[Fenwoodian]

A few days ago I did a wet clean of my K1 with Eclipse E2 and sensor swabs.

While it cleaned the sensor just fine, it left a residue that looked like blotches on the sensor's surface.

I went through an entire box of sensor swabs to get rid of this flimy residue.

I don't know what I will use the next time I do a wet cleaning of my K1's sensor, but it certainly will not be Eclipse E2.

Have any of you found a sensor cleaning solution that works well on the K1 sensor?

[reh321]

A few days ago I did a wet clean of my K1 with Eclipse E2 and sensor swabs.

While it cleaned the sensor just fine, it left a residue that looked like blotches on the sensor's surface.

I went through an entire box of sensor swabs to get rid of this flimy residue.

I don't know what I will use the next time I do a wet cleaning of my K1's sensor, but it certainly will not be Eclipse E2.

Have any of you found a sensor cleaning solution that works well on the K1 sensor?

Do you do a wet clean on some kind of regular schedule?
What led you to do this?
{I've had my Q-7 for 18 months and my K-30 for 12 months, and I've yet to touch either sensor}

[jlstrawman]

Have any of you found a sensor cleaning solution that works well on the K1 sensor?

I am OCD careful witrh my equipment. In 50 years of using Pentax and other cameras, I have never had to wet or dry clean any sensor.

[Fenwoodian]

Have any of you found a sensor cleaning solution that works well on the K1 sensor?

[Kunzite]

How about Pentax' O-ICK1?
Cleaning kit for sensor O-ICK1 - RICOH IMAGING EUROPE S.A.S

[Snakeisthestuff]

How about Pentax' O-ICK1?
Cleaning kit for sensor O-ICK1 - RICOH IMAGING EUROPE S.A.S

I used this on the K-1 sensor already (as many times on my K20D before), as it is the official recommended sensor cleaning kit in the manual, and it worked very well.
Just be carefull not to push to hard on the sensor, be sure to read the manual which is provided with the kit carefully before using it!!

If you bought your camera in Europe (or at least in Germany) you could also use your free basic-checkup which includes sensore cleaning:
Basis-Check - RICOH IMAGING DEUTSCHLAND GmbH

[Schraubstock]

A few days ago I did a wet clean of my K1 with Eclipse E2 and sensor swabs. While it cleaned the sensor just fine, it left a residue that looked like blotches on the sensor's surface. I went through an entire box of sensor swabs to get rid of this flimy residue. I don't know what I will use the next time

Have any of you found a sensor cleaning solution that works well on the K1 sensor?

Hi
I have, Water ! Read on.

I have posted in this forum a lot on this topic. I consider myself, without self praise, an old hand at this cleaning activity.
I have cleaned dozens of cams, mine and others with success every time.

I don't think your failure had anything to do with the K-1 sensor per se.
I would guess whatever you wanted to clean off the sensor could have been of the wrong polarity. Hence the smears. (But I doubt it very much, something else must have gone wrong.) I would think you may have picked up some oil or grease from somewhere around the sensor. The smears would point to this since oil and grease are non polar, .

In chemistry non polar solvents won't dissolve polar substances and polar solvents do not dissolve non polar stuff. Non polar crap on your sensor would be rare though as almost everything your sensor collects is "Schmutz" of the polar type. Organic stuff like Pollen or even spittle.

I first use Pentax's sticky O-ICK1 and if this does not work I use distilled water. Yes water.
Now you need to know, water is polar and if the crap on your sensor is polar it will take it off. In fact distilled water is probably the most useful wet agent for sensor cleaning that I know of since most of the stuff (if not all) your sensor collects will be of the polar type. (Sensor cleaning vendors don't want you to know this) Unless you take pictures in a nasty chemical plant. Another benefit using distilled water is it allows for more time to dissolve what is in your sensor as it evaporates much slower.

So why not just use distilled water it won't harm your sensor, there is nothing in it that could. The microscopic trace elements or impurities which are still left in the distilled water are too small to rate a consideration. No harm will result as long as you don't drown the sensor.

Go like this:
Dampen a clean swap with water, don't overload it so you won't drown the sensor. Have you understood this ? Swipe the sensor, not back and forth but only in one direction. Several times if needed. Then follow immediately with a clean dry swap and buff the surface, also only in one direction. Non need to apply a lot of force, just go with measured determination if you know what I mean. That's it.

Here is one more thing. If you absolutely want to use anything else instead of water don't waste your money on expensive Eclipse as this is only either Methanol, Ethanol or Isopropyl Alcohol. All of these are polar and remove polar crap from your sensor. This is why they are sold by vendors for this purpose. (They would love to sell you 10ml distilled water for $50.00)

Go to your local Pharmacy, buy a new eye dropper bottle and have them fill it with Ethanol. It is cheap and the quantity in the bottle is so little the Pharmacist most likely won't even charge you for it. (Mine didn't, he did not know how to calculate a price for this small quantity.)
Of the above mentioned three Ethanol is the easiest to procure. (And is cheap)

Cheers

---

Last edited by Schraubstock; 11-15-2016 at 03:12 AM.

[Paul the Sunman]

I recommend only cleaning the sensor every June 31st.

[Fenwoodian]

Hi
I have, Water ! Read on.

I have posted in this forum a lot on this topic. I consider myself, without self praise, an old hand at this cleaning activity.
I have cleaned dozens of cams, mine and others with success every time.

I don't think your failure had anything to do with the K-1 sensor per se.
I would guess whatever you wanted to clean off the sensor could have been of the wrong polarity. Hence the smears. (But I doubt it very much, something else must have gone wrong.) I would think you may have picked up some oil or grease from somewhere around the sensor. The smears would point to this since oil and grease are non polar, .

In chemistry non polar solvents won't dissolve polar substances and polar solvents do not dissolve non polar stuff. Non polar crap on your sensor would be rare though as almost everything your sensor collects is "Schmutz" of the polar type. Organic stuff like Pollen or even spittle.

I first use Pentax's sticky O-ICK1 and if this does not work I use distilled water. Yes water.
Now you need to know, water is polar and if the crap on your sensor is polar it will take it off. In fact distilled water is probably the most useful wet agent for sensor cleaning that I know of since most of the stuff (if not all) your sensor collects will be of the polar type. (Sensor cleaning vendors don't want you to know this) Unless you take pictures in a nasty chemical plant. Another benefit using distilled water is it allows for more time to dissolve what is in your sensor as it evaporates much slower.

So why not just use distilled water it won't harm your sensor, there is nothing in it that could. The microscopic trace elements or impurities which are still left in the distilled water are too small to rate a consideration. No harm will result as long as you don't drown the sensor.

Go like this:
Dampen a clean swap with water, don't overload it so you won't drown the sensor. Have you understood this ? Swipe the sensor, not back and forth but only in one direction. Several times if needed. Then follow immediately with a clean dry swap and buff the surface, also only in one direction. Non need to apply a lot of force, just go with measured determination if you know what I mean. That's it.

Here is one more thing. If you absolutely want to use anything else instead of water don't waste your money on expensive Eclipse as this is only either Methanol, Ethanol or Isopropyl Alcohol. All of these are polar and remove polar crap from your sensor. This is why they are sold by vendors for this purpose. (They would love to sell you 10ml distilled water for $50.00)

Go to your local Pharmacy, buy a new eye dropper bottle and have them fill it with Ethanol. It is cheap and the quantity in the bottle is so little the Pharmacist most likely won't even charge you for it. (Mine didn't, he did not know how to calculate a price for this small quantity.)
Of the above mentioned three Ethanol is the easiest to procure. (And is cheap)

Cheers

Schraubstock, thanks for taking the time to answer so thoroughly! Makes much sense to me. When my Eclipse solution did not work, I breathed on the sensor (distilled water vapor?) and that seemed to help.

[Rupert]

Over on DPR I once recommended that a newbie use that high pressure wand at the car wash. He did. Didn't work out for him but you might have better luck. I got banned for two weeks....the jerk that banned me was dumber than the fool that went to the car wash.

I've never cleaned a sensor using anything but the in camera cleaner or a blower.....what the heck are you doing that could cause the need for wet cleaning so soon.....??

If the pressure wand does not help, try the foaming tire cleaning brush...it is bound to get the job done!


Regards!

[tim60]

Schraubstock, thanks for taking the time to answer so thoroughly! Makes much sense to me. When my Eclipse solution did not work, I breathed on the sensor (distilled water vapor?) and that seemed to help.

Breathing on a sensor is asking for trouble. as well as the water in the breath there can be a collection of other things which could contaminate the sensor.

[Schraubstock]

I've never cleaned a sensor using anything but the in camera cleaner or a blower...

There are people who have an overwhelming fear of touching the sensor at any cost. They rather spend hours cloning out blemishes from their photographs. The problem is, since most of the stuff landing on the sensor is organic and left there too long during times of high humidity this crap will bloom, get bigger and literally weld itself on to the sensor surface. Eventually when it must be removed nothing but a wet clean will do. Trust me, I know.

Oh, and never breath on the sensor, it introduces more organic matter but it is very good for healthy fungal growth.

[Rupert]

Oh, and never breath on the sensor, it introduces more organic matter but it is very good for healthy fungal growth.

Oh yes...and after cleaning with that car wash magic wand, never apply the afterward wax finish...it will really mess up your white balance.

[Schraubstock]

...it will really mess up your white balance.

...and the camera's white balance, I am sure !