Author Topic: cleaning OS sensors  (Read 1981 times)

Thomas Stellwag

  • NG Supporter
  • **
  • Posts: 1224
cleaning OS sensors
« on: February 01, 2020, 12:49:59 »
how do you clean your Z sensors?

or in general, is there a risk to damage the mechanical part while wiping over a movable sensor?
 
My actually only stabilized cam is a Sony A6500. Sony says it must be sent in, as other manufacturers are saying. For my Sony I found a solution from a blog:
If you use the sensor cleaning mode, the sensor is blocked after the vibration and can be cleaned, as long as you do not switch off the cam.
I still use (as in all other cams) 100% and 70% Isopropanol from the pharmacy, no special solutions from all this magic mixers around the world.
Thomas Stellwag

Jack Dahlgren

  • NG Member
  • *
  • Posts: 1528
  • You ARE NikonGear
Re: cleaning OS sensors
« Reply #1 on: February 02, 2020, 16:28:12 »
My understanding is that the Z cameras lock sensor movement when off. So I turn off the camera and clean. Only had to do it once when I hit the sensor with a finger while changing lenses.

Thomas Stellwag

  • NG Supporter
  • **
  • Posts: 1224
Re: cleaning OS sensors
« Reply #2 on: February 02, 2020, 17:07:30 »
if they lock it, it is a nice user friendly feature
Thomas Stellwag

rosko

  • Homo erectus manualfocus
  • NG Supporter
  • **
  • Posts: 1317
  • France/Uk
Re: cleaning OS sensors
« Reply #3 on: February 02, 2020, 18:05:23 »
My understanding is that the Z cameras lock sensor movement when off. So I turn off the camera and clean.

This is what I do too.

I had to do it by myself as the few photo shops I asked needed to keep my camera for a while.

I make it for the first time recently with the stuff showed below.

Easy and efficient. You just need to be very careful ! ;)

Francis.
Francis Devrainne

John Geerts

  • NG Supporter
  • **
  • Posts: 9357
  • Photojournalist in Tilburg, Netherlands
    • Tilburgers
Re: cleaning OS sensors
« Reply #4 on: February 02, 2020, 19:41:18 »
Keeping the lens mouth clean, and the lens caps dust free is thé solution for not collecting any dust on the sensor.

But when some dust arises, a blower is in many cases sufficient. For instance the https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ultra-Power-Hurricane-Blower-Camera-Cleaning/dp/B00GGCSLWK

Sensor swipes are the last resort ;)


Akira

  • Homo jezoensis
  • NG Supporter
  • **
  • Posts: 12825
  • Tokyo, Japan
Re: cleaning OS sensors
« Reply #5 on: February 02, 2020, 20:08:50 »
I use Koh HEPA Jet blower for cleaning the sensors and the lenses  It has a medical grade dust filter and the valves that prevent the nozzle from sucking the dusty air into the bulb:

http://www.kohglobal.com/JetAir.html

Strangely, I've had the dust-on-sensor problem more on the DSLRs than the mirrorless cameras.   ::)
"The eye is blind if the mind is absent." - Confucius

"Limitation is inspiration." - Akira

rosko

  • Homo erectus manualfocus
  • NG Supporter
  • **
  • Posts: 1317
  • France/Uk
Re: cleaning OS sensors
« Reply #6 on: February 03, 2020, 11:10:05 »

Sensor swipes are the last resort ;)

I totaly agree !

I use a blower each time I change a lens. I think the sensor is a static electricity area, attracting and retaining any flying particles...

However, I wonder if the blower is really the solution : perhaps a gentle vacuum device is better (without contact with the sensor, of course) to get rid of dust particles in a dust free area during this operation.

Actually, I had to wipe the sensor because the presence of spots (where are they come from ?)... :-[

Also, I am thinking to put a sticky product inside each of  adapters I use, to retain any dust.
Francis Devrainne

Thomas Stellwag

  • NG Supporter
  • **
  • Posts: 1224
Re: cleaning OS sensors
« Reply #7 on: February 03, 2020, 12:04:56 »
all the ways to avoid dust are better than cleaning, but my question is, is it allowed to cleand an stabilized = moving sensor
Sony says no, the solution is in my first post, but it is not correlating with the manufacturers warranty regulations
Leica says no, Panasonic? Sigma?
according to Jacks post, the Nikon sensor locks always, when the camera is off, which should work for a mirrorless camera
at the moment I would not be interested in a camera, that has to be sent to service for sensor cleaning
Akiras point is true for myself as well, on Sony Nex and 6500, I very rarely have to clean
my mirror Nikons need it sometimes

Thomas Stellwag

Akira

  • Homo jezoensis
  • NG Supporter
  • **
  • Posts: 12825
  • Tokyo, Japan
Re: cleaning OS sensors
« Reply #8 on: February 03, 2020, 15:35:38 »
As of now, Sigma doesn't make any camera with the IBIS and suggest cleaning the sensor with a clean dry cloth after blowing the dusts off.  If you still find persisting dusts, they suggest having the camera serviced at their service spots.
"The eye is blind if the mind is absent." - Confucius

"Limitation is inspiration." - Akira