Is this dust or sensor corrosion?

[raid]

I chose to use a lens that I have not used for a while, and now I see many dust spots on my images from the M9. This M9 has its third sensor, which was the one that supposedly is safe from any sensor corrosion. I tried dry cleaning the sensor with a rocket blower and soft tissues, and then a little sensor cleaner fluid and rocket blower.

I took some shots of a white background at f 16.
What can you see here?
Is this dust and I am not cleaning the sensor properly?
Is it corrosion?
Do you know of a specific way that I should follow to try to clean the sensor?

 

[raid]

I now got out the lit magnifier to better see the spots on the sensor. I may have done a better job in removing dust spots now.

 

[astrosecret]

it looks like it could be corrosion or left over cleaning solution. when i worked in service we always used a glove box with fan exhaust and disposable one time use sensor cleaning wands when cleaning sensors. do you keep your camera in a dry cabinet? essential to have one for florida and the southern us

 

[raid]

Yes, I keep all camera equipment in a "dry closet" at all times when at home.It hope it is a left over cleaning solution effect. It could have been the collapsible Summitar that brought in the dust.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

It looks like dust, and one spot of dried fluid. Sensor corrosion, at least on my two bad sensors that are now replaced- looked different. Like something out of a Mandelbrot set.

 

[raid]

Thanks, Brian. I have not cleaned a sensor in a long time. I will do a better job next.

 

[Bill Blackwell]

It's dust - and this is minor. If you over-process the images in Photoshop it will really be obvious. I'm dealing with exactly the same issue with my M10-P.

You'll find of you shoot at f/8 or f/5.6 the dust particles will disappear.

 

[raid]

Thank you Bill. I usually shoot at 8 when it is possible, except for portraits where I prefer wide open+ 1 stop.

 

[Darthfeeble]

On my corroded M9 the spots looked like little donuts.

 

[raid]

Thank God I am not seeing any doughnut-shaped effects.

 

[Bill Blackwell]

Raid: Just to show you what I'm dealing with!!! These are with my CV 40mm Nokton f/1.2 lens. The image is a clear sky. While I admit I have to heavily process my images to clearly see this, the senor is dust-ridden. This is after dozens of swabs - and allot of help from my GREAT Leica dealer, Tony (& especially Alex) at Popflash, and Paul at Steve's Camera Repair. I've ordered some "super fiber" swabs at B&H (they're expensive!) in order to finish the job. I'm assured by all concerned that all you see here is sensor dust.

@ f/22

@ f/8

@ f/5.6

You should have seen this prior to cleaning!

 

[brusby]

I've had great luck shining a bright flashlight on the sensor from many different angles. That makes small particles more easy to see. Then I use a dry all cotton swab as gently as possible, with almost no downward pressure, to kind of sweep away each small particle of dust. It's important to have some kind of magnifying device. I use the kind that goes around the head with magnifying lenses over the eyes.

But, many of the spots in the above photos look too round to be dust. They seem more consistent with liquid droplets, like oil, which would assume that shape before evaporating or drying. I would expect dust to have more random or irregular shapes. If it is dried fluid, you might need a liquid cleaner to dissolve the chemical residue as opposed to the dry method I describe above which works well for most dust.

And what's that vertical line down the entire middle of the sensor, causing the left and right sides to have different shades? It's almost as if someone used one of those sticky swabs that covered only half the sensor. Very strange and more concerning to me than the dust or oil.

Edit: just realized that line may not be on the sensor but on the subject -- a corner or wall?

 

[raid]

Raid: Just to show you what I'm dealing with!!! These are with my CV 40mm Nokton f/1.2 lens. The image is a clear sky. While I admit I have to heavily process my images to clearly see this, the senor is dust-ridden. This is after dozens of swabs - and allot of help from my GREAT Leica dealer, Tony (& especially Alex) at Popflash, and Paul at Steve's Camera Repair. I've ordered some "super fiber" swabs at B&H (they're expensive!) in order to finish the job. I'm assured by all concerned that all you see here is sensor dust.


You should have seen this prior to cleaning!

I see what you mean, Bill. I will revisit my M9 and its sensor.
Thanks!

 

[raid]

I've had great luck shining a bright flashlight on the sensor from many different angles. That makes small particles more easy to see. Then I use a dry all cotton swab as gently as possible, with almost no downward pressure, to kind of sweep away each small particle of dust. It's important to have some kind of magnifying device. I use the kind that goes around the head with magnifying lenses over the eyes.

I use a lit magnifying loupe, Brusby. It lets me see all particles on the sensor.

Thanks for sharing your tips.

 

[Derek Leath]

This is dust. Whenever you change lenses you open up the possibility of letting dust in. I don't change lenses in the field, I now always blow off my lenses before putting them back on the camera.

 

[raid]

This is dust. Whenever you change lenses you open up the possibility of letting dust in. I don't change lenses in the field, I now always blow off my lenses before putting them back on the camera.

I changed lenses at home, but I did not dust off the lens before mounting it on the M9. This may have caused the excessive dust.

 

[robert blu]

Michel Razafimahefa bought the M10 Michel Razafimahefafrom CS in Wetzlar whom I ask how to do to avoid so much as possible dust on the sensor told me it is very important to clean (rocket blower) both the area around the lens mount on the camera and the area on the back side of the lens we are going to mount. He also was very kind to invite me at his desk on shoe me how to do it and how to clean the sensor.

Nice to know your camera has no corrosion, I think it was the corrosion safe sensor.

As you I do not change lens in the field...in fact I like to keep the same lens for a long time, even weeks or months, but this is a di9fferent story !

 

[raid]

Yes, my M10 has the corrosion free sensor. It may have been a bad apple event in which dust crept in.

 

[Freakscene]

Corrosion spots are brightest around the edges, like little haloes. These are dust.

Marty

 

[raid]

Thank you Marty. I will remove as much dust as I can.