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digiback CCD cleaning ????

Rollei6008i

Member
Dear digiback owners & users,

As I am going to step into the digiback era , I have a query about the cleaning of CCD surface in the location photography.

Since the area of MF digiback is much larger than DSLR & may always swapping between film & digiback, there are a lot of chances of some dust may fell on the CCD surface or even some finger prints on it . Would you like to share your experience on these occasions on how to tackle it ? Just clean as cleaning the lens or have some special methods ??

Thanks in advance.
 
I'd like to know too. Cleaning DSLR sensors is easy enough for me, since it has the AA filter on the front to protect the sensor, so I don't worry about ruining it.

Does one use the same chemicals and apparatus or do CCDs need something else?
 

Bob

Administrator
Staff member
First off concerning fingerprints: just don't touch the sensor.
Otherwise digital backs clean up pretty much the same as any other sensor.
There are larger versions of swabs, as well as the Phase One cleaning kit which uses a plastic paddle with a folded-over disposable soft paper wipe.
In the field, with wind blowing, cleaning any sensor can be trouble. At least get into some sheltered place (car, tent, or otherwise in-doors) and do your cleaning there.

First, try a blower like the rocket blower which works well enough in the field. I have a filtered blower sold by visible dust which may be better for use in the wild. Some use canned air, very carefully, and with a partial can and a short burst with the can upright to avoid spraying the sensor with fluid.

Second, use a wipe with a cleaning fluid. For field use I use the visible dust digital back swab Digital back sensor swab.. I have never been pleased with the cleaning fluids produced by visible dust and strongly prefer eclipse or the "B" solution from the phase one cleaning kit. Be forewarned though that the A solution in the Phase One kit is a soap and water solution which has the nasty tendency of leaving behind a soapy residue. I guess I might use that on a last resort basis.
The fluid to use is dependent on the type of contamination.
Oil needs a solvent or soapy solution to remove. Eclipse usually works for me.
Salts such as sea-spray needs something with a bit of water in it. The Phase One B contains enough water to work usually, although I wish somebody would sell a small dropper bottle of micro-filtered distilled water.
Sometimes when the type of contaminant cannot be identified you might need to try a few different approaches.
-bob
 

kdphotography

Well-known member
I think you'll find that cleaning a MFDB sensor is much easier than a DSLR and generally is not needed nearly as much.

Similar to a DSLR, I use the least invasive/intrusive method of cleaning and move up from there as needed to clean the sensor. Usually the blower is all I need on the MFDB, and I probably use the Phase cleaning kit "B" solution only about once a year.

Blower
Visible dust sensor brush
Phase One cleaning kit/swabs

ken
 

Bob

Administrator
Staff member
I have learned to avoid all those sensor brushes since fairly quickly they accumulate an oily residue and leave streaks.
So
1) Blower
2) swab it
 
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kdphotography

Well-known member
There is a "cleaner" for the sensor brushes, but I've never had to buy/use it. The oily residue is generally picked up from cleaning DSLR, which can have oils on the mirror box walls. No likee da oil on me sensor.... :)
(Ok, need more coffee)
 

Bob

Administrator
Staff member
Medium format backs have sensor cover glass just like a dslr.
although it is bigger it is much easier to get at.
i hate cleaning sensors at the bottom of a deep mirror box.
-bob
 
Medium format backs have sensor cover glass just like a dslr.
although it is bigger it is much easier to get at.
i hate cleaning sensors at the bottom of a deep mirror box.
-bob
Good to know. The exposed sensor definitely seems like it would be easier to clean.
 

vjbelle

Well-known member
I have learned to avoid all those sensor brushes since fairly quickly they accumulate an oily residue and leave streaks.
So
1) Blower
2) swab it
I have never tried any of the brushes but did try the Phase cleaning kit on my IQ180 and thought the whole process was clumsy..... and I couldn't get the corners clean to save my life. I will try your Swab method.... if it works for you it should work for me. :)

Victor
 

kdphotography

Well-known member
Edges/corners can be a pita, especially on a dslr. You can try the lens pen method---I dedicate a lens pens to sensor cleaning and nothing else. Usually a careful clean swab works well.
 

Shashin

Well-known member
I love my P25+ back for this--I can just lick it clean, Try getting your tongue to touch a DSLR sensor!
 

jotloob

Subscriber Member
:thumbup:
Don , was that your unspoken idea ?
Gitzo Systematic OCEAN + CUBE , the ideal underwater tripod combo ? :D
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
I love my P25+ back for this--I can just lick it clean, Try getting your tongue to touch a DSLR sensor!
A big black Newfie like you should have no problem getting your tongue in to the DSLR mirror box. It's just the lack of precision and drool clean up afterwards that are the problem. :D
 

dougpeterson

Workshop Member
Few points to reinforce:
- It's easier to get dust on a MFDB as compared to a dSLR, but it's also much easier to clean.
- Most dust can be avoided by proper handling. If removing the back from a body just point it sensor-dust the entire time. As a general rule dust doesn't fall upward.
- A simple blower takes care of most dust.
- Pay attention and be careful, but don't get too worked up: you are cleaning a piece of glass.

There have been several threads here about specific cleaning kits and techniques.
 

yongfei

New member
What if all the regular cleaning methods don't work? I have applied Phase One solution A/B many times (half bottle), and rubbed sensor very hard, but the oil is still on the surface and spreading thinner. Do I need a CCD filter replacement, or the dealer has some special way to further clean it?
 

dougpeterson

Workshop Member
What if all the regular cleaning methods don't work? I have applied Phase One solution A/B many times (half bottle), and rubbed sensor very hard, but the oil is still on the surface and spreading thinner. Do I need a CCD filter replacement, or the dealer has some special way to further clean it?
I know the package says to use Solution A followed by solution B, but you should not do this.

Solution A is an oily soap and anytime you use it you must use Solution B several (or many) times to get the residuals of Solution A off.

So since you've already used A several times you'll need to use B now at least four or five times. I would not be shocked if you said it took you 8-10 more times to fully soak up the residuals from using Solution A several times. But it will go away.
 
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