GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

I have heard there are counterfeit versions of the gel stick.
I may have had one, but I'm gun-shy after this.

JD750 Loc: SoCal

Yikes that is ugly!

It's supposed to be a slightly sticky gel, like a post-it note, not like flypaper. If it is sticky like flypaper it's likely a bad one or counterfeit.

Personally, just MHO, I don't like the concept of sticking something sticky on my sensor. Up until I saw the above pic, my bigger concern was that the gel would leave a bit of sticky residue on the sensor thus assuring that any future dust bunnies floating by would stick there, and then be difficult to dislodge with the sensor self cleaning function.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

Made me sick to my stomach when it happened.
MY friend had a wedding in a few days and didn't have time to send it off to be cleaned.
That's when I offered to do it- have done my own for several years w/o any issues.
She was able to borrow another Canon 5D body from another friend.

My gel stick worked ok for a while, but I usually used it as a last resort.
I think I got my kit from Amazon, so it may have been the one with questionable lineage.
KEH did the repair, and they told me the filter stack is held together with a fairly low-tack adhesive, so one must be careful using that type of cleaning device, even if it's genuine.

Rab-Eye Loc: Indiana

I agree wholeheartedly!

JD750 Loc: SoCal

I am sorry that happened. Unfortunately "No good deed goes unpunished" is true more often than not. But you really got punished.

From what you say about low-tack adhesive, then one must be careful using any type of cleaning device. Thank you for sharing that story and for the good advice.

Rab-Eye Loc: Indiana

Goofy, I'm curious what kind of camera is it with the schmutz on the sensor? The authentic gel stick website has this warning:

Product Advisory: Sony’s, Fuji’s and Leica’s (latest versions) proprietary coating technologies on their mirrorless cameras might cause the Sensor Gel Stick to leave some residue on the surface of the sensor filter, which will require thorough wet cleaning. Please make sure to use the Sony version of the Sensor Gel Stick on these cameras, which works perfectly well on those. Below are the mirrorless cameras that should ONLY be used with the Sony version of the Sensor Gel Stick, not the regular version: All Sony A7-series cameras (all models), A5xxx / A6xxx series, Sony NEX-series cameras (all models), Fuji X-series cameras (all models), Leica M9, Typ 240.

Just wondering if yours falls into one of these categories?

Ben

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

Canon 5D MK1.
What you see in the photo is the de-laminated Optical Low Pass Filter stack...or what ever they call it.