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MFDB Cleaning – Sensor Gel Stick?

jianghai

Member
Hi all,
Having recently joined the ranks of digital back users, and a "profligate" OCD sufferer I'm now starting to obsess over the cleanliness of the digital back. How do folks keep their digital backs clean? The regular pec-pad digiclean (methanol) wipe? Or just rocket blower?

Anyone tried the sensor gel stick that a lot of digital camera service centers use to clean small format sensors? I saw a previous thread from when this first popped up at retail but was wondering if more folks had used it since then.

Cheers!
J
 

Paul2660

Well-known member
Hello, welcome to the forum.

You did not mention your back brand, I have only used Phase One.

For minor cleans during a days outdoor shoot, the rocket blower is great. You need to make sure it doesn't get moisture inside of it as that will just blow out to the sensor. I have also tried the Visible Dust blower, with their latest fix, it still really doesn't put out much air.

For stubborn cleaning, I use the Leaf wipes and Phase cleaning fluid B (clear). I feel it's best to stay with the stuff Phase sells.

The wipes that Phase has will tend to catch the edge of the sensor area and can leave a single fiber out that reaches over the sensor. This can be a real bitch to get out. My 260 came back from Phase One in Jan of this year with 2 of these.

The Leaf wipes don't do this, instead the material is much tighter and stays together. Once pass, and then move the wipe, adding about 1 drop of fluid. I find I need to do this about 3 or 4 times a month, sometimes more if I am out a bunch in the spring with pollen.

Any Phase One dealer (there are many on this site) sell both the Phase cleaning kit and Leaf wipes.

Paul
 

Wayne Fox

Workshop Member
Agreed, the Leaf wipes with the plastic piece provided by Phase, and solution b are the way to go. I wouldn't use the sensor gel stick ... it's nice for dslr's because you need to reach in past the mirror box, but I've seen them leave a little residue of some kind behind.

Get a good small bright LED light, and some good magnifiying reading glasses (I use cheap 3.0 glasses from walgreen. You can easily see if the sensor is clean by shinging the light at an extreme angle. If you see something try the rocket blower. If that doesn't get it, clean it, and check again.

I never do a test shot to check the sensor, I can tell pretty easily this way (this isn't my technique, demonstrated by Bill Atkinson at the first PODAS workshop in death valley).
 
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