Wrong cleaning: Did I ruin my sensor ?

Dan Goldman · Apr 17, 2007

Hi folks ,

Tonight I think I made a stupid move. Instead of waiting for the proper cleaning tools I tried to blow away some dust from the sensor which didn't work so I thought why don't I try to use a soft brush from my lens penn to softly remove the sensor dust. The whole operation results in a disaster.

I wonder if the sensors AA filter which I assume sits on top of the sensor is made of thin glass ? If that's the case could I have scratched it with the brush of a lens penn ?

This is what I have ordered but yet not arrived :

This is what I used :

This is the horrifying result :

Do you think this can be cleaned by using the proper cleaning method ?

Regards ,

Dan

Todd Meucci · Apr 17, 2007

Those don't at all look like scratches to me. More than likely it's just gunk from your lenspen aka mascara brush

This is precisely why I'll only ever clean my sensor with a disposable medium like a Pec Pad and a spatula. Every time you pull a Pec Pad you know it's already clean.

I'd say just hang tight and do it right, you should be fine. good luck!

Dan Goldman said:
Hi folks ,

Tonight I think I made a stupid move. Instead of waiting for the
proper cleaning tools I tried to blow away some dust from the
sensor which didn't work so I thought why don't I try to use a soft
brush from my lens penn to softly remove the sensor dust. The whole
operation results in a disaster.

I wonder if the sensors AA filter which I assume sits on top of the
sensor is made of thin glass ? If that's the case could I have
scratched it with the brush of a lens penn ?

This is what I have ordered but yet not arrived :

This is what I used :

This is the horrifying result :

Do you think this can be cleaned by using the proper cleaning method ?

Regards ,

Dan

--

http://www.meucciphotographic.com

mobyline · Apr 17, 2007

Hi,

these "scratches" have a blob like structure...so I believe/hope it's mostly grease and it could be cleaned. I saw similar structures on my sensor after a similar cleaning attempt...it was grease (from the mirror box I've read somewhere).
--
Peter

D Sharp · Apr 17, 2007

Its good to be cautious when cleaning the sensor, but they are tougher than you think and I think it is unlikley that you have done any damage.

It looks like there is some grease or somthing on the brush which has smeared the filter.

I suspect that the first swipe of the swab will remove most and after a few more you will be fairly pleased with yourself.

Good luck!

--
Regards

David Sharp

*************************
pbase supporter http://www.pbase.com/dasharp/favourites

Dan Goldman · Apr 17, 2007

Thanks guys. It feels better now.

I won't touch the cam until the pec pads and the eclipse arrive. And for the lens pen brush; that's no longer a brush. I performed a haircut on it

Dan

gdanmitchell · Apr 17, 2007

Sometimes using a brush on the sensor (cover) can introduce oils and other sticky stuff to the sensor, or pick up such materials from inside the chamber.

Many people have reported this, and in the cases I'm aware of a cleaning (or two, or three...) with one of the wet methods such as Eclipse and PecPads has cleaned things up.

I don't use sensor brushes any more for this reason.

Dan

--
---
G Dan Mitchell
SF Bay Area
http://www.gdanmitchell.com/

rlshep · Apr 17, 2007

Yes I believe this is the case - I've got a few very minor smears after trying to clean my 5D with the Copperhill brush and Nicholas (Copperhill himself) has said it's probalby oil left in the chamber. He's very kindly sent me a new brush FOC and in the meantime I will clean the sensor with sensor swabs and Eclipse 2 - I used the equivalent with my old *istDS and never had any problems - always a bit unnerving but as everyone says, most of what the manufacturers say is probably scare tactics plus covering their own backsides!
--
Lizzie
----------------------------------
http://www.lizzieshepherd.com

saynomore · Apr 17, 2007

I'm assuming you have a 5D. The grease didn't come from the brush. Most likely, you touched the surroundings of the sensor with the brush, which contains some greasy substance. It has happened to many of us. So just make sure to clean your brush very well and you can try again next time more carefully (after you've fixed your current situation, of course).

About eclipse, there was a person a week or two ago (maybe a bit more), who really damaged his sensor with eclipse. They seem to be selling a new kind, especially designed for the 5D's type of sensor, they call it E2 or eclipse 2 I believe.

Dan Goldman said:
Thanks guys. It feels better now.

I won't touch the cam until the pec pads and the eclipse arrive.
And for the lens pen brush; that's no longer a brush. I performed a
haircut on it

Dan

AKaz · Apr 17, 2007

After you have used them do not throw them away, rip off the pad and re-wrap them with some Kimberly Clark XL Delicate Task Wiper (Kimwipes) or buy a spatula and use two or three drops of Eclipse E2 (

Guerito · Apr 17, 2007

I agree, it's most likely oil from the camera body, that happened to me one time. FWIW, I had the idea of using a Lens Pen before it was ever mentioned on the web and have not gone back to wet cleaning ever since however in your case you'll need to wet clean the sensor first, just don't over-due it with the liquid.

saynomore said:
I'm assuming you have a 5D. The grease didn't come from the brush.
Most likely, you touched the surroundings of the sensor with the
brush, which contains some greasy substance. It has happened to
many of us. So just make sure to clean your brush very well and you
can try again next time more carefully (after you've fixed your
current situation, of course).

About eclipse, there was a person a week or two ago (maybe a bit
more), who really damaged his sensor with eclipse. They seem to be
selling a new kind, especially designed for the 5D's type of
sensor, they call it E2 or eclipse 2 I believe.

--
'The primary purpose of any business is to make a profit.'
Canon CEO Fujio Mitarai

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home ;jsessionid=GX90G0k1Qp!1508707039?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=186095&is=REG&addedTroughType=search

rrcphoto · Apr 17, 2007

saynomore said:
About eclipse, there was a person a week or two ago (maybe a bit
more), who really damaged his sensor with eclipse. They seem to be
selling a new kind, especially designed for the 5D's type of
sensor, they call it E2 or eclipse 2 I believe.

what you left left out is that he used pads and the fluid in a manner in which no one on this planet suggests or recommends.

there's been other very limited rumours that other people have had problems, but what is not known is whether or not they did like this guy and use the pads / fluid in a manner that would scratch / damage the filter.

celltech161 · Apr 17, 2007

Dan Goldman said:
Hi folks ,

Tonight I think I made a stupid move.

I did the exact same thing over a year ago. Yes, we're both idiots for doing it. No, it didn't hurt anything. The Copperhill stuff will fix it. It may take several tries - with a clean pec pad each time, but you'll get it clean.

Adam2 · Apr 17, 2007

lubricant, possibly from the shutter assembly? I can't vouch for your lenspen, but the Sensorklear works great See http://www.sensorklearreview.blogspot.com .

andym107 · Apr 18, 2007

The first time I cleaned my 5D using a (brand new) Arctic Buttefly, I ended up with exactly the same problem - but far worse. So I took it in to be professionally cleaned. It seems that a lot!!! of oil had splashed over my sensor from the shutter mechanism.

The problem mostly occurs with new cameras, until the worst of the excess oil has been removed from the mechanism. I haven't had an issue since the initial clean...

Dan Goldman said:
Hi folks ,

Tonight I think I made a stupid move. Instead of waiting for the
proper cleaning tools I tried to blow away some dust from the
sensor which didn't work so I thought why don't I try to use a soft
brush from my lens penn to softly remove the sensor dust. The whole
operation results in a disaster.

I wonder if the sensors AA filter which I assume sits on top of the
sensor is made of thin glass ? If that's the case could I have
scratched it with the brush of a lens penn ?

This is what I have ordered but yet not arrived :

This is what I used :

This is the horrifying result :

Do you think this can be cleaned by using the proper cleaning method ?

Regards ,

Dan

Ghozer · Apr 18, 2007

I wouldn't encourage him to use the brush again. It's not designed for sensor cleaning and that would be just inviting disaster.

saynomore wrote:
snip

saynomore said:
I'm assuming you have a 5D. The grease didn't come from the brush.
Most likely, you touched the surroundings of the sensor with the
brush, which contains some greasy substance. It has happened to
many of us. So just make sure to clean your brush very well and you
can try again next time more carefully (after you've fixed your
current situation, of course).

snip

--
Cheers,
Doug

http://www.pbase.com/dougoglesby

Gary Jean · Apr 18, 2007

...you used the wrong end of the lens pen. Never use the brush! And never use a lens pen that has touched anything else besides your sensor.

--
Gary
http://garyjean.zenfolio.com/

Tom Melanson182298 · Apr 18, 2007

The LensPen BRUSH is not meant for sensor cleaning as the directions clearly point out.
The SensorKlear leaves nothing on the sensor. (BTW a Pec Pad is not
recommended by the mfg for sensor cleaning either.)

Anyone can use whatever they like, but it is misinformation that causes people either to not use an efficacious product or use one incorrectly.
Tom

Todd Meucci said:
I'd say just hang tight and do it right, you should be fine. good
luck!

Dan Goldman said:

Hi folks ,

Tonight I think I made a stupid move. Instead of waiting for the
proper cleaning tools I tried to blow away some dust from the
sensor which didn't work so I thought why don't I try to use a soft
brush from my lens penn to softly remove the sensor dust. The whole
operation results in a disaster.

I wonder if the sensors AA filter which I assume sits on top of the
sensor is made of thin glass ? If that's the case could I have
scratched it with the brush of a lens penn ?

This is what I have ordered but yet not arrived :

This is what I used :

This is the horrifying result :

Do you think this can be cleaned by using the proper cleaning method ?

Regards ,

Dan

Click to expand...

--

http://www.meucciphotographic.com

--
(See equipment list under 'profile')

cdanjo · Apr 18, 2007

I don't necessarily recommend doing this (i.e., do it at your own risk!), but I want to point out that I have had no problems with the following technique on my 1D.

I'm too cheap to pay the exorbitant price for those clean pads, so I have a home made swiper from a microfiber glasses rag and with Rexton Optyl 7 optical cleaner (got it for $4 from http://sciplus.com/singleItem.cfm?terms=12086&cartLogFrom=Search ). I scared myself the first time I did it because I ended moving some gunk around on the filter and making a mess. I never did get that CopperHill thingy working right. Here's my documented progress: http://web.mit.edu/cjoye/www/photo/Cleaning/

I still don't understand why people use hand blowers. They suck dirt in, put dirt out and just make a mess. Next time, I plan to try it using very clean, dry compressed Helium gas or Nitrogen gas I have in the lab.

-colin

Dan Goldman · Apr 18, 2007

Thanks guys for the informative help.

Where can the new type of Eclipse for the 5D, the Eclipse "2" be bought ?

Regards ,

Dan

Dan Goldman · Apr 18, 2007

I found this info which might be useful. To me it looks like the Eclipse 2 is only for Sony Alfa and the new XTI/400D. It looks like the regular Eclipse is to be used on all other sensors.

http://www.2filter.com/prices/products/eclipse.html

Anybody has other opinion ?

Dan

Wrong cleaning: Did I ruin my sensor ?

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