Leica S Sensor Cleaning

ndwgolf

ndwgolf

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Neil Williams
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I've got a bunch of dust on my sensor and have tried to clear it with a Blower but still plenty of dust on the sensor. What would you guys recommend I try next.......................... I have never tried wet cleaning or anything other that using a blower?
 
They do free sensor cleaning at Leica Mayfair. Do you have a local Leica store?
 
Sassafras said:
They do free sensor cleaning at Leica Mayfair. Do you have a local Leica store?
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Yes we have in KL but unfortunately I am traveling so I am thinking of getting one of those Visible Dust kits but when I look on there website its confusing as they have so many items for sell.................Can you recommend a kit that would be okay for the Leica S?
 
Arctic Butterfly or a visible dust swab (1.0 kit and make two passes) or PEC pads are usually what are mentioned. It's just a bit of a bigger sensor than a DSLR but I don't think Leica recommend anything but sending it to them for a wet clean.
 
Laudrup said:
Arctic Butterfly or a visible dust swab (1.0 kit and make two passes) or PEC pads are usually what are mentioned. It's just a bit of a bigger sensor than a DSLR but I don't think Leica recommend anything but sending it to them for a wet clean.
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I just bought a Arctic Butterfly
 
http://www.wexphotographic.com/buy-...q-3nof8n0tdnkenrd1gkyhhg2trugy4080aagis8p8haq


These work well.


Don't take it in to be done... it's pointless. Everyone behaves as if sensors are these outrageously sensitive things that can be damaged by merely giving them a nasty look or something. Your sensor is either behind an optically inert plastic layer, or a bunch of low pass filters. When on location, I once had to resort to just using the end of my t-shirt. I've certainly sometimes just used cotton buds. You won't hurt it. I can wholeheartedly recommend the above though. With a SLR Just ensure you're battery is fully charged, and use the camera's own sensor cleaning settings and do not just press the shutter and hold it open on B. If you slip you'll trash your shutter. With your Leica, you've no such worries.... just make sure the sensor isn't actually powered up, as it develops a weak static charge when in operation, which can attract more dust than your trying to remove if you're in a poor environment. Blow the sensor off with a rocket blower first though, and inspect it. If you can still see particulate matter, then you MUST use a wet clean with the swabs above, or similar, as dragging particulates across your sensor dry with inappropriate tools can scratch it. Still not massively likely... but entirely possible, so not something you want to risk unless you're in the middle of nowhere with a really nasty blob of s**t on your sensor.

Seriously though... you don't need a semi-conductor manufacturer's clean room, and a paper suit, expert knowledge and nerves of steel :)

There's far too much hysteria on the net about sensor cleaning.
 
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