Leica sensor dust reduction. None?

Ko.Fe.

Ko.Fe.

Lenses 35/21 Gears 46/20
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One of Leica Camera AG big cheeses proclaimed once about Leica lenses to be used wide open as much as possible.
Is it due to absence of sensor reduction almost in every digital Leica camera made?
No dust reduction in any digital M, nothing in CL, I guess TL is same. Not sure SL2 has it, either.

I'm not a pigster. I change lenses indoor and carefully. Still, my M-E has dust bunnies populating as bunnies.

Self-cleaning sensor in expensive Leica cameras is spooky experience.
I did it only after I knew my M-E sensor was for replacement of so called corrosion. It wasn't pleasing experience. Now, with new sensor, installed and absence of Leica service in Canada, I'm afraid.


So, is taking pictures wide open is the only solution with made in Germany digital cameras?
Or German Engineering means cameras has to be sent to Leica every over year for 500 USD service?
 
No dust reduction on my M240, but it does have a nifty "dust locator" that shows you exactly where the dust is. I clean the sensor myself, using an Eyelead stick. I do admit to experiencing a bit of anxiety the first time I cleaned my sensor, but now it's second nature and no big deal. Both easy and effective. Others may disagree.

Jim B.
 
Ko. Fe. I hear you. I'm usually a nervous wreck every time I have to clean the sensor on my ME or my Monochrom. I use one of the wet systems, and it seems to work pretty well. But I'm to the point where clean enough is good enough.

Good Luck.

Best,
-Tim
 
The dust location feature of the newer cameras is very useful, and the newer shutters do not seem to throw up lubricant like the M9 era cameras, so a blower has worked so far for me ( M10, TL2 , CL ).
 
@Ko.Fe.: Whats so hard about sensor cleaning? I did/do this with all my digital Leicas (and other cameras as well). I usually do wet-cleaning after using a blower.

What you are cleaning there isn't really the sensor (that would be scary indeed), but the glass cover in front of the sensor and that stuff is pretty tough. A little like the front lens of modern lenses, very tough coated and very hard glass. I wouldn't recommend to use a knife or steel-nail to scratch away dust-dots, but besides that...

However, you are right, that considering the price, it would be a nice feature to have some ultra sonic vibration to remove at least the simple dust. But with sticky dust like pollen, that doesn't help either, So sometimes, there is no way around a good wet cleaning. It's not that hard.
 
99% of it will come off with a couple puffs from canned air. Some people cringe at the thought of using that on a sensor, claiming it leave a residue, but it doesn't if you don't tilt it or shake it... just know your particular canned air can, practice a few times and observe how to make it blow clean air without aerosol, and then blast away, holding it far enough from the sensor that you're not hitting it too forcefully.

Anything canned air doesn't remove I just barely tap with a q-tip, or, if it's sticky, nudge with an alcohol-laden q-tip and then a dry one.
 
THE major beef I have with Leica. It could be forgiven in the first couple iterations of the digital M, but from 240 on it's just inexcusable to have a camera of that quality that is designed to have different fixed focus length lenses on it to not have dust reduction. I have cleaned the sensor on all my cameras and it doesn't bother me too much but I have also gone to using just one lens on my M9, and at that it will still eventually collect some spots. That said, the cameras that have it will eventually get dust spots too, just way less often.
 
Honestly I'm not sure dust reduction systems actually work anyway - all the digital Olympus cameras I had ended up with dust on their sensors, and my fuji definitely has dust on it too.
 
Thanks for all of hints how to clean it.

I use 90+ % alcohol and FF sensor swabs with Kimtech Science tissues on them.



Maybe it is part of the Leica charm. Primitive and we have to be mucho macho with it.
 
gavinlg said:
Honestly I'm not sure dust reduction systems actually work anyway - all the digital Olympus cameras I had ended up with dust on their sensors, and my fuji definitely has dust on it too.
Click to expand...


I swear by Canon dust reduction. Our Canon 500D sensor is clean since 2009. I'm changing lenses on it frequently.

I also have Olympus E-PL1 and no dust either.
And we have our daughter Canon 5D MKII which she used in the night clubs and its sensor is suitable for corn patch.
 
agentlossing said:
99% of it will come off with a couple puffs from canned air. Some people cringe at the thought of using that on a sensor, claiming it leave a residue, but it doesn't if you don't tilt it or shake it... just know your particular canned air can, practice a few times and observe how to make it blow clean air without aerosol, and then blast away, holding it far enough from the sensor that you're not hitting it too forcefully.

Anything canned air doesn't remove I just barely tap with a q-tip, or, if it's sticky, nudge with an alcohol-laden q-tip and then a dry one.
Click to expand...

My Nikons have it. Almost never turn it on. Leica never heard of it.

Said it a million times. Blow out the chamber inside the camera where dust starts. Use clean rear caps.

Start with blower, then brush, then bent leg thing with sensor light, then sticky wand, then wet. STOP as soon as dust is gone. 98% of times 1,2,3 is all that is required.

Keep all your equipment clean always. There will be little trouble.
 
We can change dust from being a photographic problem into being a philosophical virtue.

We admire cameras which show signs of use: brassing, scratches, dents - these signs of battle. We admire less than perfect images from the Civil War or other battles. So we should admire dust as The Sign Of The True Photographer: someone who is more concerned with getting the photo and who has no time for such frilly trivialities as a pristine image.
 
raid said:
I would not anymore dare to use wet cleaning of sensors. A rocket blower will do.
Click to expand...
A rocket blower works for awhile, but eventually you're going to have to use sensor cleaning liquid and swabs whether you want to or not.

Interesting to note - I used a Canon 5DmkIII for about three years and never cleaned the sensor once - it never seemed to need it (the mirror makes a big difference). But my M10-P needs at least the rocket blower about once a month - and a wet cleaning at least once a year. More often if I change lenses (even if I do it at home)!
 
I think, the easiest solution for all you rich dentists would be to buy one M10 per lens and then never change lenses again. - I think, that's what Leica wants to suggest by ignoring that feature... :D
 
gavinlg said:
Honestly I'm not sure dust reduction systems actually work anyway - all the digital Olympus cameras I had ended up with dust on their sensors, and my fuji definitely has dust on it too.
Click to expand...

In my experience, it does - I used a Fuji XT1 alongside a M Monochrom...I would estimate that I cleaned the Fuji once, when the Monochrom needed it several times during the same period.
 
Anyone tried the Green Clean sensor cleaning kit. It comes with a venturi vacuum (the venturi is driven by a can of compressed gas, and by design the gas doesn’t cone into contact with the sensor stack). Also supplied with wet and dry sensor swabs.
 
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