Sensor protection

[joe_lee10]

<p>Hi there,<br>

I am from the 'film era' and start shooting with DSLR in recent years, I have no interest in mirrorless due to two things, one is the unnatural viewing of the EVF, and the other is the unprotected sensor. The first block has just gone with the invention of super high resolution EVF, but the sensor still remain unprotected. Since I do not actually own a mirrorless (lens changeable) I am not sure how exactly it works, AFAIK the shutter curtain must stay open for live view, so to save battery power the shutter was designed 'normal open', but there should be a way to make it closed when changing lens. For example, a simple software to detect the electrical contact with the lens, when the lens is turned and the contact lost the shutter will close, changing lens only take few seconds so will not drain much battery power, and this can be overridden when needed, such as when cleaning the sensor. I don't know if this 'simple tweak' that can apply to any mirrorless can be done, and this will only work with focal plane shutter, but I don't see any lens changeable mirrorless uses leaf shutter, I could be wrong, comment ?</p>

[fabriziogiudici]

<p>I own a NEX-6 and the shutter stays open when changing lens. I was worried too for the risk of getting more dust, but I can say that in the past 9 months I've taken almost 10.000 shots with a number of lenses, changing them on the field. So far, dust has been a problem no more than with my previous DSLRs whose sensors was protected by the mirror: I had to apply Lightroom corrections only a handful of times. The cleaning mode of the camera seems to be very effective.<br>

Of course, the experience with dust on the sensor can be different from place to place (different characteristics of dust in the air, moisture, etc...) but I can compare my experience with mirrorless and DSLR since I'm using them in the same places. I've also spent four days, recently, in the countryside with white roads and lots of dust - my car is still dusty inside - and no problems with photos.<br>

I do plan of buying a second camera for minimising lens switches on the field, just as I did with my two DSLRs, but I say that dust is not a big trouble with mirrorless.</p>

[joe_lee10]

Thanks for the comment, I believe there is some sort of coating on the sensor to reduce static build up so dust won't stick, but the camera body is much thinner than a regular DSLR, that means you could touch the exposed sensor when changing lens in a hurry, and I've actually seen a demo unit with finger smudge on the sensor, may be this is too much of worry !

[ted_kahn]

<p>Focal plane shutters are extremely delicate. Because they have to accelerate and decelerate very rapidly the shutter curtains need to have very low mass. They're essentially made out of metal foil. If you touch a sensor with your finger it just means you'll need to clean the sensor, but if you touch the curtains of a focal plane shutter with your finger you'll probably need a new shutter.</p>

[phule]

<p>[[may be this is too much of worry !]]</p>

<p>Yes. I feel you are making too much out of this.</p>

[Jochen_S]

<p>I have always been somewhat clumsy & absent minded... I recall a few curses when I raised Mamiya TLRs and noticed that red bar shouting "Auxillary shutter closed!" in the view finder...<br>

Let's think the other way round: how many SLRs with fingerprints on the mirror did you see or even produce? Mirrors should be even easier to touch than MILC sensors? - If we really wanted rugged SLR tech for genuine sensor protection, we'd probably be limited to stuff on early Zenith level i.e. rubberized fabrics shutters doing 1/1000 sec at best and non-returning mirrors... - I can't imagine how camera insides could be different from my household: whatever gets added collects dust... how to clean the backside of a FP shutter to stop it dropping that dust on a sensor? and why did even Leica switch to metal shutters for their DRFs?</p>

[joe_lee10]

<p>Yes, may be I've gone too far with this, in the reality I only heard of one pro said he was troubled by the 'dust magnet' sensor. Regarding the fragile shutter curtain, I remember I had an old school cheap film camera which the vertical shutter jammed, I had to use my finger to fix it, but if I do this to any digital camera I will surely damage the sensor as well ! The truth is, I hardly need to clean the sensor but the mirror and prism/screen on my DSLR, and if my 'simple tweak' can be done I wonder why not, it is also useful for 'sun protection' someone mentioned earlier.</p>

[Gus Lazzari]

<p>Unless one shoots Rodeo's, I'm with <em><strong>Rob B.</strong></em> and the others about your unnecessary concerns - It's simply not a problem.</p>

<p>Rodeo shooters even with the massive dust in the air, know not to change lenses.<br /> Next, the sensor being so close to the mount, allows for better & easy inspection/cleaning of any debris contamination, along with less items and surface area for debris to accumulate. (Static gathering moving mirror & shutter, pivot mechanism and screen)</p>

<p>The fact is, mirrorless has so many added advantages vs. the typical DSLR designs, that it's almost "no contest".<br /><strong>Complexity alone</strong> when compared to the virtually "Solid State" make-up of mirroless, should eventually point to the ultimate demise of DSLR's as we currently know them...</p>

[fabriziogiudici]

<blockquote>

<p>less items and surface area for debris to accumulate</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I agree, good point. </p>

[Ken Katz]

I have used M43 for 3 years without

issue. I currently have 6 lenses and 2

M43 bodies so I have done a

reasonable amount of lens changing,

again without incident.

[keith_b1]

<p>I've had my Fujifilm XE1 for over a year now. I change lenses fairly often, and I have never had to clean the sensor. I've gotten pieces of lint(gigantic when imaged) that I removed by blowing, but still no stuck-on dust.</p>