Author Topic: Help! Clean camera sensor (ir filter)  (Read 7155 times)

ivandan

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Help! Clean camera sensor (ir filter)
« on: August 06, 2022, 01:56:48 AM »
Safe way to clean the camera sensor?
I read that it is impossible to clean the IR filter with conventional means.

Nikon1

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Re: Help! Clean camera sensor (ir filter)
« Reply #1 on: August 06, 2022, 02:05:36 AM »
That depends a lot on how dirty it is.
 If you just got Dust on it, it is very easy to clean.
 Grease from Fingerprints or any kind of Sticky Stuff is a little more Difficult, but still very much possible.
 Scratches and Physical Damage to the Filter Glass itself cant be cleaned, in that case the Filter needs to be Replaced.
 .
 My IR Filter on my 2.1 is currently fairly Dirty and needs to be Cleaned urgently, is possibly even so dirty, that i have to replace it (some of the Stuff on there i couldnt get off on an quick earlier Try, so i might have to just Replace it eventually, seen quite a bit of abuse).
 If it helps, i can Film The Process of doing that and post here.

ivandan

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Re: Help! Clean camera sensor (ir filter)
« Reply #2 on: August 07, 2022, 02:36:28 AM »
I would be glad for any information, video and links to the product that the matrix was ​​cleaned. And also a link to the glass ir filter

Nikon1

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Re: Help! Clean camera sensor (ir filter)
« Reply #3 on: September 13, 2022, 01:46:48 AM »
Sorry for the late reply, needed to do some Research on this first, to be able to properly answer this.
 Asked around a bit, cause there Seems to be quite the Controversy about how to clean Sensors and Sensor Filter Glass right.
 If anybody does not know what this is about, its mainly about what Cleaning Products To use, as well as Cleaning Fluids.
 Especially big seems to be the Controversy about the Adhesion Cleaning Sticks by the Company Eyelead, which i would have personally wanted to recommend and looked it up:
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpeARxQARq4
 Others however (like me) seem to strongly Recommend the Eyelead Cleaning System:
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fetJfPILU3o
 To just give one Example for each.
 Main Issue Seems to be apparently, that it leaves Residue on Sonys DSLM Sensors and Filters.
 But then again, after seeing how people use these and Instruct others on using these, i am not much Surprised. Shown here is them Recommending / Instructing / Showing People to just Plunge Straight down with these, then just Rip them straight back up again very fast:
 https://youtu.be/fetJfPILU3o?t=112
 .
 Then there is also the Whole Controversy about whether it is save to use IPA and Methanol without doing Damage to the Coatings and if for example Acetone would actually leave residue when used for Cleaning.
 .
 .
 Turns out, that even Professionals in Camera Stores and such are having trouble cleaning Sony Sensors, as they are actually different somehow (Coatings are big Trade Secrets, so likely nobody except Sony Themselves and a Select few others probably know for sure what exactly is going on inside these Coatings), and are just generally very hard to Clean.
 .
 In the Following a Short Conclusion of what i am Comfortable to Recommend in Regards to Sensor Cleaning after Consulting some Experts:
 

Nikon1

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Re: Help! Clean camera sensor (ir filter)
« Reply #4 on: September 13, 2022, 02:47:39 AM »
SENSOR CLEANING:
 .
 If your Sensor Filter Glass (aka. "IR Filter" / "Hot Mirror") or Sensor Cover Glass (the Piece of Glass that is Physically bonded to the Sensor Package in front of the Actual Silicon Sensor) is Dirty to a point where cleaning is needed, it usually is a good idea to first attempt Non-Contact Cleaning. This is usually done by one of these Small Bellows / Blowers which are also sometimes used for Lenses. If you dont have one, you can also try to carefully blow on it with your Mouth. If you use your Mouth though make very sure not to accidentally spit on it or something.
 .
 Given that is not sufficient to remove the dirt on there, you need to Proceed to actual Contact Cleaning. Here it is important to Identify what kind of Dirt you are Dealing with to take Appropriate Cleaning Measures to Remove it.
 .
 Generally the most Common Contamination you should find on your Sensor would probably be Dust from the Surrounding Air.
 Given that Dust Cant be Removed by Blowing it away, I Personally can Highly Recommend the Eyelead Cleaning Stick. Used Mine since 2015, which are about 7 Years by now, and it is still going strong. Been through two Packs of the Tape it comes with (can be bought separately as a Refill-Pack. For my mainly "smaller" Sensors like 1" and MFT i usually cut them in Half, so they last twice as long per Pack) by now and into my third. Not quite as strong as it once was when new, but still very much usable and will probably last at least another 5 to 10 Years to come from how it looks. I Personally never had any Trouble with using it, and got good Cleaning Results every time.
 Still, i have never tried to Clean Anything Sony Brand with it, and would highly recommend you to stay away from Trying to do so also. Used it with all my Nikon Cameras and Some Panasonic Stuff as well as some much more Generic Filters and Sensors, as well as the Chronos. Seems to work well with those from my experience, cant speak for any other Brands or how they behave.
 I bought my Eyelead Cleaning Stick in a Local Camera Store here in Germany and am very sure that is an genuine one. There however seems to be a huge booming market of selling counterfeit ones on ebay and the Like. I recommend to Stay away from those, as in my opinion it is not worth it to potentially Ruin a Camera Sensor to save some Bucks on genuine Brand Cleaning Tools, but that is everyone's own decision. If you are not in Germany, its probably a good idea to somehow contact The Company and ask for Official Resellers or just order directly there.
 Also, the Camera Store i bought mine at instructed me to VERY GENTLY "roll" the Flat Surface slowly over the Sensor, and not Plunge it on there and Rip it off after, as shown in so many of these Videos.
 Probably need to make a Video about that at some point if i find time to do so.
 .
 This Adhesive Cleaning Stick is what i still consider "dry" Cleaning, while contact Cleaning. In my Opinion (if used Properly) quite a bit more fool-Proof for Beginners, as there is no Wiping-Motion across the Sensor Surface involved, which potentially could damage the Glass or Coatings by scratching, if anything of Abrasive Nature happened to be within that Dust, only the Rolling Motion.
 .
 .
 If you have any much more Stubborn Residues from whatever on there, like stuff of adhesive nature, grease etc. you pretty much have to clean it wet.
 Important for Contact Cleaning is, that you use soft, ideally Lint Free cleaning Tools. Anything containing Abrasives, hard/  Rough Surfaces; Sharp (as well as Blunt) Blades; Metal and Metal Fibers MUST NOT BE USED!
 Suitable Cleaning Fluids Include: Demineralized Water (if needed with a bit of Pril); General Purpose Glass Cleaners Like Ajax; and for a bit of more heavy-Duty Cleaning following Solvents: Acetone (Pure Acetone); Ethanol; Cleaning Benzine.
 Any Kind of Cleaning Fluids containing Strong Acids, Strong Alkaline Detergents as well as anything Containing Flouride and Cleaning Solutions with abrasive / Polishing Additives MUST ALSO NOT BE USED FOR CLEANING!
 You can also buy ready Made Cleaning Solutions especially for Cleaning Sensors and Sensor Filters in Different Places, never worked with any of those, but assume most of them should generally also be fine to use on there.
 I Personally use Acetone mainly, as is Industry Standard in Optics, even though its probably not the easiest to work with for beginners.
 .
 First off, you need to be very gentle with it, its still glass after all and very Sensitive just by nature. Do not Scrape around on the Surface, and do not Soak the whole thing in Cleaning Fluid. Whatever Tool you end up using, should only be "damp" not Dripping wet. Also Pay attention, that with most modern Digital Cameras, there is quite a bunch of Plastic Parts Around the Sensor and Filter, which can be Affected by the Solvents. With Strong Solvents, you even run risk of dissolving / "melting" the Plastics which is Problematic. So be aware of that, if you are working on a Camera body that Contains Plastics. The Chronos Camera Body is fully Metal however and the Sensor is only Surrounded by Metal and Glass in the Front, so no Risk there.
 .
 For Suitable Cleaning Tools, Something Like Soft clean Cotton Cloth generally will work, but is not always Practical due to the small space Available around the Sensor in most Cameras of that Sensor Size. I like using high Quality Cotton Q-Tips (If you want to use Q-Tips, get your hands on Lab grade Q-Tips if you can), but again, probably not very beginner-Friendly.
 For Beginners, its Likely best to try using these Wide Sensor wipers, which are basically also just wider Shaped Q-Tips, but its generally easier to get an evenly clean Surface on whatever you are Cleaning. Personally never used them, but see, how it probably would be pretty hard to get good Cleaning Results for Beginners with normal Q-Tips as i usually Use.
 Do not apply much Pressure, as whatever holds the cotton or soft Part on these still has to be fairly hard, even if Plastic, wood or Cardboard Material for Structural Strength of the tool, and Can Still Scratch the Glass with use of excessive Force.

Nikon1

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Re: Help! Clean camera sensor (ir filter)
« Reply #5 on: September 13, 2022, 03:24:55 AM »
IR-FILTER (BANDPASS-FILTER) REPLACEMENT:
 .
 Given your IR-Filter is irreversibly damaged by Scratches to a point where you cant Avoid Replacement or just Want To Replace it anyways.
 Genuine Replacement IR-Filters are Available directly From Krontech. Its Still not yet available via their Shop, but if you ask them, they will usually sell you one. By now its apparently somewhat normal to just order a Spare Filter when Buying the Camera. Back when i did order mine, i must have been one of the First ones to ever ask about getting a Spare as you could really tell People at Krontech where Quite surprised about that Request.
 .
 Filter Dimensions of the Original Factory Filter installed in my Camera are 0,995mm x 23,98mm x 15,99mm.
 Thickness has been Verified by a 0,995mm Gauge Block, but nominal Size should be 1 x 24 x 16mm.
 .
 Now since from what i Remember Shipping, Taxes, and Customs Processing for just ordering a Single filter on its own to Germany are vastly More Expensive than the Actual Filter itself, there are some Alternatives as to where to get Filters from.
 Also you might want to run the Camera for Full-Spectrum Use or capture IR-Light / UV-Light only and not mess with your Backfocal Distance (while fairly easily Adjustable on this Camera it can still be a Pain, if you need to Switch a lot back and fourth between them).
 .
 Alternative Sources for Custom Filters include Kolari Vision for US and Schott / Edmund Optics for Europe (but i think they operate worldwide also?).
 Kolari Vision confirmed, that they will Cut Filters to Custom Sizes, and the Size Required for the Chronos is Available.
 Schott Surprisingly enough also Sells to people privately without having a Company themselves, but have a 1000€ Minimum Order Value in Place (Which probably is a bit Steep for the Average User, unless you want a bunch of Spares for Your Chronos Ring Setup?).
 Schott However sells all their Products through Edmund Optics for anyone with super-Small Order Sizes like Single Units of Custom Size Filters. And Yes, they also Cut to Custom Size, and the Required Size for the Chronos is Available there.
 Then there is also Stuff Like this here, but i cant say anything about the Quality of the Filters they Sell or the Quality of their cuts, as i never bought there, try at your own risk:
 https://www.ebay.de/itm/192884462869
 If nothing else works, or you are in some really Remote Place/ Country, your best bet on finding a Replacement would Probably be to find some Store / Shop that does Full-Spectrum Conversions of DSLRs and such, they usually have Filters at hand and Tools to cut them to size Properly.
 .
 Generally you can also just get whatever 1mm thick IR-/UV-Cut Filter Glass and Attempt to cut it at home, if you want to go as cheap as Possible:
 https://picsngeek.at/photography/cutting-filter-glass-for-camera-ir-or-full-spectrum-modification/
 But i generally do not recommend, especially the way its done here in this Guide. Apart from a bunch of things i would probably do different, Applying Any kind of Adhesive Tape is Strongly Recommended against, as it can damage the Coatings on the Filter or straight up rip parts of it clean off, as well as possibly leaving Residue on there.
 However, if you Really need to, and dont have access to anything better, its probably still Resulting in a better looking Image than when used without one and all the Pink Taint from the IR Light on there. So more of an Emergency "Live-Hack" kind of thing than anything else.
 Note that most Circular IR-/UV-Cut Filters (The ones you Screw onto your Lenses in the Front) are thicker than 1mm (something like 1,4mm Thick is Common for the Somewhat larger ones, if i recall Correctly), which will mess with your Backfocus Setting/ Distance and maybe will lead to issues when Screwing the Bracket back in on the Chronos, that is holding the Filter (Be very Careful not to over-Tension it, risk of Cracking it!), but again, if you have one of these Circular ones on hand and need one RIGHT NOW in an Emergency, it can Work.
 

Nikon1

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Re: Help! Clean camera sensor (ir filter)
« Reply #6 on: September 13, 2022, 03:47:02 AM »
GENERAL DISCLAIMER / WARNING:
 .
 A thing to be said in General about Cleaning your Sensor.
 Anything beyond blowing on it carefully with a blower will always produce some Level of risk of Scratching the Glass Surface you are Trying to Cleaning.
 Further more Wet Cleaning Introduces the Risk of whatever Cleaning Fluid you decide to use messing with Coatings.
 Now the Chronos is a expensive Piece of Kit, and if you Damage the IR-Filter in Front, you CAN replace it, however, if you Damage the Actual Sensor Cover Glass, Repair becomes expensive. Not only is the Sensor itself to be Replaced which is expensive on its own, you also need to send it back to Krontech, as they will not allow Replacement of the Sensor by an user no matter who, and will need to do that at their Place.
 .
 Anything involving Contact Cleaning and Especially Wet Cleaning puts your Camera at Risk of you Damaging it, especially if you never done it before or at least seen anyone else Clean a Sensor Properly before.
 If that is the Case, and you never have Cleaned any Sensor in your Life before and also have never seen anyone else do it personally (Videos kinda dont count in my opinion), i strongly recommend you to go practice on any other Camera first, because if you mess up, its a lot less damage done and Cheaper to Replace, especially if you depend on the Chronos to run your Studio or whatever.
 .
 For anyone who has never done it, consider just letting a Professional Clean it. Generally, i assume most Bigger reputable Camera Stores would take the Chronos in for a Sensor Clean, but make sure to choose a Reputable Store and not a Sketchy, cheap one. Some of these Full-Spectrum Conversion Shops maybe as well offer Sensor Cleaning.
 If you cant find anything Locally, or just dont want to trust any of the Stores Around wherever you are, remember, it is still cheaper to send it to Krontech to get them to Clean the Filter / Sensor than to Send it to Krontech to Replace the Sensor...
 .
 Also from what i heard from Asking around to write this here Post, if you happen to have a Sony Brand Camera, just dont even Bother trying to Clean yourself, just give it to a Store to Clean it for you, ideally one that does a lot of Sony Stuff every day anyways.
 .
 Most other Cameras / Sensors / Filters should be fairly straight forward to Clean, but always be Careful still, especially with stuff you never worked with, as it could be in fact different (i personally didnt know about the Thing with Sony sensors, and probably would have been overconfident if i had ever had to clean a Sony Sensor, probably damaging it in the Process!!!), and these are Very Sensitive Surfaces after all, and cant be Repaired once actually damaged.
 .
 So be aware, that you are Taking a Risk here, or let someone do it, that has Experience is the Summary of this Warning!
 Good Luck to anyone attempting to clean it themselves, and feel Free to Post your Experience in doing so here.

Nikon1

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Re: Help! Clean camera sensor (ir filter)
« Reply #7 on: November 13, 2022, 12:12:17 PM »
@ivandan:
 Did my lengthy Explanation help in any way, or would you still prefer me to make a Video?

ivandan

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Re: Help! Clean camera sensor (ir filter)
« Reply #8 on: November 13, 2022, 11:54:04 PM »
Everything is fine!) I cleaned the camera myself, removed the IR filter. I cleaned the matrix itself and the filter on the reverse side. It was scary, but I did it. 8)

Nikon1

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Re: Help! Clean camera sensor (ir filter)
« Reply #9 on: November 14, 2022, 07:49:45 AM »
Good to hear that it worked out for you and you could successfully clean it!

jeffreestar

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Re: Help! Clean camera sensor (ir filter)
« Reply #10 on: July 28, 2023, 12:01:55 AM »
Sorry for the late reply, needed to do some Research on this first, to be able to properly answer this.
 Asked around a bit, cause there Seems to be quite the Controversy about how to clean Sensors and Sensor Filter Glass right.
 If anybody does not know what this is about, its mainly about what Cleaning Products To use, as well as Cleaning Fluids.
 Especially big seems to be the Controversy about the Adhesion Cleaning Sticks by the Company Eyelead, which i would have personally wanted to recommend and looked it up:
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpeARxQARq4
 Others however (like me) seem to strongly Recommend the Eyelead Cleaning System:
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fetJfPILU3o ovo game
 To just give one Example for each.
 Main Issue Seems to be apparently, that it leaves Residue on Sonys DSLM Sensors and Filters.
 But then again, after seeing how people use these and Instruct others on using these, i am not much Surprised. Shown here is them Recommending / Instructing / Showing People to just Plunge Straight down with these, then just Rip them straight back up again very fast:
 https://youtu.be/fetJfPILU3o?t=112
 .
 Then there is also the Whole Controversy about whether it is save to use IPA and Methanol without doing Damage to the Coatings and if for example Acetone would actually leave residue when used for Cleaning.
 .
 .
 Turns out, that even Professionals in Camera Stores and such are having trouble cleaning Sony Sensors, as they are actually different somehow (Coatings are big Trade Secrets, so likely nobody except Sony Themselves and a Select few others probably know for sure what exactly is going on inside these Coatings), and are just generally very hard to Clean.
 .
 In the Following a Short Conclusion of what i am Comfortable to Recommend in Regards to Sensor Cleaning after Consulting some Experts:

sensor cleaning should be done only when necessary. Minor dust spots are usually not noticeable in your images and can be removed during post-processing. Clean the sensor only when you see visible dust or debris affecting your photos.