PEC-PAD is NOT recommended for cleaning the CCD. It is not the same material used in the SENSOR SWABS. We do not approve or warranty the CCD or any camera part from any damage caused by using non approved products.

Note: Cleaning the sensor has gotten to become a necessity. You now have many choices for sensor cleaning. Please review these choices and the companies behind them very carefully.

Some companies list no phone number or other contact info other than an email address. None have the backing of any camera manufacturer.

None have bothered to submit their product to any manufacturer to test. None offer live tech support or other help.

None state the conditions under which their products are made. None have been selling swabs for as long! One company even claims they were the first with cleaning products - they did not exist in 2003 !!!!

SENSOR SWABS™ are designed for cleaning CCD chips and other delicate or hard to reach optical and imaging surfaces. Clean room manufactured and sealed, these swabs are the ultimate in purity.

Although these items are not officially approved by Nikon or Canon, several digital imaging site message boards have threads discussing the need for cleaning these cameras, and the success with using these products. Read all instructions first and call us if you have questions - before proceeding. When used as directed these products are easy to use and safe and yield excellent results!

Question: How do I clean a D-SLR Low Pass Filter?

Answer from Nikon:
Cleaning the Filter with an Imaging Sensor Cleaning Liquid
..."There are various types of imaging sensor cleaning products available that may include a liquid cleaner together with imaging sensor wipes. It is possible that these liquids can be used, but as stated above the low-pass filter is extremely delicate and easily damaged"...see Guarantee Below:

CCD Sensor Guarantee :
Photographic Solutions, Inc. guarantees that its SENSOR SWAB and ECLIPSE products will cause no damage to the CCD or CMOS sensor when used in accordance with the instructions provided by the camera manufacturer and/or Photographic Solutions, Inc. (PSI) If it is determined that these products caused physical damage to the sensor, PSI will reimburse thecamera owner for the full cost of repairs upon presentation to PSI of proof of purchase, camera manufacturer's repair invoice and the damaged sensor. Use of non-approved methods, procedures or products will void this warranty. This warranty will cover any camera whether or not that manufacturer recommends our products or not and is good in any country.

SENSOR SWABS Camera Compatability Chart

	Camera Mfg. Model Kodak DCS Fuji S1, S2 & S3 Canon 1D, 1-D Mark II Sigma SD-10 / Foveon X3
	Camera Mfg. Model Nikon   Nikon D1/h/x, Nikon D100, Nikon D70, Nikon D50, Nikon D200, Nikon D2H, Nikon D2Hs, Nikon D2X Canon D30 & D60, Canon 10-D/20-D, Rebel XT / 350D, Rebel 300D Konica Minolta 7D, 5D Olympus E-1 Pentax *ist D, *ist DS
	Camera Mfg. Model Canon 1Ds, EOS 5D Full Frame Sensor Kodak 14n, SLR/n, SLR/c Leica Digital Modul-R
	Fuji recommends Eclipse and Sensor Swabs for cleaning their S1, S2 & S3 Digital Pro Cameras! S1 Acrobat File (204 kb) from Fuji S2 Acrobat File (251 kb) from Fuji "SENSOR SWAB is recommended by LEICA CAMERA AG for cleaning the LEICA S1 CCD chip" (when used without liquid) SENSOR SWAB Type 1 is recommended by Eastman Kodak Company for cleaning the DCS family of digital cameras when used with ECLIPSE Optic Cleaner (sold separately). SENSOR SWABS are also ideal for cleaning other recessed imaging surfaces.

Answers to the most commonly asked SENSOR SWABS questions

Why are these swabs so expensive ? What are they made of – Gold?
SENSOR SWABS are manufactured by hand in a clean room environment. We have not yet found a way to machine make them that will be any less expensive than they are now.

Why can’t PEC-PAD be used to make my own swab? Why is your warranty voided if a PEC-PAD is used to clean a sensor?
The swab material is NOT the same as the PEC-PAD material. PEC-PAD was never tested by us or any camera or sensor manufacturer so we do not know if it will be safe to use. We cannot be responsible for sensor damage when the PEC-PADs are handled, cut and folded by the end user. Handling the PEC-PADs will allow airborne residues to contaminate the PEC-PAD; cutting them will destroy the bonding and allow loose strands to get stuck in the sensor baffle. We have had a few reports that users have caused damaged to sensors after attempting to save a few dollars by making their own cleaning wands; we have also heard that many folks do this with success. We also know that some folks clean their sensor using a strip of adhesive tape! To each his own.

Who recommends the SENSOR SWAB?
Currently the swabs are officially recommended by Eastman Kodak, Leica and Fuji.
We also list many individuals, well-known and not-so-well-known who endorse the SENSOR SWAB and ECLIPSE method. Other manufacturers have varying policies regarding what materials should or should not be used.
Note: A manufacturer may choose not to publicly have their name listed for any number of reasons, usually to avoid liability if they recommend a procedure and the user causes damage. Our products are safe on ALL camera makes and models when the directions and common sense are used. Please see our Guarantee for the details.

What is the difference between Types 1, 2, and 3?
Size matters. Type 1 is 20mm in width. Type 2 is 17mm and Type 3 is 24mm.

Why not print this information directly on the swab box?
As new cameras are introduced, this information will change – often several times per month. The info if printed on the box would become outdated often and quickly.

What about the other cleaning methods discussed on the internet and digital camera forums?
There are many other methods available for sensor cleaning and these are described and sold on the internet. Some people are willing to try and save money by using a piece of tape to clean; or by making their own re-usable hand-made swabs. Many report great success. A few do not and face repairs of $700. or more! The choice is up to each camera owner.

MSDS - Word

MSDS - Adobe Acrobat

Traveling by air with ECLIPSE:

Technically, the regulations allow some exemptions for small amounts - usually ½ ounce or less (about 7 ½ mL) . The items referred to in the regulations are for such things as small butane lighters, and some medical items.

Strictly speaking the regulations seem to prohibit things like cleaning solvents, especially in volumes greater than the allowable ½ ounce. In many cases, I have been allowed to carry bottles of either product with no problem, but I have heard from many photographers who had these items removed from their carry-on.

Putting these materials in your checked luggage may put you at risk for violating the law, and the penalties are quite stiff – $250,000!

*It is recommended you arrange to acquire these items at your destination. Remember - we are open 24/7 at this online store and will ship UPS Next Day Air at your request.

For CCD & CMOS
ECLIPSE lens cleaner is the highest purity lens cleaner available, containing less than 5 parts per million (ppm) of contamination (the whitish residue left after evaporation) It dries as quickly as it can be applied leaving absolutely no residue, making it the only recommended cleaner for CCD and CMOS sensor cleaning when used with SENSOR SWABS. When used with PEC-PAD photo wipes, ECLIPSE is also safe and ideal for lens and filter cleaning.

For lenses & other optics
When used with PEC-PAD photo wipes, it is possible to clean only the portion of lens which is dirty eliminating "hazy swirls". Dispense several drops onto a clean, folded PEC-PAD and lightly wipe surface in a single direction. Refold PEC-PAD to expose a clean side and re-wipe as necessary. Other lens tissues may not work as well, and some experimentation may be required. Each box contains a 59 ml. (2 fl. oz.) bottle with dropper applicator.

ECLIPSE is the recommended optical glass cleaner for Tokina Hoya Kenko USA, the US distributor for Hoya filters and Tokina lenses.

"Leica Camera AG recommends ECLIPSE Optic Cleaner and SENSOR SWAB Type 3 for cleaning the sensor of the
LEICA DIGITAL-MODUL-R"

Read a discussion on Leica Camera's Forum: DMR SENSOR CLEANING about using ECLIPSE and SENSOR SWABS

Fuji recommends ECLIPSE and SENSOR SWABS for cleaning their S1, S2 & S3 Digital Pro Cameras!
S1 PDF instructions from Fuji
S2 PDF instructions from Fuji

PEC-PAD is not recommended for cleaning the CCD. It is not the same material used in the SENSOR SWABS. We do not approve or warranty the CCD or any camera part from any damage caused by using non-approved products.

Sensor Swabs Types 1, 2 & 3

PEC-PAD is NOT recommended for cleaning the CCD. It is not the same material used in the SENSOR SWABS. We do not approve or warranty the CCD or any camera part from any damage caused by using non approved products.

Note: Cleaning the sensor has gotten to become a necessity. You now have many choices for sensor cleaning. Please review these choices and the companies behind them very carefully.

Some companies list no phone number or other contact info other than an email address. None have the backing of any camera manufacturer.

None have bothered to submit their product to any manufacturer to test. None offer live tech support or other help.

None state the conditions under which their products are made. None have been selling swabs for as long! One company even claims they were the first with cleaning products - they did not exist in 2003 !!!!

SENSOR SWAB Cleaning Procedure

Why are these swabs so expensive ? What are they made of – Gold?
SENSOR SWABS are manufactured by hand in a clean room environment. We have not yet found a way to machine make them that will be any less expensive than they are now.

Why can’t PEC-PAD be used to make my own swab? Why is your warranty voided if a PEC-PAD is used to clean a sensor?
The swab material is NOT the same as the PEC-PAD material. PEC-PAD was never tested by us or any camera or sensor manufacturer so we do not know if it will be safe to use. We cannot be responsible for sensor damage when the PEC-PADs are handled, cut and folded by the end user. Handling the PEC-PADs will allow airborne residues to contaminate the PEC-PAD; cutting them will destroy the bonding and allow loose strands to get stuck in the sensor baffle. We have had a few reports that users have caused damaged to sensors after attempting to save a few dollars by making their own cleaning wands; we have also heard that many folks do this with success. We also know that some folks clean their sensor using a strip of adhesive tape! To each his own.

Who recommends the SENSOR SWAB?
Currently the swabs are officially recommended by Eastman Kodak, Leica and Fuji.
We also list many individuals, well-known and not-so-well-known who endorse the SENSOR SWAB and ECLIPSE method. Other manufacturers have varying policies regarding what materials should or should not be used.
Note: A manufacturer may choose not to publicly have their name listed for any number of reasons, usually to avoid liability if they recommend a procedure and the user causes damage. Our products are safe on ALL camera makes and models when the directions and common sense are used. Please see our Guarantee for the details.

What is the difference between Types 1, 2, and 3?
Size matters. Type 1 is 20mm in width. Type 2 is 17mm and Type 3 is 24mm.

Why not print this information directly on the swab box?
As new cameras are introduced, this information will change – often several times per month. The info if printed on the box would become outdated often and quickly.

What about the other cleaning methods discussed on the internet and digital camera forums?
There are many other methods available for sensor cleaning and these are described and sold on the internet. Some people are willing to try and save money by using a piece of tape to clean; or by making their own re-usable hand-made swabs. Many report great success. A few do not and face repairs of $700. or more! The choice is up to each camera owner.

MSDS - Word

MSDS - Adobe Acrobat

Traveling by air with ECLIPSE:

Technically, the regulations allow some exemptions for small amounts - usually ½ ounce or less (about 7 ½ mL) . The items referred to in the regulations are for such things as small butane lighters, and some medical items.

Strictly speaking the regulations seem to prohibit things like cleaning solvents, especially in volumes greater than the allowable ½ ounce. In many cases, I have been allowed to carry bottles of either product with no problem, but I have heard from many photographers who had these items removed from their carry-on.

Putting these materials in your checked luggage may put you at risk for violating the law, and the penalties are quite stiff – $250,000!

*It is recommended you arrange to acquire these items at your destination. Remember - we are open 24/7 at this online store and will ship UPS Next Day Air at your request.

For CCD & CMOS
ECLIPSE lens cleaner is the highest purity lens cleaner available, containing less than 5 parts per million (ppm) of contamination (the whitish residue left after evaporation) It dries as quickly as it can be applied leaving absolutely no residue, making it the only recommended cleaner for CCD and CMOS sensor cleaning when used with SENSOR SWABS. When used with PEC-PAD photo wipes, ECLIPSE is also safe and ideal for lens and filter cleaning.

For lenses & other optics
When used with PEC-PAD photo wipes, it is possible to clean only the portion of lens which is dirty eliminating "hazy swirls". Dispense several drops onto a clean, folded PEC-PAD and lightly wipe surface in a single direction. Refold PEC-PAD to expose a clean side and re-wipe as necessary. Other lens tissues may not work as well, and some experimentation may be required. Each box contains a 59 ml. (2 fl. oz.) bottle with dropper applicator.

ECLIPSE is the recommended optical glass cleaner for Tokina Hoya Kenko USA, the US distributor for Hoya filters and Tokina lenses.

"Leica Camera AG recommends ECLIPSE Optic Cleaner and SENSOR SWAB Type 3 for cleaning the sensor of the
LEICA DIGITAL-MODUL-R"

Read a discussion on Leica Camera's Forum: DMR SENSOR CLEANING about using ECLIPSE and SENSOR SWABS

Fuji recommends ECLIPSE and SENSOR SWABS for cleaning their S1, S2 & S3 Digital Pro Cameras!
S1 PDF instructions from Fuji
S2 PDF instructions from Fuji

PEC-PAD is not recommended for cleaning the CCD. It is not the same material used in the SENSOR SWABS. We do not approve or warranty the CCD or any camera part from any damage caused by using non-approved products.

Features & Benefits
Photographic Solutions’ “BRUSHOFF” Brush is unique in the digital cleaning world.

BRUSHOFF™ is unlike any other sensor brush on the market. The BRUSHOFF design evolved from a NASA design and engineered to meet their rigorous requirements and specifications. It is not just an ordinary artist supply brush with a fancy name and high price tag! Hold the BRUSHOFF and one instantly can see this is a solidly designed and built electronic tool utilizing science to produce unparalleled cleaning power! Although the brush head is remarkably soft, the brush core is entirely electronically conductive, through an ingeniously designed grounding plug.

BRUSHOFF is conductive because the dust and lint that attaches to the sensor or lens surface is attached there electronically (dust has a negative charge and the sensor/ lens a positive one). Breaking that electronic bond is the only way to both remove the debris and discharge the sensor or lens surface so new particles are not again immediately attracted to it. A mere artist brush cannot clean all of the dust, nor can it prevent dust accumulation, even immediately after its use.

To draw a parallel, the sensor surface is much like the face of a computer monitor. The dust is very hard to wipe off with a dry cloth. The result of trying is better described as “dust rearrangement” rather than “dust removal”. Use BRUSHOFF prove it to yourself - a conductive brush can, if it is grounded, brush the dirt cleanly off the computer screen just as it will off your sensor. No longer attracted, the dust easily falls off.

As the amount of charge (and therefore the amount of attraction) on either the sensor or the dust is unknown, using a fiber with a predetermined amount of positive charge hoping to electronically “vacuum” up the debris, may or may not remove all of the dust particles. It will remove particles when the fiber’s positive charge is greater than the sensor’s positive charge.

The only way to always remove all of the particles clinging to the sensor is by discharging both the sensor and the particles. Then, and only then, can you be certain of having a clean sensor that electronically wants to remain clean.
BRUSHOFF’s unique blend of extremely fine fibers, softer than a lady’s blush brush, provides not only a conductive path, but includes fibers with characteristics that make the debris want to mechanically cling to them. The debris is removed from the camera with the brush.

BRUSHOFF utilizes an especially designed micro-scopically fine special filament. This fiber acts as the "vacuum" to pick up negatively charged dust from the positively charged sensor.

Another feature found only on BRUSHOFF is the grounding plug which works because it provides a path to ground for the charges on both the debris and the sensor. While normally a human can briefly serve as a ground for small charges, in fact, if the human is ungrounded, the body electronically acts like a capacitor, not a ground. The human body can also be a lightening bolt to the sensor if it has a static charge. Just walking across the carpet on a dry day, a person can generate a 30,000v charge (that is what causes the spark between your finger and the doorknob). The grounding plug insures that, regardless of any charges around it, the brush is grounded and electronically neutral.

The plastic handle itself is a non-conductor which isolates the human from the brush. This allows the brush to be used in the field, away from any grounding source until one can locate a ground and discharge the BRUSHOFF.

Cleaning it is also quite simple. Use a clean PEC-PAD & ECLIPSE to wipe the bristles before your first use. A moistened towelette is provided with each BRUSHOFF.

Be sure your fingers do not touch any of the PEC-PAD that will come in contact with the unique and patented fibre materials. If brush should become contaminated, simple saturate a PEC-PAD with ECLIPSE Optic Cleaner and gently wipe bristles. Air dry for a few seconds and replace protective cap being sure cap itself has not become contaminated.

To further protect the BRUSHOFF fibers, they are fully retractable into the handle when not in use and a protective cap is also supplied.

Here’s a great way to test the BRUSHOFF :
On your TV screen or monitor, which is probably covered with dust …
First, turn off the screen so you have a dark background against which to see.
Then, carefully blow on a corner of the screen (using your breath rather than canned air) ..... the dust seems glued in place.
Now use the Brush Off in that same corner ..... Dust is easily removed but a few bits will likely remain. Now carefully blow on those few bits. The dust is easily blown away!!!!

BRUSHOFF has removed the static charge and the dust practically falls off.

Imagine this effect on your CCD!!!!!

Summary :

• designed in conjunction with and engineered to NASA specs
• unique blend of fibers designed to neutralize charged dust particles AND to neutralize the sensor surface to prevent further
• dust attraction
• detachable grounding cable
• retractable shaft to protect brush when not in use
• protective cap
• insulated handle
• the brush barrel is its own solid carrying case
• very competitively priced
• not just a high-priced artist brush
• and most importantly : backed by the company that invented sensor cleaning in 1998 - Photographic Solutions, Inc. Expertise you can count on.

Remember no other company has any sensor cleaning product which is officially recommended by any camera manufacturer. We have over half a dozen, and counting!

IMPORTANT: In some cameras, the baffle is covered by a fine oily residue which is used as a lubricant. If any of the BRUSHOFF bristles come in contact with this residue, it will cause smearing on your sensor. Avoiding the baffle altogether is next to impossible. Thorough cleaning of the brush will be needed using ECLIPSE and PEC-PAD. If oil transfers to the sensor, from the brush, use the correct size SENSOR SWAB and ECLIPSE to clean.

MSDS - Word

MSDS - Adobe Acrobat

Used and recommended by Leaf Systems.
"Leaf Systems promotes the use of the new e-wipe from Photographic Solutions on our digital cameras. This one-step procedure is the easiest and safest way to keep the CCD clean."

Used and recommended by PhaseOne.

"E-Wipes work. They really do! Get factory clean results in the field."
Ken Boydston, President, MegaVision.

Read the Article "Digital Cameras Face the Sixteen Megapixel Challenge" which highlights comments from Ken Boydston, President, MegaVision.

Safe for use on monochrome CCD's, scanners, optical mirrors and other sensitive electronic and photographic image-forming surfaces when used as directed. E-WIPE combines an ultra pure lint-free wipe and a precise pre-measured amount of an ultra-pure, highly refined alcohol mixture. This convenient packaging prevents over useage and contamination which can destroy an expensive component.

As originally sealed, this packet contains not more than 5 parts per million of contaminants and when used, will dry instantly leaving absolutely no residue! To use, open an E-WIPE packet at notch and remove wipe. With a gentle flick of the wrist, the pad will unfold. This should be done with one hand to minimize handling. Lightly wipe across the surface to be cleaned in a single direction only. Do not go over a previously cleaned area with the same wipe, or re-use a wipe at any time, as the dirt collected can cause severe damage. Recommended by manufacturers of digital cameras, scanners and other devices with critical cleaning requirements. This product meets or exceeds SEMI standards. Not for use with Dye-On CCD chip.

Sensor Swab
TYPE #