Cleaning an H4D sensor

[Richard Naismith]

Hi all,

I'm sure this has been asked many times, but what is the recommended method for cleaning spots off a sensor on an H4D camera.

Thanks in advance.

Richard Naismith

[Monty Rakusen]

my recent comment on cleaning.


I clean nearly every day with Eclipse fluid and digipad.co.uk swabs. Once I even used a VERY SMALL amount of glass cleaner when there was a sugary deposit. You put 4 drops on a digipad and place it back down on the plastic wrapper, then you take the back off and without sneezing or whistling or talking you run 3 or 4 times along the glass, then you put it back. I usually do this at 6am before going on location or in a hotel after the dust has settled. I rarely have problems with dust.

[Domip]

Why don't you show us a little movie how you do it - it's better than words... 

[jonathan.lipkin]

Why don't you show us a little movie how you do it - it's better than words... 

No need really - it's simple. Just use a one-direction wiping motion.

[stpf8]

I find the H4D sensor to be a breeze to clean compared to a 35mm-based DSLR, simply because access to the sensor is so great.  I've been able to get by with an ever-so-light application of a statically charged brush (from Visible Dust).  I have not yet had to use fluid or a wet pad applied with any degree of pressure against the sensor cover.  Like Monty, I take great care to reduce as much air movement and dust in the room as possible.

[jonathan.lipkin]

The dealer that sold me the camera told me not to use a brush. I didn't ask why, however. He just said to use cleaning fluid and pads.

[Michael H. Cothran]

The dealer that sold me the camera told me not to use a brush. I didn't ask why, however. He just said to use cleaning fluid and pads.

I also use a statically charged brush with my H4D sensor. It seems to work fine. I can't remember the brand name, but they are about 30 years old, and have never stopped working.

I've had bad luck in the past applying fluids with a pad. Messy, and always left streaks. Probably due to user errors!

[GeorgeTelis]

I am using air blower 90% of the time if there are any particles left a statically charged brush is the best way to go. I had no issues so far and neither spots on my sensor. To be honest i am a bit afraid to use fluid pads on such a sensor even if they are certified for this job.


Regards
G.Telis

[jeff.grant@pobox.com]

Another vote for air and then an a Visible Dust brush, I'm scared witless by the thought of wiping pads over the sensor glass. Being a klutz, and of the school that thinks two drops is better than one, I have always had trouble with smears.

[Michael H. Cothran]

Back in the 1970's, Porters Camera (Iowa -USA) used to sell the neatest photographic gizmos and widgets of anyone. Little things that you could not find anywhere else. Something I picked up from them at the time were a couple of small chamois cloths for cleaning lenses. In addition to sensors, I've also always been leary of fluid and pads (especially the tissue type) on my lenses. The few times I've tried them were disastrous with streaks, etc. So my chamois would clean up the mess that the pad/fluids made!!

Through the decades these chamois have worked flawlessly on all my glass, including filters. They leave 0% residue of any kind. My lenses rarely need cleaning, but my polarizing filters do frequently. I've never found anything else that cleans as well, and probably never will.

Sadly, I doubt you can find one of these anywhere nowadays. I just checked Porters online site, and could not find a chamois listed under "lens cleaning." I'm not sure what or if there's a difference between these that Porter sold, and chamois that you would use to dry smooth surfaces with. Of course those that Porters sold were about 5"x7" in size, compared to the much larger chamois you can pick up at a hardware or auto parts store.

I haven't tried one yet on a sensor, but I'm not beyond using it if I felt the need to. As long as blowing & brushing cleans the sensor there's no need. But as a "third" option, these old chamois I know and love so well are next in line.

[Greg]

Using a brush on the sensor makes me very nervous, so I have never tried it.  My concern was scratching the IR filter with the brush, even when used with exceptional care.  I use fluid on a pad (actually a kit from my local dealer who talked me through the cleaning process) and have had success with it, but to be perfectly honest, it scares me as well.  A Rocket Blower does most of the work, but there seems to be very small particles that just stick.  Unless there are a lot, I ignore them, and since they are so tiny, they do not show up in the image.  Now I'm thinking about a Static Master brush, but I still have concerns about the texture of the bristle being too stiff.

Still pondering.

Greg

[jeff.grant@pobox.com]

Greg, the Visible Dust brushes are extremely soft. I think it would be nigh on impossible to apply significant pressure with them.

[Douglas Fairbank @ Classic V]

Blow off dust whenever you can, I have a soft brush I got from Zeiss many years ago for the few specs of dust that don't blow off (looks just like a top quality water colour artists brush). For greasy smears I use medical wipes where the wipe and not the filter is MOISTENED, not saturated, with pure alcohol and the filter surface is wiped in a single action. Sugary deposits (coughs, sneezes and soda drinks) will require a water based cleaner used in the same way. Very very dilute dish washing detergent will do but the best I have found is industrial aqueous citrus oil cleaner (smells of tangerines). Never ever apply the solvent to the filter, apply it to the wipe.

I am not judging anybody else's method or any commercial product, this is just what I do.