Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Medium Format / Film / Digital Backs – and Large Sensor Photography => Topic started by: spassig on April 26, 2019, 05:56:59 am

Title: Minimize Electrostatic Charge of Digiback
Post by: spassig on April 26, 2019, 05:56:59 am
Hello

I clean carefully and cautiously the PO sensor with liquid, cloth and blower.
After cleaning sensor of PO digiback I see that dust jumps from air to sensor.
I see it under light and with magnifying glass.
I think the jumping will generate from electrostatic charge of digiback.
I’m right?

If so in which way do you minimize or delete electrostatic charge?

Jochen
Title: Re: Minimize Electrostatic Charge of Digiback
Post by: JaapD on April 26, 2019, 06:36:27 am
I think the electrostatic charge is caused by the type of cloth applied, in combination with the rubbing. I’d propose to use cloth based on (lens cleaning) paper, not something containing plastics.

In order to prevent building up charge you could connect the digiback through its output port with a wire to an electrical ground (indirectly through the charger or PC).

Regards,
Jaap.
Title: Re: Minimize Electrostatic Charge of Digiback
Post by: degrub on April 26, 2019, 09:24:36 am
don't forget that your body is also charged. touch body metal in the camera body to equalize first. What happens is when the charged pad is on the surface an equal and opposite charge is on the pad and induced on the surface. When you remove the pad, the charge on the sensor glass surface is left behind. This is what attracts the oppositely charged dust in the air.
Title: Re: Minimize Electrostatic Charge of Digiback
Post by: eronald on April 26, 2019, 10:45:08 am
Hello

I clean carefully and cautiously the PO sensor with liquid, cloth and blower.
After cleaning sensor of PO digiback I see that dust jumps from air to sensor.
I see it under light and with magnifying glass.
I think the jumping will generate from electrostatic charge of digiback.
I’m right?

If so in which way do you minimize or delete electrostatic charge?

Jochen

I think record shops sell antistatic cloth.

Luckily I think the sensor in a back is protected in a compartment, you are actually talking about dust on the cover glass. If the glass had a conductive layer on it, then earthing the whole case should neutralize the charge, and its actual origin is from ... your body, scuffing charge from the carpet :) Which is why it's lucky the sensor is in a Faraday cage.

So you should be doing your cleaning on an earthed conductive mat. You can improvise one by using conductive foam - eg. PO packaging material - and wiring it to earth ...

Edmund
Title: Re: Minimize Electrostatic Charge of Digiback
Post by: spassig on April 26, 2019, 11:04:23 am
@all

Thanks for feedback.
I saw the dust who hover (hope it is right word because I’m not native English) in the air jumps to the Glas of sensor. So the dust must have opposite electrostatic as the camera and back?
I cannot change the electrostatic of dust.
Is the dust positiv or negativ?
So the glas of back must have the same electrostatic charge as the dust.
Horrible things, I will only shooting without dark spots in fotos :'(

Jochen
Title: Re: Minimize Electrostatic Charge of Digiback
Post by: degrub on April 26, 2019, 09:11:10 pm
@all

Thanks for feedback.
I saw the dust who hover (hope it is right word because I’m not native English) in the air jumps to the Glas of sensor. So the dust must have opposite electrostatic as the camera and back?

Yes, that is how it works

I cannot change the electrostatic of dust.
Is the dust positiv or negative

Doesnt matter. All that matters is that it has opposite polarity (+ or - ) to the glass.

So the glas of back must have the same electrostatic charge as the dust.

Humidity will help. Anything above 50% relative humidity should help bleed charges off. But don’t go making a lot of water vapour in the room as you may condense it in the back.

Get an anti-static brush from a photo supplier. Make sure it says that it has a polonium thread in it which will neutralize static charges as you pass it near the back. I dont believe you want to actually touch the glass with the brush.

Check with the back manufacturer about how and what they suggest.


Horrible things, I will only shooting without dark spots in fotos :'(

Jochen
Title: Re: Minimize Electrostatic Charge of Digiback
Post by: eronald on April 27, 2019, 12:04:08 am


I don't think I'd bring anything radioactive close to a sensor. The emitted particles might cause damage as sensor features are now quite small.

Edmund
Title: Re: Minimize Electrostatic Charge of Digiback
Post by: degrub on April 27, 2019, 11:31:18 am
True enough. Those emit low levels of alpha particles.

Well there are products like this - visibledust.com but i never liked touching the surface directly and dragging.

Talk to the back manufacturer service folks.
Title: Re: Minimize Electrostatic Charge of Digiback
Post by: KMRennie on April 27, 2019, 04:44:21 pm
Try using a plant mister to dampen the air before attempting to clean the sensor. Damp air will reduce/ remove any static build up. Ken
Title: Re: Minimize Electrostatic Charge of Digiback
Post by: spassig on April 28, 2019, 04:41:32 am
@all

Thanks for feedback. I will test what the best workflow if possible.
Did you all use your recommendations?

I’m not sure  ;)

Jochen
Title: Re: Minimize Electrostatic Charge of Digiback
Post by: spassig on April 28, 2019, 06:51:40 am
Try using a plant mister to dampen the air before attempting to clean the sensor. Damp air will reduce/ remove any static build up. Ken

You mean using this typ flower sprayer near digiback?
Not spray on sensor or digiback!

Jochen