How to clean your sensor and camera - 5 tricks by photographer Thorsten Overgaard

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WHERE TO BUY:
"Hagerty Silversmith's Gloves" for cleaning of camera bodies and brass camera bodies. $17 at Amazon: amzn.to/3pnMzMY
30 Sensor swabs for full-frame (without liquid) for $22 from Amazon: amzn.to/3HsEBsa
12 sensor cleaning swabs for full-frame WITH LIQUID for $22 at Amazon:
amzn.to/3M6JxGx
16 sensor cleaning swaps for APS-C size sensors, with liquid: $ 22 at Amazon: amzn.to/3hrcrTO
LHSA camrra strap from Rock'n'Roll Camera Straps and Bags for Leica M or Leica SL:
rocknrollstraps.com/shop/came...
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Thorsten von Overgaard is a Danish writer and photographer, specializing in portrait photography and documentary photography, known for writings about photography and as an educator. You are always welcome to send an e-mail to Thorsten for questions, suggestions and ideas.
Thorsten Overgaard is an independent writer and photographer who write, teach workshops and publish user reports about the equipment he uses. There is no affiliation with Leica Camera AG or any camera dealers, no free gifts, no sponsorship, no kickback and no paid content. All you see is real and based on the life of an eccentric and hard-working photographer who makes his own money, buys his own equipment and form his own independent opinions - and shares with you. Enjoy the ride.
Video Credits:
Produced by: Thorsten Overgaard (www.overgaard.dk)
Equipment:
This video was made with the Leica SL bhpho.to/3cIbPEg and Leica 35mm Summilux-L ASPH f/1.4 bhpho.to/2MEr0nn , using Sennheiser wireless microphones bhpho.to/2zafn4v .
#camera #cleaning #sensor
Job #2143-0222
Job # 2141-0222

[@richarddenise3886]

Excellent and a simple, but extremely important video! Especially the last segment regarding the avoidance of fear to clean a sensor. Thanks so much!

[@sophiab5272]

Hahah. Jumping in as a 33 year old woman who has never set foot in a Sephora, but has spent an embarrassing amount of time in camera shops. We’re out here, bud. 😎 Thanks for the helpful tips on cleaning my collection. ☺️

[@niallmurray9725]

Thoroughly enjoy your videos Thorsten. Just noticed the picture of Sade in the back ground, did you take that for the album?… great singer! (And portrait!) 👍👌

[@GrenvilleMelonseedSkiff496]

Great info and excellent timing for me. I went with my heart two weeks ago and decided to order a Fujifilm X100V that’s on back order. Clean gear is a joy to use! PS: Guys buy cameras and gals buy lipstick … yikes!

[@tjmanou6422]

I would be concerned about using the same cloth for the body and the lens in case it transfers some particles that will result in scratching the glass. I use two different clothes, one for the body one for the lens. Tahnk you

[@pwithanm7929]

Real good video. Love the makeup brush idea for dust that gets under the dials.

[@barryobrien1890]

For the rubberized metal on some cameras, sunscreen can cause it to deteriorate, so be careful applying and clean hands after use. Totally agree it's really important to keep things clean

[@gurugamer8632]

What is sunscreen

[@barryobrien1890]

@@gurugamer8632 the lotion applied to skin to prevent sunburn

[@PrinZsuN1]

I just love your videos , peace and love from Germany

[@simsonison]

hi there ;) nice video and some good tipps! Im just wondering, do you always use a lensshade? I mean I know it is good for protection and flare control, but I do use a ND Filter most of the time, as I mainly shoot wide open, and on some lenses the lensshade makes it quite big. So how much noticable difference does a lensshade really make? thank you

[@Rawa2ful]

Thanks for the helpful tips 😀 I have an irrelevant question. How many Leica cameras do you own in total? And is the Q2 one of them? Thanks 😊

[@michaelshick4612]

Hi Thorsten, I pick up a (ELW) Summarit 5cm 1:1.5 on Ebay . The lens is good shape ,but the front element glass is scratched from over the years. Would you know if there's anyway to get replacement or repaired. Thank you for your help . Michael

[@MagicOfLight_ThorstenOvergaard]

Mail and ask [e-mail] if they will do something about it. They have polished front glass on older lenses in the past, but not sure what they say about it. Else you have to find a 3rd party repair in Hong Kong or somewhere that know hot to take stuff apart, clean, polish and all

[@jurgenburchhart5816]

@@MagicOfLight_ThorstenOvergaard can/would you recommend some stores in HKG?

[@MagicOfLight_ThorstenOvergaard]

@@jurgenburchhart5816 Don't really know any of them from personal shopping. I visit, but generally get my equipment in Europe and USA.

[@dfj555]

What are your thoughts on occasionally using a low level uv light on your lenses for maintenance/preventative purposes?

[@MagicOfLight_ThorstenOvergaard]

Not an issue for me, but I think if in HK, Philippines so on it could be an idea. But no experience with it really.

[@gurugamer8632]

Which camera straps are those and length?

[@MagicOfLight_ThorstenOvergaard]

125 and 100 cm. From Rock'n'roll Camera Straps

[@theblackandwhitefilmproject]

FYI From Google : "Do not breathe on the lens to fog it for cleaning. There are harmful acids in breath that can damage lens coatings. Just use the blower bulb, then brush, and wipe the lens in a circular spiral from the centre outward. "Cheers.

[@MagicOfLight_ThorstenOvergaard]

Don't trust all you read or see on the internet 🙂

[@efstathioszavvos4878]

That's not true. People have been doing this for more than 100 years and I'm pretty sure you won't find anyone who has damaged their lens coating by breathing on it. a) human breath is alkaline, and b) the article where you read this from on petapixel refers to a hysteria people got around 2012, where Nikon's directions for cleaning which promote the (very expensive) cleaning product Nikon sells mentioned this. In the bottom of the article it says Nikon has eventually removed the reference to acids in breath from the maintenance directions. Nikon, up to a few years ago, was also saying you shouldn't be cleaning your sensor. I guess these are disclaimer type statements for people who lack common sense. The risk is much higher e.g. from the wrong type of cloth and breathing on the lens may also lead to using the wrong cloth such as your sleeve.

[@RS-Amsterdam]

Hi Thorsten, I was a bit surprised to hear that you USED to live in Denmark (mentioned in the video) . Didn't know you moved, where are you living now ?? Greetings from Amsterdam, used to work in Copenhagen when I was young, in the late 80's, love Denmark and the Danish people, had a great time there, was just in time to be part of the last 3-4 minutes of the live feed. Thanks for sharing !!

[@MagicOfLight_ThorstenOvergaard]

Yes, moved out of Denmark some years ago. Now I live in Florida and have also been living in Los Angeles for a while.

[@gerryphilpott9766]

@@MagicOfLight_ThorstenOvergaard When you do a 'walk with me' in the Los Angeles area, please let me know. I'd like to tag along. See you next month in NYC.

[@MagicOfLight_ThorstenOvergaard]

@@gerryphilpott9766 Keep an eye out for the LA walk

[@genobambino]

Hi Thorsten, what length strap do you recommend (or use yourself) for wearing your camera the way you do?

[@MagicOfLight_ThorstenOvergaard]

125 cm

[@genobambino]

@@MagicOfLight_ThorstenOvergaard Thanks! I notice you don't use half cases typically (unless you put them on after taping a video). Do you not recommend them to preserve the body? I find the silver M11 to be a little more slippery than the black and wonder if a case would add some grip.

[@mifcnm]

Can you use the glove on a Silver M?

[@MagicOfLight_ThorstenOvergaard]

Yes, but make sure it is clean. If you clean for example a gold lighter or other first, you will see dark residue on the glove, and that will stick to the silver body. So use a clean one, or one for silver bodies only.

[@bwashere4699]

Hi, nice tipps. I use the "used" sensor swabs to clean the lens front elements. Since they have nice edges, they get even in the corners of a lens. :)

[@thinkpadx60]

"Women go and buy lipstick in the same way guys buy cameras" that is just 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@gchesterton]

How frequently would you recommend sending the M in for a factory CLA?

[@MagicOfLight_ThorstenOvergaard]

I tend to drive by the factory every 6 months, and that is nice. Else if I had to send it, two years or more time.

[@gchesterton]

@@MagicOfLight_ThorstenOvergaard Is that based on your amount of use (shutter activations) or simply the passage of time and exposure to the outside elements?

[@MagicOfLight_ThorstenOvergaard]

@@gchesterton If something needs fixing, send it in. Or if you feel it's time to get all calibrated and made new again, send it in. Else keep using it and don't worry too much.

[@Gravitys-NOT-a-force]

Taking the Grand Canyon as an example, fresh water running over rock will eventually abrade the rock. Silversmith's gloves have to have some abrasive material embedded in the cloth. Have you asked Leica about the long-term effects of your silversmith's gloves? I don't want to accelerate the "brassing" of my M10-R.

[@MagicOfLight_ThorstenOvergaard]

If you rub it all the time, over days or years I'm sure it take more than just the dirt. Occasional cleaning with cloth, silversmith cloth etc will take the dirt and grease only.

[@windynotes]

Just wondering after years of blowing & wiping the lens, have you checked with Leica if the lens surface has micro scratches and the lens coating worn off? Also seems there is no protective filter on the lens too. Could it be Leica lenses have very tough front lens coatings?

[@MagicOfLight_ThorstenOvergaard]

Lenses will get micro scratches, visible or not to the eye. Doesn't really affect the photo. And often if you send the lens in for checkup, they can polish the glass or whatever they do. They do the same with screens on digital cameras, clean them and polish them so they look like new. If you put a big fingerprint on the front of a lens and take a photo, it won't be visible. If you then shoot at night with strong light sources in the photo, or in daytime against the light, you will see the light blurs. That will give an idea how much (or little) it does. I had a photo I did in LA with a Noctilux at night. Looked really funky, like fog or some 1980's disco LP cover. When I checked, the cleaning personnel had used some spray so the front of the lens (when it was on a table) has a think layer of that. Cool effect, will try to do it again myself one day 🙂

[@windynotes]

I presume you do not use any protective filters on all your lenses?

[@_Just_Some1]

Filters most often than not ruin the quality of your lens. I never use a filter. Also regarding scratches, micro scratches and even a medium scratch will not affect the final image. It can of course cause flair.

[@shadowblack1987]

Don't be a clown. Micro scratches won't affect photos.

[@zoltankaparthy9095]

Schoen, gemuetlich as always. Leica uses the red gel stick for sensor cleaning. What is your opinion of the gel sticks?

[@salmonefotografia77]

Thank you for sharing, very useful to me. Thank you!!!❤❤❤

[@MagicOfLight_ThorstenOvergaard]

Thank you

[@peetje28021970]

Done it myself when I started photography but couple of years back I heard it's bad for the coating of a lens when you breathe on a lens before you wipe a lens clean? All the best, Peter

[@MagicOfLight_ThorstenOvergaard]

I used to breath or blow on the sensors (not a good idea because you blow particles on the sensor :-). For the lenses, I am not worried. They are strong front glass on modern lenses. Older lenses, like 30-50 years back, could have soft front glass (like the 21/3.4 that I have, the front glass is really soft).

[@peetje28021970]

I thought it had to do with chance of fungus on your coating due to breathing.

[@MagicOfLight_ThorstenOvergaard]

@@peetje28021970 No, fungus is darkness and humidity. Some Asia regions have that problem big time, so they store their lenses in special storage boxes, a bit like a fridge for milk. But this one is for lenses.

[@peetje28021970]

Okay, well thanks then Thorsten. I still wear my camera whenever I can lol and this weekend it served me right again 😊

[@windynotes]

Yes we use a mains powered dehumidifier storage cabinet with electronic controls for our lenses and cameras due to the high humidity.

[@johnnieboy66]

That looks like a picture of Sade on your fireplace. Did you actually photograph her?

[@MagicOfLight_ThorstenOvergaard]

No, that's an album cover. I put different ones there just to make myself and other vinyl lovers feel there is a reason to continue life ;-)

[@johnnieboy66]

@@MagicOfLight_ThorstenOvergaard haha amen to that 💪

[@billd7226]

Any feelings about lens pens? You didn't mention them so I'm assuming that you don't like them.

[@MagicOfLight_ThorstenOvergaard]

No, not a fan of them. Just to complicated, compared to a microfiber cloth

[@TheDarlowiak]

Using same micro - fiber to clean camera body and LENS ? No way .

[@MIZRAIM1906]

Thorsten, at :23 write „Mommy“ because in English, a „Mummy“ is an Egyptian pharaoh with all of his intestines pulled out and wrapped in linen. Talking like this is the reason why you didn’t get the job as White House photographer my man!!! Just playing. Say „Mommy“ though.

[@MagicOfLight_ThorstenOvergaard]

My mommy was a mummy also ;-)