Send only to Leica to clean M9 sensor (or auth repair place)?

[zoar]

Just a quick question. There's a promotional event (Sony, actually) coming up and they're having free sensor cleanings for all digital cameras. Just bought an M9 (with replaced sensor), but the sensor does have some dust on it. Is cleaning the M9 sensor a very straightforward process (similar to all other digital cameras) or would you only trust the cleaning to an authorized Leica place? I don't want to clean the sensor myself, and I'm very leery of anything happening to the sensor, of course.

Thanks to all.

 

[boojum]

Just a quick question. There's a promotional event (Sony, actually) coming up and they're having free sensor cleanings for all digital cameras. Just bought an M9 (with replaced sensor), but the sensor does have some dust on it. Is cleaning the M9 sensor a very straightforward process (similar to all other digital cameras) or would you only trust the cleaning to an authorized Leica place? I don't want to clean the sensor myself, and I'm very leery of anything happening to the sensor, of course.

Thanks to all.

Good lord, no one answered. OK, the factory uses the pink gel stick from Eyelead to clean sensors in M8's and M9's. I have a video of a tech doing it at the factory. It is simple. I have cleaned the sensor on an M8, M9 and M240 with a gel stick and it was easy, as advertised. I recommend reading the instructions. There are horror stories on YT about the gel sticks not working or damaging Sonys. This has not been my experience. The pink gel stick is recommended for both Leica and Sony. Their are supposed to be counterfeits out there. There may be some of the usual confused nonsense about this. Eyelead makes the guts and has them assembled in China. In the Army we used to say, "There are 10% that just do not get the word." Some folks have trouble figuring out how the camera works, too.

Happy Trails.

 

[Rob-F]

I think that sending your Leica to Germany to have the sensor cleaned is a bit like sending your BMW to Germany to get the oil changed, or the windshield cleaned. If not comfortable doing it yourself, I think the camera store or Leica dealer would be perfectly adequate.

 

[cboy]

I personally wouldn't use the gel stick as the debris that is removed stays on the stick and one is just reusing the stick that has already debris on it...horses for courses. I did see however a Leica technician use the gel stick for the sensor cleaning procedure.. go figure I just use several wet sensor swabs and a rocket blower. One pass on each side of the swab and not reuse.

If you want to go the pro route the Leica technican also used a suction / vacuum attached to soft medical tubing to further remove debris.

There's really nothing to be afraid of sensor cleaning imo. The actual sensor is actually protected by a cover glass so you're not even touching the sensor.
​​​​​The only thing to be mindful is how to operate the shutter to keep it open, but Leicas' and most cameras have a cleaning mode which makes it a breeze.

But you're happy to pay for a clean then by all means. Not everyone has the time to anyways, much like when others get professional car detailing done.

Lol just realised I replied to a year old thread haha

 

[addled]

cboy the gel sticks come with sticky paper than you use to take the debris off of them. They work well.

 

[boojum]

cboy the gel sticks come with sticky paper than you use to take the debris off of them. They work well.

Also, if you read the manual, the gel stick can be washed with soap and water. Those darned manuals, what will they think of next?

 

[boojum]

<snip>

But you're happy to pay for a clean then by all means. Not everyone has the time to anyways, much like when others get professional car detailing done.

Lol just realised I replied to a year old thread haha

It takes between one and two minutes to clean a sensor with a gel stick. Many of us can squeeze that into our busy schedules.