Sony a7R3 screen static-dust

I'm totally new to the Sony line of cameras after decades using Canon gear. After a very challenging week of effort trying to wade through Sony's utterly opaque Menu system I've noticed the rear LCD screen seems to attract an unusual amount of dust (within a temperature and humidity controlled Florida home, 76F and 48%). It suggests there is a subtle electrostatic charge always present?

The Canon's LCD would annoyingly collect smudge marks from nose skin-oil. The Sony a dust magnet? On the sensor would be a disaster.

Is the sensor itself equally prone to collecting dust? i.e., the need to be extra careful when changing lenses, avoid doing it outdoors in a wind if possible.

Ed Okie wrote:I'm totally new to the Sony line of cameras after decades using Canon gear. After a very challenging week of effort trying to wade through Sony's utterly opaque Menu system I've noticed the rear LCD screen seems to attract an unusual amount of dust (within a temperature and humidity controlled Florida home, 76F and 48%). It suggests there is a subtle electrostatic charge always present?

The Canon's LCD would annoyingly collect smudge marks from nose skin-oil. The Sony a dust magnet? On the sensor would be a disaster.

Is the sensor itself equally prone to collecting dust? i.e., the need to be extra careful when changing lenses, avoid doing it outdoors in a wind if possible.

I've not noted anything special about dust and Sony sensors. The only observation I've noticed is that the problem is worse the larger the sensor, which makes sense. I almost never have to clean my Olympus sensors, but I see spots on the full frame cameras all the time. I put a screen protector on the flip-up screen on the sony since it is always exposed. Olympus is excellent because you can turn it to face inwards.

The manual dust shaker is very aggressive so use it often. But yes, compared to a DSLR where you have the shutter closed and mirror down giving you two barriers between the outside world and the sensor during lens changes, any mirrorless camera has the sensor completely exposed. Also, it is important to turn off the camera when doing a lens change (ALL manufacturers specify this in their manuals but most DSLR users ignore it). When the sensor isn't powered, the sensor attracts dust much less.

Overall, the sensor doesn't really have anything to do with soiling of the rear LCD.

E.J. Peiker wrote:The manual dust shaker is very aggressive so use it often.  But yes, compared to a DSLR where you have the shutter closed and mirror down giving you two barriers between the outside world and the sensor during lens changes, any mirrorless camera has the sensor completely exposed.  Also, it is important to turn off the camera when doing a lens change (ALL manufacturers specify this in their manuals but most DSLR users ignore it).  When the sensor isn't powered, the sensor attracts dust much less.

Overall, the sensor doesn't really have anything to do with soiling of the rear LCD.

What product do you recommend for wet cleaning sensors? I use a fine brush that gets rid of particles, but I need to do a wet clean on my A7R3, and I don't know what's out there now. The ones I have use a little pad on a handle and they are pretty old now.

For wet clean I only use Photosol's products:
http://photosol.com/

E.J., I've always used Eclipse on a Pec Pad for wet cleaning, but I just noticed on Photosol's web site that Eclipse is safe for Sony whereas Aeroclipse® Optic Cleaning Fluid is NOT rated safe for Sony. It really doesn't matter to me because i use Nikon but I was just wondering why the different rating, etc. Would you happen to know? Inquiring minds, you know...

They are different chemical formulas. Different camera manufacturers use different materials to cover their sensor. Aeroclipse was developed as a non flammable alternative to Eclipse but apparently is not safe for all of the coatings in use.

E.J. - Thanks!

Bill Chambers wrote:E.J.,  I've always used Eclipse on a Pec Pad for wet cleaning, but I just noticed on Photosol's web site that Eclipse is safe for Sony whereas Aeroclipse® Optic Cleaning Fluid is NOT rated safe for Sony.  It really doesn't matter to me because i use Nikon but I was just wondering why the different rating, etc.  Would you happen to know?  Inquiring minds, you know...

Bill-could you possibly post a link to where it says aeroclipse  is not suitable for Sony sensors? I was going to order but your post made me pause and check the site. I did find this though:

http://photosol.com/wp/wp-content/uploa ... update.pdf

Rocky Sharwell wrote:

Bill Chambers wrote:E.J.,  I've always used Eclipse on a Pec Pad for wet cleaning, but I just noticed on Photosol's web site that Eclipse is safe for Sony whereas Aeroclipse® Optic Cleaning Fluid is NOT rated safe for Sony.  It really doesn't matter to me because i use Nikon but I was just wondering why the different rating, etc.  Would you happen to know?  Inquiring minds, you know...

Bill-could you possibly post a link to where it says aeroclipse  is not suitable for Sony sensors? I was going to order but your post made me pause and check the site. I did find this though:

http://photosol.com/wp/wp-content/uploa ... update.pdf

Hi Rocky,

Photo Solutions doesn't say it is unsuitable, it only has an ALL CAPS sentence on the Eclipse fluid saying that Eclipse IS suitable for Sony.  It didn't include that statement on the Aeroeclipse, so that's why I asked E.J.  On the Aeroeclipse page, it actually says you can use it for SOME Sony products, but warns against use in other (listed) Sony products.

Here is the page from Photo Solutions - http://photosol.com/products/aeroclipse/

It says it's not safe on Sony DSLT cameras for good reason.  On those cameras the sensor is not exposed, what you would actually be cleaing is the translucent mirror.  That does not apply to a Sony a7/a9/a5xxx/a6xxx mirrorless camera.

DSLT are Sony's alternative to DSLRs and include cameras like the a77 and a99 - basically all cameras with a and two digits or aXX.  The note does not apply to aX or aXXXX cameras.

EJ, the mirror lifts out of the way for cleaning the sensor on dslt's...I've cleaned with eclipse with no problems. Of course with the mirror down, it protects the sensor from dust. Dust on the mirror has no effect on pictures.

Mike in O wrote:EJ, the mirror lifts out of the way for cleaning the sensor on dslt's...I've cleaned with eclipse with no problems.  Of course with the mirror down, it protects the sensor from dust.  Dust on the mirror has no effect on pictures.

I know that, the Aeroclipse site says specifically NOT to clean the DSLT mirror!  It says absolutely nothing about it being unsafe for any Sony sensor.

I have had absolutely no problems with my A7R3 or the A9 bodies as far as sensor dust is concerned. I always follow the guidelines - turn camera off before changing lenses. On my last trip to Japan a couple of months ago, I changed lenses often and only twice in the 12 day period did I see dust spots - shooting usually at f5.6 to f8, but sometimes even f11. My approach is to remove the lens, turn camera upside down (lens mount facing ground), enable 'sensor cleaning' and then use a Giotto blower with its tip just at the lip of the lens mount to blow everything out of the chamber. I assume all the dust falls out onto the ground.

This has never failed for me in all the time I've used the new cameras from Sony. In the past the A7R1 did prove more difficult to clean, and I remember using an orange colored gelstick on it and also on the A7R2, but only once.

As far as the LCD screen is concerned, I don't see that as a problem either. One thing that did annoy me a lot was the focus point shifting constantly until I realized I had 'touch screen' enabled and my nose was the culprit 

I have not had issues with excessive dust on the LCD screen at all. 

In contrast, all my 1DX bodies had severe sensor dust problems and it was a nightmare cleaning them, even with Gelsticks and other wet methods. Once  after a 'professional' cleaning at a local camera store I had to take it back as there was still a lot of dust on the sensor. 

Pradeep