Removing M8 sensor glass. Experiences?

[Redseele]

I am currently the owner of an M8 with a cracked sensor glass (the thin glass over the sensor, not the sensor itself). It barely affects my photography since the crack is so small (I've seen a LOT worse), but I was wondering if anyone has ever tried to remove the glass completely. What would happen?

I almost do not shoot color, so I'm wondering if removing it could enhance the black and white potential of the M8. Maybe this could turn it into a sort of alternative to the Monochrom? Particularly since the M8 is already so well regarded in that sense.

Any opinions? Has anyone done this before?

Thank you.

 

[Timmyjoe]

Wow, I wouldn't think that is something you could do. I believe that protective glass plate is somehow adhered to the sensor, though I don't really know. But I also think that is the issue with the M9 series cameras, that is the glass element that has the corrosion and that has been a nightmare for the Leica technicians. I don't think that is a "user-serviceable" operation.

 

[_goodtimez]

I don't know what the final effect would be on the pictures but this operation would first need you to dissassemble the back and the top, an easy operation once you peeled off the covering. Removing the cover glass could put the sensor at risk during the operation if the sides were glued. Maybe this glass is just held with some sorts of mechanical system...

 

[jaapv]

The only thing it would do is increase the IR sensitivity. The cover glass on the M8 is just a 50% IR filter (this is the cracked part), the next layer is the Bayer Filter for colour, then you have the microlens layer and then finally the sensor proper, the whole array being bonded together. It is possible to remove the IR filter, but it does take special skills and tools, there are one or two companies worldwide that will do it and AFAIK they won't touch Leica sensors because of the risk/cost equation.
Leica never replaces the cover glass , they replace the whole sensor, actually the whole sensor/motherboard unit. And for free on the M9 series. And possibly the M8, depending on the cause of the crack.

 

[Redseele]

Hmmmm... I wonder, once again, if anyone has ever done it and what picutres without that glass would look like.

 

[Mudman]

http://www.lifepixel.com/tutorials/infrared-diy-tutorials

Life pixel does this sort of removal on a bunch of cameras; you have to replace with some sort of optical glass or else you won't get focused images is my understanding.

 

[benmacphoto]

Unfortunately I was in a similar situation a few years ago.
If I'm remembering correctly it was about $900 to have the sensor replaced by Leica.
Cannot remove or replace just the cover glass.

you have to replace with some sort of optical glass or else you won't get focused images is my understanding.

I believe this is correct.

 

[willie_901]

http://www.lifepixel.com/tutorials/infrared-diy-tutorials

Life pixel does this sort of removal on a bunch of cameras; you have to replace with some sort of optical glass or else you won't get focused images is my understanding.

I agree. The cover glass thickness is important. I remember reading the cover glass reflection coefficient or reflectance has to match the original cover glass assembly. But my memory is occasionally unreliable.

 

[jaapv]

Diffraction 😉 That is correct, but it is not really important as you have to "mis"focus when doing IR photography anyway -except with some Apo lenses that have been corrected far into the red part of the spectrum.

 

[Redseele]

Hmmmm, sounds like there's a lot of cons. I'm not going to try to get rid of the cracked glass. I'll just let the M8 be what it is, the black and white pictures from it are astonishing as they are and the crack is so minimal anyway 🙂

Long live the M8!

 

[Ong]

Not my own experience but someone I know managed to scratch his sensor glass really badly whilst trying to clean the sensor. As far as I've heard you do need that glass there, and it's not something you want to do (aka. Get a good tech).

 

[Kate-the-Great]

Hmmmm, sounds like there's a lot of cons. I'm not going to try to get rid of the cracked glass. I'll just let the M8 be what it is, the black and white pictures from it are astonishing as they are and the crack is so minimal anyway 🙂

Long live the M8!

Sounds like the correct decision 😉

The first page of the datasheet has a photo of the sensor- Link

You can see the cover glass is bonded to the package, not the sensor itself, but removing it would likely require the use of a hot-air rework station, disassembly of the camera, and a lot of patience. People have done similar DIY IR filter removal on Kodak sensors (KAF-8300 comes to mind, but those sensors and the cameras they come in are an order of magnitude less expensive than an M8) but it's not for the faint of heart and as other posters have mentioned, replacing the coverglass with clear AR-treated glass of the correct refractive index would be essential.