907X funky corner at f/32

[docholliday]

Thanks for the reply !

I copied and pasted your method into a text file and referenced it until it became habit back in 2021. I'm glad to hear it's still the way to go !

The worst part right now is the cost of the Ultrajet All-Way. Canned air has been expensive over the years, but the All-Way is really high. Yet, it's the only way to go since it won't send liquid out at any angle and it actually has the pressure to blow off a sensor when you blast across the surface (unlike a useless air-bulb that just moves it around).

I typically just fire a few blasts across my P1 sensors before a production shoot and am good to go. The only time I really need to do a wet clean is if it's been humid and dusty while outside or I've been in some industrial environment full of airborne crap.

I think once you've realized that there'll always be a few specs of dust on the sensor, and then get the urge to clean out of your system, you get much more relaxed about cleaning too. People see my sensor and/or the front of my optics and freak out at "how dirty" they are. Well, I've never found any negative effects from the dirt, so I've gotten past the need-to-clean a long time ago!

I don't use any body/lens/back caps - they all reside in a drawer in my lab. The only time a cap comes out is usually during sensor cleaning. So the front of my optics are usually nasty (they always have a UV/IR cut filter on the front) and I'll wipe them all day with a shirt tail, sleeve, or pant leg. I do keep a bottle of Pancro around the studio for cleaning rectangular filters or protective glass (barriers for studio shots that splash all over). If I get really bored or the lens filters get nasty and I'm in studio, I might chase them with the Pancro and Kimwipes.

 

[KC_2020]

The worst part right now is the cost of the Ultrajet All-Way. Canned air has been expensive over the years, but the All-Way is really high...

Yeah $35 a can is annoying but I don't want to even think about the damage you could do with aerosol propellant. I just consider it part of the cost of enjoying high resolution sensors.

I think once you've realized that there'll always be a few specs of dust on the sensor, and then get the urge to clean out of your system, you get much more relaxed about cleaning too....

It did take me a while to get over that urge. In the studio I lay a piece of white plexiglass over the lens, stop down to the apertures I'll be working at and shoot a frame for each one. Import, invert, load as a mask and away goes the dust.

 

[MGrayson]

I borrowed this camera - Leica S(007) - and did a sensor test at f/22. This is the full frame. The crops would make your hair stand up and wave around.



I asked the owner when he had last cleaned it and he said "those dust specks are my friends!"

I killed them.

 

[glennedens]

Doc, you are a fountain of wisdom

Do you know if these are the right part numbers for Chemtronics canned air that you use:
ES1020R‎ for the refill can (about $23 at Digi-Key)
ES710V for the chrome trigger for 1020 (about $37 at Digi-Key)

No mention of "all-way" on the ES1020R refill?

Digi-Key also has the ES1015 for about $20, and that product does say Ultrajet All-Way?

Do you know if there is a difference?

Thank you and kind regards, Glenn

The worst part right now is the cost of the Ultrajet All-Way. Canned air has been expensive over the years, but the All-Way is really high. Yet, it's the only way to go since it won't send liquid out at any angle and it actually has the pressure to blow off a sensor when you blast across the surface (unlike a useless air-bulb that just moves it around).

I typically just fire a few blasts across my P1 sensors before a production shoot and am good to go. The only time I really need to do a wet clean is if it's been humid and dusty while outside or I've been in some industrial environment full of airborne crap.

I think once you've realized that there'll always be a few specs of dust on the sensor, and then get the urge to clean out of your system, you get much more relaxed about cleaning too. People see my sensor and/or the front of my optics and freak out at "how dirty" they are. Well, I've never found any negative effects from the dirt, so I've gotten past the need-to-clean a long time ago!

I don't use any body/lens/back caps - they all reside in a drawer in my lab. The only time a cap comes out is usually during sensor cleaning. So the front of my optics are usually nasty (they always have a UV/IR cut filter on the front) and I'll wipe them all day with a shirt tail, sleeve, or pant leg. I do keep a bottle of Pancro around the studio for cleaning rectangular filters or protective glass (barriers for studio shots that splash all over). If I get really bored or the lens filters get nasty and I'm in studio, I might chase them with the Pancro and Kimwipes.

 

[KC_2020]

Perhaps I can help. There are several Chemtronics Duster products. However only the ES1620 is labeled All Way on the product page of their website.

 

[docholliday]

Perhaps I can help. There are several Chemtronics Duster products. However only the ES1620 is labeled All Way on the product page of their website.

Doc, you are a fountain of wisdom

Do you know if these are the right part numbers for Chemtronics canned air that you use:
ES1020R‎ for the refill can (about $23 at Digi-Key)
ES710V for the chrome trigger for 1020 (about $37 at Digi-Key)

No mention of "all-way" on the ES1020R refill?

Digi-Key also has the ES1015 for about $20, and that product does say Ultrajet All-Way?

Do you know if there is a difference?

Thank you and kind regards, Glenn

As KC_2020 says, there's a bunch of Dusters, but ES1620 is the only one with the All-Way valve. The ones you've listed are all dusters, but the refillable series is not all way capable. The ES1015 is the "economical" UltraJet version for higher pressure general cleaning but isn't all way either.

I don't think any of the refillable version valves can be made all way. There must be a different valve design inside the can to prevent liquid from being picked up and that is probably part of the higher cost.

I should probably also mention a few other little things about using higher pressure air:
1) always do a test shot away from the sensor before you aim it towards the sensor - just in case that valve fails. Never trust technology.
2) always blow across the sensor. You want the air stream to blow across, stir up debris, pick it up and away.
3) never blow at/down into the sensor like you would an air bulb. You don't want the air path to shove the dirt into the edges of the sensor where the seals are and/or rip out a seal from excessive pressure
4) always blow in short bursts. Long bursts freeze up the valve faster and don't seem as effective in stiring up any stuck dust.

 

[glennedens]

Thank you KC and Doc!