Wet cleaning

[JeffK]

For those of you out there with CCD digital backs, what's your cleaning process. I use the white card and ewipes. And even with using the rocket blower, the dust collects like crazy. See attached image showing my spotting.

I took a look at a CMOS IQ4150 achromatic and didn't see any spots near what I see on my CCD. I suspect I'll need to keep my DB in a ziploc like I did when I shot 4x5 film and kept the loaded film holders in ziplocs after loading them.

Here's a screenshot of my spotting efforts in C1.

 

[anwarp]

I've never had to spot as much as that example! I find the dust more noticeable at smaller apertures and when pushing clarity.

To clean, I start with a blower to dislodge any loose stuff and then I use the white "scraper" with 2 pecpads folded twice to give me 4 layers, with a couple of drops of eclipse cleaner. After that I can use a dry area of the pec pads to finish off.

I haven't noticed any real difference in the dust adhesion between my IQ260 and my IQ4 150.


Anwar

 

[Hasslebad]

A rocket blower has been typically enough. I’ve never seen that much dust. Do you think if you used a different brand/model of white card and wipes, it would help?

 

[nalye]

To clean, I start with a blower to dislodge any loose stuff and then I use the white "scraper" with 2 pecpads folded twice to give me 4 layers, with a couple of drops of eclipse cleaner. After that I can use a dry area of the pec pads to finish off.

I have basically the same procedure for my H4D, I once had some speck of dust under the glass that had to be cleaned by a professional service but apart from this I never had to do such a deep clean.

 

[JeffK]

Following @anwarp's recommendation of using a dry area of the pecpad made a huge difference. I was using the pre moistened ewipe, and it was leaving lines of dots (presumably moisture droplets). I added using a dry pecpad to very lightly go over the sensor and that cleaned it right up.

 

[Bill Caulfeild-Browne]

I have never wet-cleaned any of the succession of Phase backs I've owned although my dealer does if I happen to visit.. I use the Arctic Butterfly exclusively.

 

[MGrayson]

I've used a gel-stick without problems. There is some controversy about them, as a quick search will tell you. But for a Leica sensor, I'll use the Leica factory cleaning method.

 

[JeffK]

I've used a gel-stick without problems. There is some controversy about them, as a quick search will tell you. But for a Leica sensor, I'll use the Leica factory cleaning method.

that's very cool, wasn't aware of the gel-stick. I see a use for it with smaller sensors. Might take too long with a MF sensor.

 

[tcdeveau]

that's very cool, wasn't aware of the gel-stick. I see a use for it with smaller sensors. Might take too long with a MF sensor.

I also use a gel stick to spot clean the X1D sensor. There’s a Pentax one that is supposed to be safe for Sony CMOS sensors ive been using with good results.

I’m too inexperienced with wet cleaning to want to give it a go, and I leave that up to the dealers/service centers

 

[stngoldberg]

I wet clean with Eclipse solution...no problems
stanley

 

[Steve Hendrix]

Recommended reading:

https://www.captureintegration.com/ci-recommended-sensor-cleaning-practices/


Those "scrapers" are no longer included with Phase One kits, they've moved to these:

https://www.digitalback.com/collect.../products/phase-one-visible-dust-cleaning-kit


Since these are expensive, and you only get 3 (I think) green handle sticks, I also recommend picking up our specialty woven wipes, which I overwhelmingly prefer to pec pads. You can then use these with the green handled stick.

https://www.digitalback.com/collections/phase-one-accessories/products/ci-woven-cleaning-wipes


Steve Hendrix/CI

 

[MGrayson]

Recommended reading:

https://www.captureintegration.com/ci-recommended-sensor-cleaning-practices/


Those "scrapers" are no longer included with Phase One kits, they've moved to these:

https://www.digitalback.com/collect.../products/phase-one-visible-dust-cleaning-kit


Since these are expensive, and you only get 3 (I think) green handle sticks, I also recommend picking up our specialty woven wipes, which I overwhelmingly prefer to pec pads. You can then use these with the green handled stick.

https://www.digitalback.com/collections/phase-one-accessories/products/ci-woven-cleaning-wipes


Steve Hendrix/CI

I can enthusiastically recommend those woven wipes. When I needed to wet clean, they were better than any pad - no streaking - no dust.

 

[docholliday]

I don't use Pec Pads at all - they are too linty and and don't absorb well. And those "gummy bears on a stick" cleaners may be great when new, but can actually leave a thin residue layer that causes weird ghosting patterns on the sensor when they get older which will require multiple wet cleanings to remove. You can see the residue with a microscope, but it's usually not visible to the naked eye or using a sensor cleaning loupe. And it doesn't matter how many times you clean the gummy, it'll just start to stamp junk onto the sensor. I had some that I tried for a field cleaning solution, in case junk got on to the sensor outside the studio. I threw them away after a few uses because they were causing more problems than they were worth.

The best clean you can do is to avoid cleaning at all... at least avoid physically touching the sensor unless absolutely necessary.

I clean all my backs with the same method and I do this on a daily basis before any shoot in studio or before I leave to go on location:
1) blast across the surface of the sensor with Chemtronics UltraJet "canned air". I don't use a blower bulb as the air is too slow. I use the type of UltraJet that can be fired in any position and won't eject liquid ever
2) inspect with stereo microscope with ringlight illuminator for stuck dust - this is continually done throughout the session. The back pretty much stays under the scope during the cleaning operation
3) use Fujikura CS-1 fiber optic cleaning/polishing swabs to dislodge sticky particles
4) blast again across the surface with canned air.

Usually, that is all that is needed for the backs. For other times where more work is needed:
5) if surface needs cleaned further, grab a "woven wipe", in my case, fiber optic cleaning pads, and wet wipe with solvent using old VisibleDust swab, credit card cut and smoothed, or other paddle to maintain thin edge contact with sensor. Don't use Pec Pads or if you do, don't ever cut them - they'll lint like crazy and they don't hold debris well.
6) you can use Eclipse as the solvent, but be very aware that it is highly hydroscopic. So once a bottle has been opened, it may work great for the a few cleans and suddenly start streaking as it starts to absorb water out of the air. Buy small bottles and throw away often.
7) don't clean in a overly humid environment, despite what armchair warriors want to tell you. The humid air will condense into the solution, onto the exposed sensor, and streak or leave residue.
8) use barely any solvent on the pad. If you can clearly see the cleaner on the sensor, you're using waaay too much. Also, allow the solvent to naturally penetrate the pad before you wipe, don't be in a hurry.
9) allow to dry *naturally*. Don't blow or breathe on the sensor - it can add crap to the surface.
10) touch up any spots with CS-1 swabs in solvent - and allow to dry again
11) use CS-1 swabs to polish any spots that appear (dry swab, light drags)
12) give final blow across the surface of the sensor with Ultrajet
13) immediately cover back or return to camera body

 

[MGrayson]

This discussion reminds me of the saying "Everyone who drives faster than me is crazy. Everyone who drives slower than me is a moron." One important factor is the typical f-stop used. I'm borrowing a camera from someone who always shoots wide open. He has never cleaned his sensor. I shot it at f/11 and was horrified. Shoot *anything* at f/45 and it will look like open bar night at the annual world-wide dust convention.

In one thread, an owner of a chip fabrication plant - I think as a joke - took his back into the sub-micron filtered room and used all the insanely overkill gear at hand. Readers were horrified that he even TOOK a dirty camera sensor into such a room. Well, it was his factory.

Anyway, lots of good techniques. And for every technique that works for one person, another has had a disaster. I had to do multiple cleanings after a streaky wet clean. (Phase One two solution kit + woven pads to the rescue!) @docholliday dismisses gel sticks as "gummy bears" (I wonder if they taste any better), and they DO require a lot of cleaning, but mine is a few years old and continues strong. The Arctic butterfly works great - until it gets any oil contamination. If your camera has a mirror box (yes, some of them still do) then cleaning the sensor is only part of the job.

It's an endless subject.

 

[docholliday]

One important factor is the typical f-stop used. I'm borrowing a camera from someone who always shoots wide open. He has never cleaned his sensor. I shot it at f/11 and was horrified. Shoot *anything* at f/45 and it will look like open bar night at the annual world-wide dust convention.

While shooting at wider apertures is definitely the way to not see dust, sometimes you can't avoid it. In my case, I don't know what I'm shooting at until I get to the location or set or lay out the shot in studio. I try to keep the stops wide and stack when needed or use movements to establish a proper focal plane, mostly to avoid the effects of diffraction and maintain max sharpness for the optic in use, but sometimes, you just can't avoid needing to stop way down. There's times when I bring multiple cameras including LF, but don't have the time to set it up and use it due to the client's schedule. So, it's stop down-n-go.

...dismisses gel sticks as "gummy bears" (I wonder if they taste any better), and they DO require a lot of cleaning, but mine is a few years old and continues strong.

I didn't notice the residue at first until one shot in studio against a pure white acrylic background showed something weird in the background that almost looked like the uneven lighting of a roll paper swept at too shallow an angle. So, I shot the background, cranked up the contrast and dropped the exposure in C1 and could see a weird pattern. It was residue from the gummy which was finer than a streaky sensor. Of course, *any* residue left behind, even microscopic, just gives dust and dirt another vector to attach to the sensor with ease.

I use HPLC methanol as a cleaner solvent for my sensors and that removed the pattern to a clean background again. Never gave it another thought until it happened again a week later and found it was the gummy. The thing was new and cleaned using filtered, distilled water after each use. I guess if you leave it in a temp controlled, cool room, it may be ok, but we'd had it in the field case where it got hotter than usual.

I also saw another one where the user stuck the big cube gummy onto a cover glass, lifted up, and cracked the glass because the adhesion was so great to the surface.

Like I said before, I avoid touching the sensor cover physically if at all possible. I just blast across it with Ultrajet and that does the trick 99% of the time.

 

[MGrayson]

Heavens! I'm not challenging anyone's experience. I apologize for going "meta" on this thread. But it's an interesting subject, and we've all reached our methods based on our personal histories, which makes the results truly fascinating. I have nothing helpful to add, so I'll stay out of it.

Happy and successful cleaning to all!

 

[docholliday]

Heavens! I'm not challenging anyone's experience. I apologize for going "meta" on this thread. But it's an interesting subject, and we've all reached our methods based on our personal histories, which makes the results truly fascinating. I have nothing helpful to add, so I'll stay out of it.

Happy and successful cleaning to all!

No worries. I didn't see your response as "challenging". I was just expanding my previous post with additional details to give it more context.

 

[JeffK]

Really great contributions of experiences. Thanks all. I’ve still got boxes of the ewipe premoistened wipes around. I’ll run out of pec pads first. I can order from @Steve Hendrix to get CI’s brand.

 

[stngoldberg]

Thank you DOCHOLLIDAY for the tip on chemtronics canned air.
Information like this is what makes the site so valuable
stanley

 

[MGrayson]

In the past, canned air was strongly discouraged due to possible propellant contamination. Is the Chemtronix free of that? I assume so given its intended use, but I'd like to know for sure. Blowing off dust is surely preferable to any other method.
Thanks,
Matt