Sensor Cleaning

[ozzie]

Hello
I need to clean the sensor on my E3 spots in sky shots which I think is a result of having the camera in cold aircon then taken out to humid hot air.
Is there an easy system that works well I have never cleaned a sensor before and don't want to damage my camera but I need to learn how to do this.
Thanks
John

[ozzie]

Re: Sensor Cleaning

Well I had no replies to my question so I bit the bullet and cleaned my E3 sensor myself.
I would like to share my findings so it may help if your thinking about having a go yourself. For a start I was very nervous about giving this a go but I have 5 cameras that will need a clean at sometime in there lives and at $100 a pop plus freight and time away I wanted to learn.
I purchased a Green Clean kit which the guy in the Camera shop suggested as an easy way of cleaning the sensor. The first step was to suck off the dust with the air vacuum tool . First problem without a magnifier you cant see the dust unless it is large so I found a magnifier glass and now could see the small dust particles .
Second problem how do you hold the magnifier, suction tool and press the vacuum button at the same time. Well I couldn't so I vacuumed the areas where I had seen the dust and hoped for the best. Did it work no, although most of the dust was gone some was still there.
The next step was to use the wet swabs followed by the dry swabs ,again without magnifier this is a difficult job.
To cut a long story short I purchased a lenspen loupe with built in light now with the wet and dry swabs I could see the sensor and use the swabs to good effect.
I have now successfully cleaned the E3 sensor and am confident enough to do so again.
Hope I havn't bored you to much with my story
Cheers John

[Phill D]

Re: Sensor Cleaning

Not bored at all thanks for the information John. Hope I never have to do it myself but I'll store this post up so I have it as reference if I need it. The Oly system is much better at keeping it's sensor clean than other systems so maybe there isn't much experience of doing it on here. Or maybe you didn't get any replies because nobody wanted to be partly responsible if it went wrong.

[ozzie]

Re: Sensor Cleaning

Hello PhillD
I hope no one takes my comment, no replies, the wrong way I was not complaining.
I agree the oly dust system is great and I believe the only reason I had to do this was because I let tbe camera get very cold in a aircon room then went out into very humid air which made the camera and lens frost over for some time . I think the condensation did not allow the dust to be removed as normal and welded the dust onto the sensor. However it is good to know you can clean the sensor if needed.
Cheers
John

[Phill D]

Re: Sensor Cleaning

No problem John I'm sure no one here would have been offended. Interesting comment about the condensation it's definitely worth remembering.

[tommy781]

Re: Sensor Cleaning

Hello, I clean the sensor of my camera by years without problem and I start this with the e-500...then with the e-1-3-5 :-). It's simple, I use this kin of kit : http://www.lina24.com/go/product_inf...9249ed910f1e7b with a bit of attention and patience there is no problem

[ozzie]

Re: Sensor Cleaning

Thanks tommy781
I am sure there is many ways of doing this I used what was avalible to me and it was certainly a learning experience and something most Oly users dont have to do Olympus cameras seem to be built to an above average standard and lets hope they continue to give us the option to purchase their quality products
cheers
John

[Chevvyf1]

Re: Sensor Cleaning

Hello PhillD
I hope no one takes my comment, no replies, the wrong way I was not complaining.
I agree the oly dust system is great and I believe the only reason I had to do this was because I let tbe camera get very cold in a aircon room then went out into very humid air which made the camera and lens frost over for some time . I think the condensation did not allow the dust to be removed as normal and welded the dust onto the sensor. However it is good to know you can clean the sensor if needed.
Cheers
John

Ozzie this is interesting - esp. vis the theory that dramatic air temps solidified the dust

I have yet to clean the E-1 or E-5 sensors - nervewracking

[Ross the fiddler]

Re: Sensor Cleaning

Thanks for the posting of this as I have had stubborn dust in my E30 & after a few blows & camera cleaning cycles the main dust was gone. I think I still need to give it a wet clean for the last minute amounts left & this makes me feel better about doing it myself.

[ozzie]

Re: Sensor Cleaning

Thanks for the posting of this as I have had stubborn dust in my E30 & after a few blows & camera cleaning cycles the main dust was gone. I think I still need to give it a wet clean for the last minute amounts left & this makes me feel better about doing it myself.

Hi Ross
Because we are very dry and dusty at the moment I steamed the bathroom and let dry and then cleaned the sensor in there. I think the enviroment you use will determine the outcome . If I had opened the sensor in my camera room I am sure more dust would have got on the sensor than what I cleaned out. I also found that getting the dry swabs onto the sensor fast helped.
Cheers
John

[Ross the fiddler]

Re: Sensor Cleaning

Hi Ross
Because we are very dry and dusty at the moment I steamed the bathroom and let dry and then cleaned the sensor in there. I think the enviroment you use will determine the outcome . If I had opened the sensor in my camera room I am sure more dust would have got on the sensor than what I cleaned out. I also found that getting the dry swabs onto the sensor fast helped.
Cheers
John

That sounds like a nice creative way to trap the airbourne dust before dealing with the sensor.