Cleaning p65+ back

[Wayne Fox]

I guess I was lucky with my previous phase backs, other than an occasional blast of air, they never really had enough dust spots to merit cleaning.

My new back had several very annoying spots including one very large one when I recieved it, plus a couple of annoying fibers lodged under top the edge.  So i decided to tackle cleaning it tonight.

No matter what I do, I have several spots remaining on the sensor, it appears all I'm doing is moving them around but not picking them up.  In addition the edge has pulled some more fibers out of the cleaning tissues.  I managed to get the fibers out of the image, but many of these spots remain.  

I've cleaned sensor's on my canons many times without any real issues, so not sure what to try different.  Currently just using the phaseone kit that came with the camera.  Attached is typical of most of the spots ... always a ring around them, I assume from the fluid that dries.

I finally got it so there are only about 7 or 8 spots this time, after several attempts to clean it. Any ideas on other tools or something I might try differently?


[attachment=17573:Spot.jpg]

[Dustbak]

I have had such spots with my 384, these turned out to be fungus under the filter. Your spots, especially the ones with the rings aroud them, look very much like mine. Since you can move them around I assume they are on top of the filter and not under.

When the ring around the spot is from the fluid I believe you are either using too much fluid or a fluid that is not volatile enough.

I have never experienced any spot that was on top of my filter that I could not clean with eclipse fluid and tissues like Pec-pads. The fibers coming loose from your tissues would really worry me. I received cleaning tissues once that were much smoother with a bit of a 'rubber' feeling to them with a lot less fibers in them (I thought it was with one of my Leafs but it could also have been Hasselblad), I would suggest finding these.

[ced]

If you are determined to do this yourself, try warm moist breath onto the place your are cleaning along with the cleaning fluid.
I can't see that type of spot moving around.

[aaanorton]

Load up 2 tissues, one with A and one with B solutions. A swath across the center of each is sufficient.  
Have a squeeze-type air blower handy.
Fold pad A snuggly around the paddle so that the swath of fluid is around the edge of it. Wipe it a few times across the sensor in different directions. Use a smooth even stroke with light pressure.
Don't scrub the sensor or try to target the spots. Use a painting stroke and always clean the whole thing at once.  
Quickly change to pad B on the paddle and repeat.
Before it evaporates, blast it with your air blower.

The only real trick is getting the fluid amounts right. Experiment for best results, but don't be stingy with the stuff.
And I like the pads to be foled in half (double ply) for this job.
 
Enjoy!

[Wayne Fox]

Fold pad A snuggly around the paddle so that the swath of fluid is around the edge of it. Wipe it a few times across the sensor in different directions. Use a smooth even stroke with light pressure.

That's certainly contrary to everything I've ever read or been shown ... one time per clean cloth, perhaps turn it over and use that side, never more than once for each tissue surface on the sensor.

The problem is the tissue isn't picking the piece of dirt off of the sensor, it wets enough to get it to move, then it settles ion a new place with a little puddle of fluid around it that causes the ring.  Or the tissue itself is leaving small specs each time .. so it picks up so and leaves new ones.

[DavidP]

Maybe I was not using it right, but I have not had much luck with the included Phase One cleaning kit. It seemed to leave so much residue. When there has been something actually stuck on there, I have had better luck with the Eclipse fluid with either the Pec pads or the ewipes. Once is is clean I can just use the Dry method with the sensor brush to keep it clean. Even with the eclipse which dries cleaner, it is hard to get all the streaks off. I have always seemed to make things worse with the wet method before getting it better. It does seem the trick is to go one direction and off the edge. Once is clean I try my best to just maintain it with the dry method so I don't have to do it again.

[snickgrr]

The problem is the tissue isn't picking the piece of dirt off of the sensor, it wets enough to get it to move, then it settles ion a new place with a little puddle of fluid around it that causes the ring.  Or the tissue itself is leaving small specs each time .. so it picks up so and leaves new ones.

Have you tried that sticky dust picker upper that was being used in the MR Leica factory tour video?

http://www.micro-tools.com/store/item_deta...temCode=DL-AC01