Sony a6000 sensor cleaning: I just received my Sony a6000 and so far I love everything about it. I know there will come a day when the sensor needs to be cleaned and I can't find any...

fvasek Loc: Abingdon, Maryland

I just received my Sony a6000 and so far I love everything about it. I know there will come a day when the sensor needs to be cleaned and I can't find any information on the internet about approved cleaning methods for wet cleaning this camera. Most articles talk about what not to use on it. I was wondering if anyone out there owns the a6000 and has successfully cleaned there sensor and what cleaning system they used.

Thanks in advance.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

fvasek wrote:

I just received my Sony a6000 and so far I love everything about it. I know there will come a day when the sensor needs to be cleaned and I can't find any information on the internet about approved cleaning methods for wet cleaning this camera. Most articles talk about what not to use on it. I was wondering if anyone out there owns the a6000 and has successfully cleaned there sensor and what cleaning system they used.

Thanks in advance.

Here's one, but not very intensive. Apparently, the manual recommends using only a blower. I remember reading about that a while back. The Sony sensor is different, so the wet/wipe cleaning method is not recommended.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIpQn9KPDA4

Do not use a gel stick, as it will leave a residue on the sensor.

http://community.sony.com/t5/Alpha-SLT-DSLR-Cameras/Sensor-GEL-cleaner-Stick-quot-sticks-quot-to-ONLY-SONY/td-p/292092

People have used the wet method with Sony, but be sure you get get a kit sized for your sensor. Since the SOny sensor appears to be different, I would be very cautious about using anything but the Giottos Rocket.

RJM Loc: Cardiff, S Wales, UK

The A6000 has a sensor cleaning mechanism inside, and I'd have thought it shouldn't need cleaning except on the rare occasion for some other reason.

Of all the cameras I have I don't think I've claned any of them except for the Sony A7s which doesn't half seem to pick up contaminants!

I'd have thought the blower would only do what the sensor cleaning mechanism does in shaking off dust particles.

kangurw Loc: Newark, NJ

You can clean with isopropyl alcohol and a microfiber cloth, the think that you see is the pass thru filter that sit over the sensor. I do have a6000, nex 3 and a7 m2 and I do clean when its need.

ole sarg Loc: south florida

Let me get this straight you have about $1,000 invested in the camera and you don't want to spend $50 to have a professional clean the very heart of the camera.

I think you need to rethink your reasoning!

fvasek wrote:

I just received my Sony a6000 and so far I love everything about it. I know there will come a day when the sensor needs to be cleaned and I can't find any information on the internet about approved cleaning methods for wet cleaning this camera. Most articles talk about what not to use on it. I was wondering if anyone out there owns the a6000 and has successfully cleaned there sensor and what cleaning system they used.

Thanks in advance.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

ole sarg wrote:

...you don't want to spend $50 to have a professional clean the very heart of the camera.

I certainly don't. Cleaning is a repetitive operation. How many times a year might that be necessary?

peterg Loc: Santa Rosa, CA

jerryc41 wrote:

Do not use a gel stick, as it will leave a residue on the sensor.

There is now a gel stick version specifically for the Sony.

waywest Loc: las vegas

why so quick to wet clean? thats the last thing to try & thats for "welded" debris. try a rocket blower 1 st. google "copper hill" for wet cleaning kit. watch on youtube for sensor cleaning methods. my a6000 hasn't needed sensor cleaning yet [1 yr old] & i live in dusty las vegas. happy snappin'

RJM Loc: Cardiff, S Wales, UK

waywest wrote:

why so quick to wet clean? thats the last thing to try & thats for "welded" debris. try a rocket blower 1 st. google "copper hill" for wet cleaning kit. watch on youtube for sensor cleaning methods. my a6000 hasn't needed sensor cleaning yet [1 yr old] & i live in dusty las vegas. happy snappin'

I agree - never cleaned my Sony A6000! The internal sensor cleaning in camera must be good! :)

kangurw Loc: Newark, NJ

Mate, the sony sensor, is not exposed. It not need be clean manualy, the cameras have ultrasound clean system. What you see when remove the lens is a sensor with a pass thru IR filter on the top. This is piece of glass that you can clean if is need. To clean the sony sensor, you must disasemble the camera. The acess ti the sensor is from the back of camera.

fvasek Loc: Abingdon, Maryland

ole sarg wrote:

Let me get this straight you have about $1,000 invested in the camera and you don't want to spend $50 to have a professional clean the very heart of the camera.

I think you need to rethink your reasoning!

First, let me say that over the years I have had to wet clean the sensor filters on my DSLR's several times when a blower just did not do the trick. It's not rocket science, as a matter of fact with the right equipment it is very easy.

Most people complain that when they send their camera's out to be cleaned by the so called professionals, they come back the same or worse. Therefore, I don't care if I paid $5000 for the camera, I would still do it myself.

The reason I was asking was in case the day would come that it would require a wet cleaning, I would like to be prepared with the right solution, swabs, etc..

So I don't need to rethink my reasoning, but thank you for your response