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What is easier to sratch when cleaning, a lens, a mirror, or a sensor

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fotosplaneta

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Currently own the mirrorless a6000 and one of its characteristics is that its sensor is some kind of "dust magnet". In addition to that, it seems that the cleaning mode found within the camera menu doesn't seem to acomplish anything when trying to eliminate the dust. Cleaning have been acomplished using an air blower but it seems that sooner or later it will be necessary to use some kind of "contact cleaning" method. The question is: which thing is easier to scratch when cleaning, a lens, a sensor, or the mirror (not in this case). Take in consideration that it seems the sensor is cover with some kind of hard glass. Thanks

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fotosplaneta said:
Currently own the mirrorless a6000 and one of its characteristics is that its sensor is some kind of "dust magnet". In addition to that, it seems that the cleaning mode found within the camera menu doesn't seem to acomplish anything when trying to eliminate the dust. Cleaning have been acomplished using an air blower but it seems that sooner or later it will be necessary to use some kind of "contact cleaning" method. The question is: which thing is easier to scratch when cleaning, a lens, a sensor, or the mirror (not in this case). Take in consideration that it seems the sensor is cover with some kind of hard glass. Thanks

www.flickr.com/photos/fotosplaneta
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Mirrors are front silvered, so they are easiest to scratch by far. But the scratch would not at all impact the image.

Sensor cover glass is less easily scratched, but if you do, the scratch might be seen in the image.

Lenses have pretty hard coatings, any scratch would have be be huge to impact the image, so they would be safest.

Wet cleaning a sensor cover glass is much easier than you would guess. But also can be disappointing, depending on what's on the glass. Dust and water spots are easy, but any oil is very very difficult.
 
fotosplaneta said:
... The question is: which thing is easier to scratch when cleaning, a lens, a sensor, or the mirror (not in this case).
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Why does it matter? When any one of them needs cleaning, you'll have to clean it... so be careful with them all.

Incidentally, SLR mirrors rarely if ever have to be cleaned, but junk on an SLT mirror can degrade the image if it isn't removed.
 
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Once when I was swaping lenses on my a6k I saw ONE hair. I didnt have blower with me so decided to carefully remove it by fingers. It was almost no pressure at all but I made a very thin scratch on the sensor.
No impact on pictures.
 
I suggest you get a good magnifying glass or loupe, it seem very unlikely that you managed to scratch the sensor with your finger. A finger nail may leave a scratch like deposit but the actual surface should be undamaged.
 
Reiper said:
Once when I was swaping lenses on my a6k I saw ONE hair. I didnt have blower with me so decided to carefully remove it by fingers. It was almost no pressure at all but I made a very thin scratch on the sensor.
No impact on pictures.
Click to expand...
I also noticed a hair on my A6000 sensor during a lens swap and I didn't have a blower so I put the lens on, held the camera lens down, ran the sensor clean shaker several times and removed the lens while keeping the lens pointed down and the hair had fallen on the back element of the lens. It was easy to remove from the lens and apparently left no residue on the sensor.
 
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rjjr said:
Reiper said:
Once when I was swaping lenses on my a6k I saw ONE hair. I didnt have blower with me so decided to carefully remove it by fingers. It was almost no pressure at all but I made a very thin scratch on the sensor.
No impact on pictures.
Click to expand...
I also noticed a hair on my A6000 sensor during a lens swap and I didn't have a blower so I put the lens on, held the camera lens down, ran the sensor clean shaker several times and removed the lens while keeping the lens pointed down and the hair had fallen on the back element of the lens. It was easy to remove from the lens and apparently left no residue on the sensor.
Click to expand...
I don't understand why someone would put a finger on the sensor instead of trying to blow on it, shaking the camera, using some piece of cloth... a finger would be the last thing I'd put on a sensor!
 
karlx said:
rjjr said:
Reiper said:
Once when I was swaping lenses on my a6k I saw ONE hair. I didnt have blower with me so decided to carefully remove it by fingers. It was almost no pressure at all but I made a very thin scratch on the sensor.
No impact on pictures.
Click to expand...
I also noticed a hair on my A6000 sensor during a lens swap and I didn't have a blower so I put the lens on, held the camera lens down, ran the sensor clean shaker several times and removed the lens while keeping the lens pointed down and the hair had fallen on the back element of the lens. It was easy to remove from the lens and apparently left no residue on the sensor.
Click to expand...
I don't understand why someone would put a finger on the sensor instead of trying to blow on it, shaking the camera, using some piece of cloth... a finger would be the last thing I'd put on a sensor!
Click to expand...
Personally, I wouldn't blow on a sensor due to the spit risk. I usually carry a Rocket blower with me but it was in the bag I left home that day.
 
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Yeah, I only use a rocket blower to clean the sensor.
--
Gary W.
 
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