Is the GFX 100 II's sensor exposed when swapping lenses?

[yoms]

Hi,

Is the GFX 100 II's sensor exposed when swapping lenses? Or does the mechanical shutter curtain always falls in front of it when the lens is removed?

Is this also dependent on whether the camera is powered or not?

Thank you.

 

[Noddemix]

I'm a bit surprised that if you turn the camera off, the 1st curtain doesn't cover the sensor though.

I think the shutter is probably more fragile than the sensor.

Assuming that dust is the only thing that gets into the chamber (has been the case in my decades of digital photography),

I haven't done it, but I've read about people dropping things into their cameras.

Stephen Gill

Thank goodness we don't have the issues of the FP shutters in film cameras that could, and were, damaged from either side.

the difference in fragility is inconsequential.

 

[AlanG1]

Thanks Jim, I’m aware of that as neither camera has a mechanical shutter. Just wondering about other brands.

 

[Rob de Loe]

If it were set to a check box item then the choice is there for the user with the obvious caution. I am interested in how a user might damage the shutter fitting a lens .... unless they are fitting a lens with a huge back throw unsuited to the camera, in which case they would screw the sensor anyway.

I see what you mean. Still, I can clean a blob of something off the cover glass with no damage to the cover glass. There's no way I could clean something sticky off a shutter without wrecking it.

The purpose of closing the shutter isn't to protect the sensor from gross physical assault - as noted, the shutter itself is vulnerable too. It's just to minimize the more routine nuisance of having to clean dust from the sensor.

I get that. My concern isn't the sensor, which is protected by the cover glass; it's getting stuck-on dust off the shutter. It's extremely delicate.

 

[Oren Grad]

If it were set to a check box item then the choice is there for the user with the obvious caution. I am interested in how a user might damage the shutter fitting a lens .... unless they are fitting a lens with a huge back throw unsuited to the camera, in which case they would screw the sensor anyway.

I see what you mean. Still, I can clean a blob of something off the cover glass with no damage to the cover glass. There's no way I could clean something sticky off a shutter without wrecking it.

The purpose of closing the shutter isn't to protect the sensor from gross physical assault - as noted, the shutter itself is vulnerable too. It's just to minimize the more routine nuisance of having to clean dust from the sensor.

I get that. My concern isn't the sensor, which is protected by the cover glass; it's getting stuck-on dust off the shutter. It's extremely delicate.

You need a dark slide somewhere in your view camera setup.

 

[Rob de Loe]

If it were set to a check box item then the choice is there for the user with the obvious caution. I am interested in how a user might damage the shutter fitting a lens .... unless they are fitting a lens with a huge back throw unsuited to the camera, in which case they would screw the sensor anyway.

I see what you mean. Still, I can clean a blob of something off the cover glass with no damage to the cover glass. There's no way I could clean something sticky off a shutter without wrecking it.

The purpose of closing the shutter isn't to protect the sensor from gross physical assault - as noted, the shutter itself is vulnerable too. It's just to minimize the more routine nuisance of having to clean dust from the sensor.

I get that. My concern isn't the sensor, which is protected by the cover glass; it's getting stuck-on dust off the shutter. It's extremely delicate.

You need a dark slide somewhere in your view camera setup.

There are people who will not change their lenses unless they are in a clean room! Well, not quite. But close. I read people saying all the time that they use zoom lenses because they won't change their lenses outside.

A bit of common sense goes a long way. It's really a non-issue in my experience. A blower gets most of the stuff that lands on my sensor. Once or twice a year I'll do a wet clean. Done.

 

[Stan Disbrow]

Hi,

Sensor cleaning and fragility is not the issue it once was. Used to be there was a Lithium Niobate filter on top of the sensor itself. That was to block infrared light and pass visible light. It was a dust and pollen magnet. And it was easily damaged.

Kodak had the better idea of using a removable LiNO3 filter just inside the lens mount. So the crud it collected wasn't so visible in the images. And it came out to be cleaned separately from the sensor. However, only Kodak did this.

Anyway, with that filter gone, one is cleaning glass and so a whole lot easier with a lot lower risk.

Stan

 

[Paul2600]

Hi Stan.



it’s not the physical risk I worry about when wet cleaning. It’s possible range to the IBIS system. Before IBIS wet cleaning wasn’t something I did without concern. But since the introduction of IBIS things are different. I have read some wet clean with the camera powered on as that locks down the sensor and IBIS. Others don’t. So far I have only had to wet clean my X2D once as a blower gets the job done most of the time. I use a blower powered on. With a wet clean I am always worried about applying too much pressure to the sensor package and damaging the IBIS mechanism or somehow pushing it out of alignment. What are your thoughts?

Paul

 

[Rob de Loe]

Hi Stan.

it’s not the physical risk I worry about when wet cleaning. It’s possible range to the IBIS system. Before IBIS wet cleaning wasn’t something I did without concern. But since the introduction of IBIS things are different. I have read some wet clean with the camera powered on as that locks down the sensor and IBIS. Others don’t. So far I have only had to wet clean my X2D once as a blower gets the job done most of the time. I use a blower powered on. With a wet clean I am always worried about applying too much pressure to the sensor package and damaging the IBIS mechanism or somehow pushing it out of alignment. What are your thoughts?

Paul

The standard advice does seem to be camera on to lock it down. I've done it both ways (GFX 100S) and it's been fine.

 

[kciuk aka Ken60]

For the record, what was the general consensus regarding fluid for cleaning. There seem to be more flavours than cameras. Visible Dust offers several, Eclipse, plain alcohol ? Are any considered, or reported as "to be avoided" There also seems to be an issue obtaining some of the American brands abroad as postage is not allowed.

 

[Rob de Loe]

For the record, what was the general consensus regarding fluid for cleaning. There seem to be more flavours than cameras. Visible Dust offers several, Eclipse, plain alcohol ? Are any considered, or reported as "to be avoided" There also seems to be an issue obtaining some of the American brands abroad as postage is not allowed.

I don't know if there's a consensus position, but the Aeroclipse product that can be mailed is the one I use.

People really go down the rabbit hole with sensor cleaning. I wrap a piece of PEC pad around a spatula I built using an old credit card. Done.

 

[Stan Disbrow]

Hi,

I have always made my own tool to fit whatever width the sensor is and use a KimWipe, which is a standard electronics industry cleaning supply cloth. I use Freon TF, which is another electronics industry cleaning supply, for the cleaning solvent. I don't think one can buy that new these days. I still have several spray cans of the stuff around.

Going to the photo supply store, I would use a PecPad and Eclipse cleaning fluid. But I'd still make my own tool to fit the sensor width. I know they make swabs for the different size sensors which are PecPads already on the proper size tool and disposable. So, this can be fairly easy.

Stan

 

[Stan Disbrow]

Hi,

Yes, turn it on so the magnetic coils are energized to hold the sensor in place. Then, be gentile.

Stan

 

[kciuk aka Ken60]

I still have a working Visible Dust Arctic Butterfly, it seemed to work quite well on the FF Canon sensors for aiding in the removal of minor static attracting bits. They seem to still be available but at silly prices.

 

[GonnaSnap]

Swap lenses with the camera upside down. Instead of screwing the lens onto the camera, screw the camera onto the lens.