep the swab from visible dust, rip off the cloth end and use Pec Pads which are used to clean film emulsion. It's not warrantied by the makers but that's because they can't guarantee that the customers don't handle the pec pads correctly. Anyway, 2 packs of 100 pec pads plus a bottle of Eclipse liquid costs about $70-80 at Cathay and it's been over a year and I've not even gotten through 1/2 of that.

Then again, after the first 3 months, the sensor usually just required a good gust of air from a blower.

This way, the cost of a clean is a few cents rather than a few dollars.

Hope this helps, ping me over PM if you want more info.

 

[yeokpd]

Yup, I do. It's not difficult.

It cost me about $70 in visible dust swabs before I worked out a cheaper way.

I started out using visible dust swab kits and the swabs cost $4-5 each. When my M9 was new, the shutter threw up quite a bit of gunk, not cleanable with a blower. I've found I usually need 2 swabs to get it clean so that was like $10-15 a clean.

Then one of the guys in Cathay recommended that I keep the swab from visible dust, rip off the cloth end and use Pec Pads which are used to clean film emulsion. It's not warrantied by the makers but that's because they can't guarantee that the customers don't handle the pec pads correctly. Anyway, 2 packs of 100 pec pads plus a bottle of Eclipse liquid costs about $70-80 at Cathay and it's been over a year and I've not even gotten through 1/2 of that.

Then again, after the first 3 months, the sensor usually just required a good gust of air from a blower.

This way, the cost of a clean is a few cents rather than a few dollars.

Hope this helps, ping me over PM if you want more info.

I always have difficulty "folding" the pec pads sheets properly into the recycled swaps to make it into a usable swap. You have any tips or instructions to do it ? also I sometimes find the pec pad sheets leave some fibre strand on the sensor....some even stick on to the corners of the sensor....

 

[mokjw]

First off, I'm using the 1.6x rather than full frame swab. This way, I swab left to right on the top half, flip it over and swab left to right on the bottom half.

I fold the pec pad in half and then half again to get a long strip. I then fold this in half across the visible dust spatula and hold the 2 ends against the stem so I keep some tension. But because it's folded over twice, it's actually quite thick and provides a good cushion.

When swabbing, start with an acute angle and then as you drag it across, you hold the swab more and more vertical as though you are lifting the dust off. This way you are effectively using a new surface as you move across the sensor.

Don't reuse, throw away the pec pad after and use a new one for the next swab.

Yes, occasionally it drops a fibre but a good puff from the blower should get rid of it with no residue.

 

[yeokpd]

First off, I'm using the 1.6x rather than full frame swab. This way, I swab left to right on the top half, flip it over and swab left to right on the bottom half.

I fold the pec pad in half and then half again to get a long strip. I then fold this in half across the visible dust spatula and hold the 2 ends against the stem so I keep some tension. But because it's folded over twice, it's actually quite thick and provides a good cushion.

When swabbing, start with an acute angle and then as you drag it across, you hold the swab more and more vertical as though you are lifting the dust off. This way you are effectively using a new surface as you move across the sensor.

Don't reuse, throw away the pec pad after and use a new one for the next swab.

Yes, occasionally it drops a fibre but a good puff from the blower should get rid of it with no residue.

Thanks for the tips. I too prefer the APS-C swap to the full frame swap. Some how I prefer the push stroke across the sensor than the pull stroke. Maybe I have bigger hands and fingers so I cannot maintain a consistent pressure and during pulling across the sensor. I use up to 2 swap in a single clean. Push the swap from top mid sensor to right, then turn over the swap and repeat from top mid to left. Use another swap for bottom half of sensor. Sure this seems to overlap the cleaning sections, but that's how I find I can maintain a firm stroke....but hey, I am sure I am not using the best method, or the correct method for that matter. you seem to have mastered the correct stroke...

So, you mean you just hold the ends of the long strip you make against the stem of the naked swap during cleaning strokes ? You didn't tape it to secure it to the stem Of the swap ?? Maybe I should try this...I find I cannot tape it correctly to maintain a even surface swap....

 

[enivre]

Looks like I need to buy someone coffee to do a live demo for me! Haha...

 

[Marklimmy]

Tried a few types of swab and found the Visible Dust Swap (full frame) works best for my M9P. Can clean completely zero dust (no black spot at all).

Found that if use smaller swab, it is difficult to do 1 time swab perfectly and if you do 2 swaps, the 2nd swab will bring new particles to the sensor.

Do take note not to use blower frequently, as it will bring you more particles instead. The dust is actually tiny paint drops that got shredded off when you mount and dismount your lens, and if you use the blower straight away when you dismount your lens to clean, you are actually blowing more dust into the sensor.

Leica Andrew has taught me to use tapes to stick out dirts before you do anything to the sensor cleaning, so that the dust gets removed before it gets near the sensor. Then use the swab to clean.

Maybe Leica servicing centre good business nowadays, but I normally bring down and they will clean it straight away within 15mins done.

 

[enivre]

Thanks for the tips guys, I bought some visible dust swabs from Cathay, very expensive in my opinion, $34 for 4 swabs and 1ml of solution!?!?!?

Anyway, managed to do a wet clean without any problems, managed to get rid of a spot which refused to budge using the blower. I do however still have a few spots which even the techs at leica said they couldn't remove...