Sensor Cleaning

[Bob]

Well, it can frequently work, but unless you travel with a clean spare brush, it takes too long to clean the brush should it become contaminated. BTW, you can't just clean it with water and hotel soap or shampoo, you need completely residue free detergent, and if you just happen to be be carrying some then you are ok, if you have overnight to let the brush dry.
In its case, it is about as big as a battery powered electric toothbrush.
I leave mine home and take the toothbrush instead:ROTFL:
-bob

 

[carstenw]

I also use the Artic Butterfly 1.3x pro kit, and have not yet needed a wet solution.

 

[Lisa]

The main reason for having an Arctic Butterfly, for me, is that sensor cleaning fluids are not allowed in airline carry-on baggage (maybe not in checked baggage, either, since they're flammable). At least that's what I heard somewhere once, but I don't remember where, so someone should correct me if I'm wrong...

Lisa

 

[woodyspedden]

Lisa

Maybe I have just lucked out but I always travel with both the Butterfly and a couple of sensor swabs and eclipse 2 fluid. I have never been challenged but as I say, maybe lucky

Woody Spedden

 

[roberth]

thanks everyone. I'll try the bulb blower, then buy an arctic butterfly and if that has not done it go the swab route.

 

[Bob]

Well, (sort of tongue in cheek), I tried looking it up from authoritative sources...
According to the faa, materials that may be carried in checked baggage are regulated by US DOT regulations recorded in cfr 49 sections 101-172.
According to the eclipse msds taken from the photosol web site, Eclipse is classified as a UN1993 hazardous material. According to the dot in cfr 49-172.101 (department of transportation hazardous materials table) UN 1993 decodes to a "flammable liquid n.o.s." which can be carried aboard a passenger aircraft in under 1 Liter quantity.

Of course, that is according to the manufacturer's classification. E2 is not listed with its un code, instead it is accorded an iata id8000 which merely identified it as a class 9 misc hazardous material. Class 9 is the lowest hazard level and is carried by many (most) international carriers usually with some quantity limit far more than that contained in a single small bottle.

On the other hand, almost everyone in the transportation business takes the most conservative interpretation if left to their own devices which would be to classify it as a dot "alcohol, flammable, toxic, n.o.s" which is forbidden unless packaged in accordance with exception 202 which extends that to 1 Liter.
If the toxic element were removed, then the above forbidden moves up to a liter.
Of course, all of this can be changed through application and approval of a shipping exception (aka a license) which would have its own restrictions.

To sum it all up... Nobody will admit that you can carry a liter of this stuff in checked baggage because of the liability of interpreting the regulations incorrectly or possibly because of the way that it is packaged or boxed...I am willing to personally risk carrying half an ounce in my checked baggage.

Don't even think of carrying it aboard the aircraft. It is prohibited not so much because it is flammable, but because it is poisonous. The same dot table specifies a limit of 5 liters of alcoholic beverages in checked baggage.
So, will somebody please check up on this to see if I did it right
-bob

 

[woodyspedden]

Bob

Looks like you have done your homework well.

Perhaps the reason i am getting away with it is that I carry the eclipse 2 in a bottle of less than one ounce!

Thanks for the clarification and as a personal note have a very merry Christmas.

Best

Woody

 

[Bob]

Woody,
Have a Merry Christmas yourself!
I am all ajitter in anticipation. We will be traveling to Munich tomorrow where we will rendezvous with my daughter and granddaughter.
The picture is getting to be nearly five months old now.
Maybe over the next two weeks we will be getting a few newer shots.

-bob

 

[stephengilbert]

"It is prohibited not so much because it is flammable, but because it is poisonous." And this makes good sense: if you were to tie the pilots down to their seats and force them to ingest a sufficient quanity of Eclipse, you could make them sick and endanger the aircraft.

 

[mwalker]

Guy turned me on to the sensor loupe. It works great but a little expensive, B&H has them. You can see every speck of dirt and you don't have to shoot at the sky three or more times to see you got everything so the time you save is worth the price . I use a Arctic butterfly for dust and sensor swabs and elipse for the stubborn stuff.
Merry Christmas

 

[ChrisDauer]

My GF just got me a 7x Sensor Loupe for X-mas, and I'm loving it!
It is my favorite present, and the fact that it was the only present that is related to photography had nothing to do it with!
The fact that all my other presents were shirts, did. :ROTFL:

 

[Guy Mancuso]

I got a money clip , problem is trying to find what goes in it.:ROTFL::ROTFL::ROTFL:

 

[ChrisDauer]

Hey Guy,

I use mine to hold business cards of people I've met on Photography workshops!
Think of it as a portable FiloFax/Rolodex.

(at least this way it doesn't go unused!

 

[johnastovall]

In regard to sensor loupes, I fail to see why a plain old 10x or 7x jeweler's loupe wouldn't work as well and is very cheap.

 

[woodyspedden]

John

Sensor Loupe has six LED lamps which illuminate the sensor so you can see what you are doing. This is the main reason to buy this instead of just a passive jewelers loupe.

Woody

 

[Daniel]

late to the thread...

one habit i found quite helpful in preventing anymore particles from settling on the sensor is to change lens while the camera body is pointing downward.

 

[woodyspedden]

the other helpful trick is to be sure the camera is turned off before taking the lens off! Static electricity is a real culprit in bringing dust and dirt to the party.

Woody

 

[Daniel]

when using a safe solution to clean the sensor, does it matter if there are some residue streaks on the sensor? i've gently wipe the sensor until most of the streaks are gone.

any input if the streaks matter or not, or should the sensor's surface look perfectly without streaks?