Easy way to Clean a M9 Sensor.

[akk2]

If you choose to clean your own sensor, do it at your own risk.
I would say it is just a piece of glass that have harder coatings than lot of screw mount old lenses.
I used a normal lenspens, if you worry about the cleaning compound on it will harm your camera ,use a LensPen SensorKlear.

First, Blow all the dust around out with a Giottos Rocket blower.

Next, Pentax O-ICK1 for normal dust, (clean it will the supplied sticky paper every time you touched the sensor.)

Check again @F22 shooting a white paper. Usually there will still be something, they are oil spots.

Use lenspen for oils spots and the Pentax O-ICK1 for picking up the carbon based cleaning compound from lenspen and other dusts after using lenspen.

Check again @F22.
Now I got a F22 spotless sensor.

A LED flash light will help see when the oil spots are (from dirty blower and lubricants, so keep your blower clean, you may go down and read ederek's post)

 

[250swb]

I used a normal lenspens for oils spots and the Pentax O-ICK1 for picking up the carbon from lenspens and other dusts.

Is this really a good idea inside an electronic camera? Carbon dust, and you put it in there? I'm not saying it won't clean the sensor, and Leica will be happy enough because you'll need to send it for an expensive repair before long, but to recommend this to other people is madness. Sorry, I don't agree with even one aspect of what you advocate for sensor cleaning.😱

Steve

 

[MCTuomey]

I just use a garden hose.

I need a visual ... 😀

+1 lenspen for sensor cleaning

 

[akk2]

Is this really a good idea inside an electronic camera? Carbon dust, and you put it in there? I'm not saying it won't clean the sensor, and Leica will be happy enough because you'll need to send it for an expensive repair before long, but to recommend this to other people is madness. Sorry, I don't agree with even one aspect of what you advocate for sensor cleaning.😱

Steve

It is just carbon based cleaning compound on the tip like what is in newspaper.

Or think about the one they made for sensor (SensorKlear).

 

[akk2]

I just use a garden hose.

the real wet clean? 😀

 

[ederek]

A garden hose - LOL

akk2 - I shuttered a bit reading your cleaning method.

I cut my teeth on filthy sensors owning a 5D, aka 'the dust magnet'. Dry cleaning, wet cleaning, etc.

Taking a test shot while out of focus at f22 is a fairly slow and painful way to check the sensor compared to directly viewing the dust. Yes, I will close focus, wind up the aperture and take a quick shot of the sky to do a quick field-test of the sensor, but that's about it. A sensor loop is an awesome tool, and I highly recommend the Visible Dust illuminated Sensor Loupe.
http://www.visibledust.com/products3.php?pid=602

Have cleaned the M9 about a dozen times in past 7 months. Haven't needed a wet cleaning yet, but perhaps soon.

** This is very important ** - the oil spots likely do NOT come from the camera itself. They come from the blower tool youre using.

Back w/ the 5D, I special ordered the Rocket, blew on the sensor and SAW THE OIL I'd just sprayed onto the sensor. NEVER blow onto an exposed sensor. I will use the blower before opening the shutter to blow out dust inside the camera cavity, but never with the sensor exposed.

There are some blowers available now that have HEPA filters built into the end. Probably better. Keep in mind how the rubber balls on the blowers are molded, with mold release agents etc. The inside is not cleaned. I haven't tried it, but definitely recommend cleaning the INSIDE of the blower with alcohol or similar prior to use (draw up cleaning fluid, rinse, blow out, repeat, blow till dry inside).

BTW, you can test this directly on glass - blow hard onto it and then look with a loop - oil spots, sometimes in a nice spray pattern. That was the first time I needed to learn wet cleaning - after blowing onto the sensor.

Wet cleaning is sometimes needed if a pollen particle or similar is on the sensor and left for a period of time, as it can 'weld' onto the senor.

The best tool I've found for removing loose dust is the Visible Dust Arctic Butterfly. It's a super tool.

NEVER touch the brush on the Arctic Butterfly. Oils from your skin can transfer to the brush. My butterfly brush has never touched anything but a sensor.

BTW, a cleaning takes me less than 2 minutes these days.

 

[akk2]

Good point for the blower, it is good to alway keep the blowers clean, thx ederek.

When I was using Canon 5D, they put too much Lubricants on the shutter or mirror and i got oil spots after few months without changing lenses.
May be it just my case. But I will correct the post.

BTW, i feel collapsible lenses on digital M will get more dust.

 

[jaapv]

Why? The fit of the barrel is pretty tight. Not like the Canon 100-400 zoom...

 

[jamato8]

I didn't have good results with the first Lens Pens but the articulated ones have worked much better for me.

I don't do the f16 or 22 any longer. I have a loop for using on the sensor with internal lights. I can see everything and it cuts down the cleaning time by a great degree as I don't have to shoot, examine, clean, shoot, examine. . . . Just look and clean look and clean. :^)