Ack! Did I scratch my M9 sensor?

[brianpe]

Hello. I came back from a three week trip to Botswana with a very dirty M9 sensor. I blew it out with a rocket blower, but spots remained so I cleaned it with a sensor swab and eclipse. There is a streak on the sensor now and I am afraid it is a scratch because it does not seem to go away with subsequent swabbing. I've attached a 100% crop with contrast and exposure tweaked to highlight the area. Does this look like a scratch? Is there any way to repair it? And does anyone know the cost of such a repair?

Thanks,
Brian

 

[noimmunity]

I had exactly the same thing happen on my M8 when using Eclipse. Streaks in the upper left corner of the frame.
It was difficult to swab away, so I away availed myself of a new lenspen that bought specifically for the sensor. The problem streaks went away.

Caveat Emptor: YMMV. With an expensive camera like the M9, I think I would take it in to have a professional sensor cleaning.

BTW, I finally chucked that bottle of Eclipse and started using Kodak. I'm sure Eclipse must be fine, but perhaps I got a bad bottle, or it had been improperly stored?

 

[Keith]

I remember cleaning my M8 sensor with a swab and fluid and finishing up with streaks all over it from grease spots from the shutter. It took some serious effort to remove those streaks with subsequent cleanings.

 

[jaapv]

Have you looked at the sensor, preferably through a loupe? It could be residue but it might be a scratch or even a cracked IR filter through very high pressure..
If you used too much eclipse it might be a residue. Try swabbing it again, this time with medical grade Isopropyl alcohol, or Invisible Dust fluid. Or have it cleaned professionally for once.

 

[hellomikmik]

nice photo by the way.

 

[huntjump]

take it to have it professionally cleaned in my opinion

 

[ricnak]

I had something similar last week.

I had changed to a wide angle in a bad spot and the wavy line was in each shot. On the way home I changed back to a 50mm. The problem went away. I am telling myself that it was hair in front of the sensor. I like to believe in positive thinking!

 

[retnull]

nice photo by the way.

LOL! best RFF comment ever

 

[brianpe]

nice photo by the way.

Glad you like it. I spent hours waiting for the right light.

 

[brianpe]

Thanks everyone. Gives me some hope a simple cleaning will correct it. I'll send it in for a professional cleaning. The streak is visible on the sensor and to my eye looks more like a scratch than a streak. Here's hoping.

 

[AncientCityPhoto]

Try the Smear Away liquid from Visible Dust. I use that and their other sensor cleaner one after the other. This should probably get rid of that. Some times you can drag oils and such into the sensor when wet cleaning. The Visible Dust product range has proven to be way better than Eclipse and some others. (I clean my sensors regularly, myself)

 

[Shade]

It could be some dirt on the sensor, get it professionally cleaned first.

 

[250swb]

If you put the cleaning mark on it stands to reason you can take it off.

As Double Negative has said it does usually take a couple of passes to get right even for an experienced person. And too much fluid can make a difference as can too little. FWIW I think that perhaps you have had some oil splash on your sensor from the shutter and what you have done is drag that oil across the sensor with the swab, but not carried on and finished the job by making another couple of passes to get rid of it completely. Do try again, 'professional' cleaners will do nothing more than swab it when you already have the same tools.

Steve

Edit: In fact looking at your image again it looks like you have dragged oil from the edge of the sensor onto the sensor. No big deal, it is oil that isn't going to contaminate it again. These oil splashes are common with new camera's and settle down after a while. But the area around the edges doesn't (shouldn't) usually get touched by swabs or cleaning brushes like an Arctic Butterfly as they can drag oil across and spoil the brush in the process.

 

[jaapv]

Actually I do not think the shutter is the culprit of oil. I rather suspect new lenses.

 

[250swb]

I can see how air pumping through the lens could spray lube, like a zoom lens spreads dust around, but the shutter would need to be open.

The other consideration from my perspective is that before I sent my M9 back to have the cracked sensor replaced the edges around the sensor also had lube on them, my Arctic Butterfly would drag it onto the sensor if I wasn't careful. But when it came back it had been cleaned up and there was no lube around the edges, and I have had none since then, despite a new lens.

Steve

 

[jaapv]

I can see how air pumping through the lens could spray lube, like a zoom lens spreads dust around, but the shutter would need to be open.

The other consideration from my perspective is that before I sent my M9 back to have the cracked sensor replaced the edges around the sensor also had lube on them, my Arctic Butterfly would drag it onto the sensor if I wasn't careful. But when it came back it had been cleaned up and there was no lube around the edges, and I have had none since then, despite a new lens.

Steve

It would only need to get onto the shutter and the shutter motion would fling it around.

 

[250swb]

It would only need to get onto the shutter and the shutter motion would fling it around.

True, it could happen, but I didn't have any lenses that were less than eight years old when I got my M9, and still got oil on the sensor, so I would assume they were no longer 'new' whichever way you look at it. As I say, a brand new lens (or the shutter) hasn't subsequently put any new oil on the sensor since the body was all cleaned out by Leica. Gone are the amorphous blobs, but I still regularly get the sharper dust spots which is to be expected under normal user servicing.

Steve

 

[brianpe]

Well, just to follow up. I took everyone's advice and sent the camera in, expecting the worst. Looks like I got an early Christmas present today. Not only is the camera back, but the scratch was just a stubborn smear. Leica's repair order not only included the CCD cleaning, but also focus repair, "pixel restoration" and a replacement of the CCD circuit board. Total cost: zero. I was floored.

 

[jaapv]

Super- for Leica rather par for the course, but I can understand that you are totally chuffed🙂 Enjoy your invigorated camera.

 

[maddoc]

Well, just to follow up. I took everyone's advice and sent the camera in, expecting the worst. Looks like I got an early Christmas present today. Not only is the camera back, but the scratch was just a stubborn smear. Leica's repair order not only included the CCD cleaning, but also focus repair, "pixel restoration" and a replacement of the CCD circuit board. Total cost: zero. I was floored.

Nice to have the camera back ! 🙂

... but ... "replacement of the CCD circuit board" ... 😱