20D Sensor construction?

[birders]

Does anyone know exactly what the "top" surface of the sensor is made of please? It's often referred to as "glass", but glass would not scratch as easily as we are led to believe the sensor does. Any thoughts before I attempt a DIY cleaning job would be appreciated. If it's glass I'll give it a whirl but if it's some sort of plastic I'll try something else.. £31 for a few cotton buds and a tiny bottle of fluid seems a bir pricey just to clean this thing!

[tim]

Don't risk your $1000 camera for the sake of saving a few dollars/pounds.

http://www.pbase.com/copperhill/ccd_cleaning

[birders]

Thanks Tim - I see you're in the US. Over here it's a $2,000+ camera! I don't intend to take risks but I am very curious if it is "real" glass. I don't think we can get Copperhill stuff over here and several dealers selling similar products warn that they are not authorised for use in Canon cameras.

[robertwgross]

I use ordinary cotton swabs and ordinary lens cleaner for a cost of about one penny.

---Bob Gross---

[birders]

Thanks Bob - that suggests that it's a fairly hard material and not likely to scratch if one is careful... I just lashed out on some clever fluid, which I guess it's about 99% H2O. When that runs out I may try a chamois leather and bucket of water!

[tim]

Thanks Tim - I see you're in the US. Over here it's a $2,000+ camera! I don't intend to take risks but I am very curious if it is "real" glass. I don't think we can get Copperhill stuff over here and several dealers selling similar products warn that they are not authorised for use in Canon cameras.

I'm in New Zealand, here they cost NZ$2800 or so. I use the copperhill method with no problems at all. It cost me about NZ$75 to get everything I needed, but it's worth it to me.

[pierrot]

I just lashed out on some clever fluid, which I guess it's about 99% H2O. When that runs out I may try a chamois leather and bucket of water!
No, the Cooperhill (supposed to be magical) cleaning fluid (and sold for the according price!) is not pure water, it's pure ethanol. Something you can buy for almost nothing.

The best liquids for a so-called sensor cleaning (in fact we clean the protective glass plate located in front of the IR filter, itself being in front of the sensor) are:
- ethanol: the best solvent for organic dust, pollens, etc.
- isopropanol: almost as good, and more tensio-active (will leave less droplets).

A couple of drops on a cleaning tissue do the job.

[tim]

That's incorrect, eclipse is methanol, not ethanol. I've been told by Nicholas of the copperhill method not to use isopropal alcohol as it can leave streaks.

[Bob_A]

Here is the MSDS for Eclipse, which is basically just high grade methanol:

http://www.photosol.com/msds_ewipe_eclipse.pdf


Bob