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05-14-2021, 10:21 AM   #1
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CMOS sensor cleaning liquid from drugstore...

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I found in a "special" drugstore for around 3$ a bottle of almost 100% alcohols made of :
- Butylic alcohol : 4%
- Isopropylic alcohol : 2.5%
- Ethanol : 90%
- Distilled water : 3.5%

I tried it on the LCD screen of my K5, it is very volatile and leaves tiny marks that you can remove with a dry cotton...

Could this be used to clean an APN sensor ?

They also sell 100% ether that removes any alcohol marks for around 7€.

Can I make a good liquid using a small % of ether in the mix ?

I know how to build my custom swaps with a special cotton and a piece of thick paper aka bristol.

Can I clean nicely my sensor with all that stuff ?

---------- Post added 05-14-21 at 10:25 AM ----------

And meanwhile, I've found and gonna buy a very good K3 (9000 actuations), premium edition with grip from a Japan store with all accessoires (demonstration body) for ... 580€
What is the differences between the K3 and the K3 mark III ?


Last edited by bygp; 05-14-2021 at 10:28 AM.
05-14-2021, 10:41 AM   #2
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amazon.com: Zeiss 2oz Spray and Microfiber Lens Care Kit, White (000000-2127-990): Zeiss: Camera & Photo?tag=pentaxforums-20&
05-14-2021, 10:45 AM   #3
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If a cleaner leaves any residue, I wouldn't use it on a sensor at all (even for LCD cleaning it's preferred to have a cleaning solution with no residue). jlstrawman's recommendation is the way to go unless you want to risk sensor damage with an unknown concoction. Actually, the best thing to do for a sensor is not clean it if possible. Use the camera's shake cleaning first and if that doesn't work, use an air blower to "puff" off any debris. Anything beyond that is well into the risky category and you need a good sensor cleaning kit if you plan on going that far.
05-14-2021, 11:39 AM   #4
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.. um... nope.....

not using that on anything....

05-14-2021, 11:45 AM   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by bygp Quote
. . . I've found and gonna buy a very good K3 (9000 actuations), premium edition with grip from a Japan store with all accessoires (demonstration body) for ... 580€
What is the differences between the K3 and the K3 mark III ?
quite a bit

Pentax K-3 III vs. Pentax K-3 - Pentax Camera Comparison - PentaxForums.com


although the K 3 is a very nice camera, it isn't the brand new K 3 III

Pentax K-3 III - PentaxForums.com

the OP may want to read this article and proceed with caution:

QuoteQuote:
Cleaning Your DSLR Sensor
A guide on how to get rid of sensor dust at home
By K David in Tutorial Videos on Jun 12, 2014
Cleaning Your DSLR Sensor
We all paid a lot of money for our digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera bodies. So dust on an image can be a disappointment. Sensor dust, unlike lens dust, necessarily leads to image quality loss, unsightly image spots, and added work in post. So, here's a process for dry-cleaning your DSLR sensor. Simply searching for sensor cleaning returns a dozen different ways, tips, and theories on what and how to do it. This method presents DSLR owners with low-risk, inexpensive sensor cleaning. Of course, clean your sensor at your own risk . . .


Read more at: Cleaning Your DSLR Sensor - Tutorial Videos | PentaxForums.com

Last edited by aslyfox; 05-14-2021 at 12:01 PM.
05-14-2021, 11:56 AM - 2 Likes   #6
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How dirty is your sensor ?

I have been doing digital photography for 15 years and not had to clean a sensor yet.
05-14-2021, 12:25 PM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by pschlute Quote
How dirty is your sensor ?

I have been doing digital photography for 15 years and not had to clean a sensor yet.
Some dusts were already on it when I received this K5...

05-14-2021, 12:48 PM - 1 Like   #8
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My go-to solution for wet cleaning AA-filterless APS-C sensors like the one on my K-3 and my wife's K-70:

Rollei Sensor Cleaning Set pour Caméras avec APS-C Sensor 12 Pinceaux pour Capteurs avec Liquide de Nettoyage pour Capteurs: Amazon.fr: Photo & Caméscopes

The Rollei stuff seems to be a rebranded version of this Chinese VSGO cleaning kit, which I have used without issues before:

VSGO Kit de Nettoyage pour le capteur de l'appareil photo APS-C: Amazon.fr: Photo & Caméscopes

According to VSGO, as expressed in email correspondence I had with the company, they are OEM suppliers for Nikon sensor cleaning kits.

Do watch a variety of decent tube tutorials and study your camera manual before you embark on your first wet cleaning attempt though. You want to make sure that at least in theory you know what you are doing when you work on an essential part of your camera like this. The key is to operate with a fully-charged battery, avoid using an excess of fluid, and use the right technique of applying the swab. But it can be learned, and once you get the hang of it, you will be able to reliably return your sensor(s) to squeaky clean. Don't worry, under normal shooting conditions and with a little care in preventing dust from entering the camera, you won't have to perform this kind of camera surgery all that often (like once every couple of years). Still one of the advantages of DSLRs over mirrorless ILCs, whose sensor is much more exposed to dust and other matter.

Bonus tip: Steer clear of the "lollipop-of-death" type of gel dry-cleaning kits, as they tend to leave sticky residue if not applied with the right technique, which can be a pain to remove. (I've been there before, just my two bits.)

Last edited by Madaboutpix; 05-14-2021 at 01:29 PM. Reason: Precision.
05-14-2021, 12:50 PM - 2 Likes   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by bygp Quote
Can I make a good liquid using a small % of ether in the mix ?
You can do pretty much anything your want, but be aware that specialized cleaners exist for a reason. Below is a compatibility table for common solvents and plastics:


Found at: Solvent Compatibility and plastics. | Capolight Electronics Projects.

Be aware that even vapors may be corrosive to some plastics.

For sensor cleaning...in decreasing order of preference:
  • In-camera sensor cleaning routine
  • Rocket blower
  • Dry method sensor cleaning kit
  • Wet method sensor cleaning kit
FWIW...I have been using dSLRs since 2007 and have never needed to resort to more than a Rocket blower with either my K10D or K-3.


Steve

(...has a very nice Yashica rangefinder which viewfinder was hopelessly crazed by previous owner's cleaning attempts...)

Last edited by stevebrot; 05-14-2021 at 12:59 PM.
05-14-2021, 01:19 PM - 1 Like   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by bygp Quote
Some dusts were already on it when I received this K5...
does the dust affect the photos ?

if not -

QuoteQuote:
The Apocalypse of Lens Dust
By Roger Cicala Published August 2, 2011 SHARE TWEET
Apocalypse (from the Greek apokálypsis; “lifting of the veil” or “revelation”):

An event involving destruction or damage on an awesome or catastrophic scale.
A disclosure of something hidden from the majority of mankind.
How appropriate the word apocalypse is for this little article. At least once a week I see a post somewhere from a fairly inexperienced photographer who thinks a definition 1 apocalypse has occurred: “OMG, my lens has dust inside!!!! How did it get there??? What will I do?? My shoot is ruiiinned!!!!!” . . . Does any of this have any real world implications? Nah. Unless you get a bug inside your lens there’s not much need to worry about dust. Until there’s so much dust that it interferes with contrast or light transmission. When is that? Well sounds like another article coming up, doesn’t it? But it would be a lot of dust.


Roger Cicala
Lensrentals.com
Lens Rentals | Blog
05-14-2021, 01:20 PM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by bygp Quote
Some dusts were already on it when I received this K5...
In that case I would suggest stick with a specific sensor cleaning swab kit.
05-14-2021, 06:35 PM   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by bygp Quote
What is the differences between the K3 and the K3 mark III ?
It's easier to describe what's similar. The K3 part of the name, the style and build quality. That's about it.

---------- Post added 05-14-21 at 08:58 PM ----------

Only every had to clean a sensor once. For some stupid reason I left a body in the bag with no body cap or lens attached.
05-14-2021, 07:42 PM   #13
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I wouldn't not try this on my camera's sensor. The risk of damage is too high
05-15-2021, 07:50 PM   #14
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A good new friend is a vintage camera and lenses collector, he can repair everything, even bodies, he has the cleaning kit and will do that for me
He has tons of stuff and gonna give me HQ UV filters and hoods, I'm lucky !!!

---------- Post added 05-15-21 at 07:56 PM ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by stevebrot Quote
You can do pretty much anything your want, but be aware that specialized cleaners exist for a reason. Below is a compatibility table for common solvents and plastics:


Found at: Solvent Compatibility and plastics. | Capolight Electronics Projects.

Be aware that even vapors may be corrosive to some plastics.

For sensor cleaning...in decreasing order of preference:
  • In-camera sensor cleaning routine
  • Rocket blower
  • Dry method sensor cleaning kit
  • Wet method sensor cleaning kit
FWIW...I have been using dSLRs since 2007 and have never needed to resort to more than a Rocket blower with either my K10D or K-3.


Steve

(...has a very nice Yashica rangefinder which viewfinder was hopelessly crazed by previous owner's cleaning attempts...)
Great table, which plastic is on the K5 sensor surface ?
05-16-2021, 10:50 AM   #15
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QuoteOriginally posted by bygp Quote
which plastic is on the K5 sensor surface ?
Glass, iirc
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