Sensor Cleaning on A7 Mark II...Does IBIS Create Special Situation?

[Sony Guy]

'Wondering if the fact that the a7 II's sensor is not screwed down rock solid as other models are due to its IBIS feature, does this present any unique precautions or concerns when cleaning it with a sensor swab. Is the sensor immobilized somehow when the camera is switched off, and is it possible to damage the IBIS mechanism by physically swabbing the sensor and moving it around?

[SAR_admin]

Not that I know!

[Sony Guy]

Does no one out there really know the story here on cleaning the a7 II's sensor? I'd call Sony, but I'm sure they'd insist it be sent to them at some ridiculous cost for doing this simple procedure. I've owned many digital cameras and cleaned their sensors, but the a7 II is unique in this respect and I just don't want to screw anything up. Has there not been any reader here that's done this?

[drasko2015]

Have you tried a simple blower? I also wouldnt risk cleaning it, my local photostore told me the only perfect solution is a wet cleaning. Sony gives 2years warranty but you have to pay for that cleaning 50€ in your local sony service center

[Sony Guy]

Have you tried a simple blower? I also wouldnt risk cleaning it, my local photostore told me the only perfect solution is a wet cleaning. Sony gives 2years warranty but you have to pay for that cleaning 50€ in your local sony service center

Actually, mine is spotless at the moment but I know eventually cleaning will become necessary. I've cleaned many sensors (wet method) thru the years on many different digital cameras, it's just that with the a7II having this somewhat "articulated" sensor, does this pose any special concerns? Hopefully, the sensor is immobilized somehow when the camera is switched off, rendering it safe for cleaning??

[foto-fanatic]

Im using the built in clean setting quite often to try to avoid large dust/particle buildup in the first place.

 

 

As far as ibis damage, in normal handheld usage the sensor would be prone to slight movement whilst carrying the camera in hand? . Surely that would translate to slight sensor movement anyway whether switched on or off?[ i have wondered the same thing about whether its locked down or immobilised after shutdown etc]

 

 

You could research olympus cameras with ibis as they have been out longer and see how those owners deal with sensor cleaning perhaps or see what olympus says in there tech manual or on forums for recommendations etc? Just a thought/

 

If you find out anything please consider posting the info for us here if it behooves you to do so, i would like to know myself, thanks.

[foto-fanatic]

i found this on a photo forum-make of it what you will, it apparently applies to olympus om-d, its made me think twice anyway.

 

The sensor should not be cleaned by a user for two very important reasons:
1: When the camera is turned off the sensor is loose. When powered on, the
sensor is suspended in a magnetic field to enable the five-axis image
stabilization.
2: If the sensor is cleaned by a user using a swab, the anti-static coating

 

on the sensor is wiped off. Our repair technicians replace the coating when
they perform service.

[theVatansever]

I cleaned it with clothe, wet cleaning, used a vacuum cleaner to vacum dust on it,,nothing happened. Sensor is solid on wherever it^s assembled, and it doesnt seem like it's gonna be broken easily...

[foto-fanatic]

Ok thats interesting^ im sure i read in the sony booklet it can be cleaned by the user, although not recommended, i have heard not to vacuum the sensor due to the moving air creating static however i do not profess to know.

My theory is to prevent it getting dust buildup in the first place by regularly gently using a blower in conjunction with the camera clean setting, i live near the sea so am very interested in this subject as there is a need to be fastidious down here everything corrodes very quickly.

[Mark Muse]

I have cleaned my A7II sensor with a wet swab without apparent harm. The sensor does move around a little... kind of squirmy like suspended on jello (camera off). I would not attempt this with the camera on.

 

This camera sensor, right from brand new, has seemed to accumulate more dust than other cameras I have owned, including my A7r. I wonder if the mechanism that moves the sensor increases the static charge. Not such a big deal in the overall scheme of things.

[Max the Dog]

I change lenses on the D810 just as frequently as I did with A7r and NEX7.  The main difference - not one need to clean the sensor yet.   

 

My NEX7 has micro-scratches from repeated cleanings (but somehow this hasn't yet affected resolution) the A7r was headed that way. 

 

My forecast (based on to date cleanings) is that the D810 sensor will be pristine years to come.  (they may even use a harder sensor cover) that prevents micro scratching. 

 

I have cleaned my A7II sensor with a wet swab without apparent harm. The sensor does move around a little... kind of squirmy like suspended on jello (camera off). I would not attempt this with the camera on.

This camera sensor, right from brand new, has seemed to accumulate more dust than other cameras I have owned, including my A7r. I wonder if the mechanism that moves the sensor increases the static charge. Not such a big deal in the overall scheme of things.

[Golem]

`  

  

Well thaz waaay helpful. I'm gonna transplant an 810

sensor into my A7-II ... just as soon as I get me one !

  

Maybe I'll also transplant the body flange, so I don't

hafta buy any lenses adapters, and acoarst the D810

battery cuz the Sony battery is kinda dinky. Oh ! and

the mirror box so I can get that "Pro" sounding whack

when I nail my "Decisive Moment" [right on the cross

hairs of my rule-of-turds grid lines]. 

  

Now back to the topic of the OP. I don't have an A7-II

so I hafta ask ... is there a "Manual Sensor Cleaning"

entry in the menu system ? My Canons have that and

it allows the shutter to stay open and the mirror to be

up for an indefinite time. Surely just to hold the shutter

open for cleaning the A7II needs some such mode, as

all my Sony APS bodies have that.

 

So, based on the Canon SLR model, if the Canon SLR

manual cleaning mode puts moving parts out of harm's 

way, then it SEEMS reasonable that IF the A7II sensor

needs to be immobilized for its own protection, then the

manual cleaning mode should do that ... yeah, I know,

there's that big "IF" and big "SEEMS" and we're dealing

here with Sony, who is famous for Walkmans and Beta.

  

As to that post about Olympus, I cannot put any faith in

info that mentions the sensor being SUSPENDED in a

magnetic field. In theory, that can happen, in practice

the degree of precision is unattainable, and that which

we desire to be suspended will race to one or the other

pole of the magnetic field and stay there.

  

` 

[Michael_j]

Clearly you don't need to hold the non existent mirror open and the shutter is normally open, so that doesn't need holding open either. The shutter only closes before and after the exposure. If electronic front curtain is used it only closed to end the exposure so there isn't a great need for a special 'manually clean' sensor mode. 

 

I think that the exposed sensor is the main reason that mirrorless cameras tend to suffer from dirt on the sensor though the Olympus cleaning system is excellent, not too impressed by the Sony version on the A7.

 

I did clean the sensor on my Olympus OMD E-M5 a couple of times using sensor swabs without apparent damage

[foto-fanatic]

Exactly,^^, well said, you would think you'd know that owning a milc already?

 

Another interesting poster here above has theorised that the ibis movement of the sensor and the fact its suspended upon some kind of electro magnetic field [presumably electro magnetic, maybe organic magnets who knows, or a combination of both] could cause static build up and this may be a contributing factor to the likely hood of excessive sensor grime and dust, it makes sense to me and sounds plausible enough, it is suspended on magnets im fairly certain, i have seen it move whilst turned off and its particularly sensitive and fluid, and the fact that the sensor is located relatively shallow in depth in relation to the flange and covers a large portion of the available area inside the mount, so all these factors may contribute to dust accumulation.

 

My logic is to use the inbuilt sensor cleaning function in combination with a clean blower upside down at consistent intervals to AVOID as much dust as possible in the first place, i do the internal setting clean 3 times in a row and quite often, at least after every shoot whereby i use more then one lens etc.

I always swap lenses in my camera case upside down and very quickly!!

I have had my cam for approx 8 weeks shoot every day oft at the beach and swap between 2 lenses and my sensor is spotless so far, i check with a small magnifying lens i have, the salt air down here corrodes everything, i have to be cautious and fastidious.

 

 

Prevention is better than cure, this is my personal theory, and i'm sticking with it until proved otherwise.

[Max the Dog]

How's that 11 bit color working out for you ? 

 

You might not be able to detect it with Sony's 20% loss in resolution. 

 

https://sonyvnikon.wordpress.com/2015/05/12/dynamic-range-resolution-14-bit-color-nikon-delivers/

 

 

`  

  

Well thaz waaay helpful. I'm gonna transplant an 810

sensor into my A7-II ... just as soon as I get me one !

  

Maybe I'll also transplant the body flange, so I don't

hafta buy any lenses adapters, and acoarst the D810

battery cuz the Sony battery is kinda dinky. Oh ! and

the mirror box so I can get that "Pro" sounding whack

when I nail my "Decisive Moment" [right on the cross

hairs of my rule-of-turds grid lines]. 

  

Now back to the topic of the OP. I don't have an A7-II

so I hafta ask ... is there a "Manual Sensor Cleaning"

entry in the menu system ? My Canons have that and

it allows the shutter to stay open and the mirror to be

up for an indefinite time. Surely just to hold the shutter

open for cleaning the A7II needs some such mode, as

all my Sony APS bodies have that.

 

So, based on the Canon SLR model, if the Canon SLR

manual cleaning mode puts moving parts out of harm's 

way, then it SEEMS reasonable that IF the A7II sensor

needs to be immobilized for its own protection, then the

manual cleaning mode should do that ... yeah, I know,

there's that big "IF" and big "SEEMS" and we're dealing

here with Sony, who is famous for Walkmans and Beta.

  

As to that post about Olympus, I cannot put any faith in

info that mentions the sensor being SUSPENDED in a

magnetic field. In theory, that can happen, in practice

the degree of precision is unattainable, and that which

we desire to be suspended will race to one or the other

pole of the magnetic field and stay there.

  

` 

[Snowfun]

Are you waiting to buy up a lot of used Sony equipment when we all move to Nikon?

 

I think a significant number of people here are 1. owners/users of equipment from multiple manufacturers (Blackmagic/Leica/Nikon myself), and 2. Have extensive experience of pros and cons of different gear and have reached informed opinions.

 

I certainly doubt whether many will appreciate your agenda.

 

Those who are new to the hobby - some may be new to the pro world too but for most it is merely a bit of fun - are likely to appreciate genuine assistance in optimising the gear they have purchased or are about to purchase. Can those of you who claim significant knowledge and/or experience (I certainly wouldn't include myself in that category) please share it constructively.

 

Or look elsewhere for readers of what I assume is an interesting use of Wordpress.

Tim

 

Ps edited - I forgot my Sony A72 & A7s (possibly a bit embarrassed I use it...)

[foto-fanatic]

How's that 11 bit color working out for you ? 

 

You might not be able to detect it with Sony's 20% loss in resolution. 

 

https://sonyvnikon.wordpress.com/2015/05/12/dynamic-range-resolution-14-bit-color-nikon-delivers/

 

 

And this is related to sensor cleaning how?

 

Try reading the topic title, it will help you respond in a way that conforms with the subject matter being discussed in the thread.

Its not that hard.

 

 

 

[gatormac2112]

I cleaned my a7II sensor yesterday and all appears to be in working order. I wouldnt worry about it too much.

[foto-fanatic]

What did you use to clean your sensor?

I have heard that wet cleaning method with sony,s can cause problems due to coating on sensor glass etc.

 

Anyone have any best recommendations as to best products and methods?

 

I would love to know, after 6k shots on my a7m2 its getting dust bunnies.

[Mark Muse]

My 800e (recently sold), which as we all know had a Sony sensor… as do all Nikon DSLRs, required cleaning just as often as the Sonys I have do.

[foto-fanatic]

I have ordered some sensor swabs eclipse type 3 they had listed sony a7 as safe to use so should be fine, jeez there not cheap.

I knew that sooner or later it would need to be done and its far from filthy just a few specs that wont seem blow off.

 

I guess any camera can get dirty especially changing lenses maybe i will invent a camera case that doubles as a lens swapping dust free environment hehe.

I got an idea for a lens carrying strap atm. Must get round to building a prototype one day.

[gatormac2112]

I have ordered some sensor swabs eclipse type 3 they had listed sony a7 as safe to use so should be fine, jeez there not cheap.

I knew that sooner or later it would need to be done and its far from filthy just a few specs that wont seem blow off.

 

I guess any camera can get dirty especially changing lenses maybe i will invent a camera case that doubles as a lens swapping dust free environment hehe.

I got an idea for a lens carrying strap atm. Must get round to building a prototype one day.

Thats what I used along with the eclipse solution which comes separate....so yes kind of costly, but it did the trick and did it well.

[foto-fanatic]

I bought the swabs pre soaked in packets 4 of them.

They worked really well too, its spotless, it bends me out of shape seeing spots on images. I had a bad one too in the corner wouldnt budge with blower so had to.

[jamess]

Of course A7 series may be different, but having used Sony and Pentax dlsrs with similar 'in body vibration reduction' for years I've never had a problem with sensor cleaning.  Sony have years of experience with the technology albeit not on FF sensors, so I'd be really surprised if there was an issue.  I've not experienced any problems so far.

[cadibob]

J'ai déjà plusieurs fois dépoussiéré le capteur de mon A7 II avec un petit pinceau plat en poils ultra souples synthétiques (pour artistes peintres). Je tiens le boîtier à l'envers et je passe doucement les poils en surface. La poussière tombe vers l'extérieur.

Le capteur tremble légèrement.

Pas de traces ni soucis.