Canon 1D X Mk II Owners Thread

I just stumbled across this thread and I'm a bit puzzled as to how few of you seem to be affected with the oil splatter issue.
My otherwise excellent camera has been affected since day one and I returned it to Canon three times in about a year. Each time it came back with a new shutter, new pcb or I was told it's good. The attached image is just about a quarter of the original frame.
I resigned myself to the knowledge that I only ever shoot birds at f4 - f8 and I could [relatively] easily clean the image up.
However experimenting with a macro butterfly shoot at f16 I was quite horrified to see the amount of debris/oil/unwanted matter that is present, to me it's like a shot of the milky way. If you analyse it at pixel level there seems to be absolutely thousands of spots on it and the [relatively] easy fix takes me and additional 15 minutes to process one image. The camera is now back at Elstree for it's fourth bout of surgery and I'm not optimistic that anything will improve. Is it me or is this bad?

Im on my third body now but for other issues than the amount of crud on the sensor but can say its the first one series camera i have had that needed a sensor swab after every single race day rather than every other weekend although i cant remember any of mine being as bad as that looks in all honesty.
 
Thanks for the feedback Glen.
I'm a bit reluctant to clean it myself as I read a couple of horror stories on another forum. Any chance of a method statement on how you go about it?
 
Have used Eclipse fluid and sensor swabs to carry out wet cleans now for years and so far never had a problem to be honest. Another very good purchase was a visible dust sensor loup although i also have the arctic butterfly kit along with the Dust-Aid Platinum sensor cleaning kit which is great for removing actual dust and other bits before wet cleaning after changing lenses trackside at the end of the day.

I still find the sensor swabs and eclipse fluid from Photosol are the easiest and best i have used https://photosol.com/

Most other bits can be found online or at a site such as https://www.cameraclean.co.uk/index.php

Sure a few others here probably carryout there own sensor cleaning also.

I actually had more crud on my sensor after my camera had been in for repair and testing to be honest.

Forgot to add that a decent blower with a filter is also a must have something like this http://www.kohglobal.com/JetAir.html as i found i used to add more dust when using the Giotos Rocket blower.
 
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I suppose that the number of shots is more relevant than the calendar frequency and I've cleaned mine maybe 4 times (usually routine ahead of a wedding) with around 40k shots across two bodies. I don't find them any different to other 1srs bodies and clean them the same way.....Eclipse fluid on a sensor swab. Environmental conditions may play a part but it's unlikely to be high temperatures as mine are frequently used in 30 degrees + (41 degrees last weekend) but modern oils/greases don't always follow the assumed "warmer is thinner" expectation.

I expect that "breathing" zoom lenses will promote a contaminated sensor to some degree but that's not grease and not body related although increased pixel density will increase the perceived impact of a contaminant of finite size.
 
Thanks for the replies Glen/Bob. I'll get tooled up with the Eclipse fluid and sensor swab, I think it'l be needed within a very short time of me receiving the camera back.
 
Thanks for the replies Glen/Bob. I'll get tooled up with the Eclipse fluid and sensor swab, I think it'l be needed within a very short time of me receiving the camera back.

I would get the sensor loupe too and rocket blower if you don’t already have those. I check my sensor before each use with the loupe. If there is anything rocket blower often will do the job. My guess I clean with a swab about once a month.

I’ve never had anything as bad as your example picture. I hope you get it sorted soon as otherwise it’s a great camera.
 
since new when they first came out my sensor has been cleaned maybe 4 time.. and only once on purpose.. the others when been into canon for new shutter or service...


I rarely shoot over f4 so wouldnt seen anything anyway
 
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I just stumbled across this thread and I'm a bit puzzled as to how few of you seem to be affected with the oil splatter issue.
My otherwise excellent camera has been affected since day one and I returned it to Canon three times in about a year. Each time it came back with a new shutter, new pcb or I was told it's good. The attached image is just about a quarter of the original frame.
I resigned myself to the knowledge that I only ever shoot birds at f4 - f8 and I could [relatively] easily clean the image up.
However experimenting with a macro butterfly shoot at f16 I was quite horrified to see the amount of debris/oil/unwanted matter that is present, to me it's like a shot of the milky way. If you analyse it at pixel level there seems to be absolutely thousands of spots on it and the [relatively] easy fix takes me and additional 15 minutes to process one image. The camera is now back at Elstree for it's fourth bout of surgery and I'm not optimistic that anything will improve. Is it me or is this bad?

You are by no means alone. There are a fair few people who suffered. Mine does it too.
 
I would get the sensor loupe too and rocket blower if you don’t already have those. I check my sensor before each use with the loupe. If there is anything rocket blower often will do the job. My guess I clean with a swab about once a month.

I’ve never had anything as bad as your example picture. I hope you get it sorted soon as otherwise it’s a great camera.
Thanks Tim. I already have a rocket blower even though it's not the filter type, I may investigate that. I am seriously considering an LED loupe. A big problem at the moment is that I've never done a sensor clean myself and I'm a bit concerned that I may cause real damage. I've read that the DX2 sensor is more delicate than others.
 
.......A big problem at the moment is that I've never done a sensor clean myself and I'm a bit concerned that I may cause real damage. I've read that the DX2 sensor is more delicate than others.

Irrespective of whether the sensor is more delicate than previous models, you're starting with the same level of trepidation as any other first time sensor cleaner. It's neither flimsy nor robust so wipe it and don't scrub it using quality swabs and liquid and you'll wonder what all the worry was about.

Bob
 
I just stumbled across this thread and I'm a bit puzzled as to how few of you seem to be affected with the oil splatter issue.
My otherwise excellent camera has been affected since day one and I returned it to Canon three times in about a year. Each time it came back with a new shutter, new pcb or I was told it's good. The attached image is just about a quarter of the original frame.
I resigned myself to the knowledge that I only ever shoot birds at f4 - f8 and I could [relatively] easily clean the image up.
However experimenting with a macro butterfly shoot at f16 I was quite horrified to see the amount of debris/oil/unwanted matter that is present, to me it's like a shot of the milky way. If you analyse it at pixel level there seems to be absolutely thousands of spots on it and the [relatively] easy fix takes me and additional 15 minutes to process one image. The camera is now back at Elstree for it's fourth bout of surgery and I'm not optimistic that anything will improve. Is it me or is this bad?


Mine's been the same.... And I like to shoot at narrow apertures....
 
As Bob said we all had to start out with the same feeling of dread at cleaning the sensor and all have read the horror stories.

I always try and minimize the risks so try to not change lenses in harsh conditions if possible etc.

I still carry a small brush to get rid of any dust from around the lens base gasket before removing a lens if possible.

A good blast first off with a rocket blower to get rid of any loose bits before a wet clean i still feel helps and also the reason i use the dust aid as it actually lifts the particles out of the chamber,basically work out a safe routine to minimize anything being on the sensor that may be abrasive before you commence with a wet clean.
 
Thanks Glen.
It is down for return by close of play today. It will be interesting to take a shot immediately and then take the same shot after a 500 shot session.
Regardless of the result, I'm just gonna have to bite the bullet and accept that I'll have to clean it [very] frequently.
Appreciate all the replies and helpful comments from you all.
 
As Bob said we all had to start out with the same feeling of dread at cleaning the sensor and all have read the horror stories.

I always try and minimize the risks so try to not change lenses in harsh conditions if possible etc.

I still carry a small brush to get rid of any dust from around the lens base gasket before removing a lens if possible.

A good blast first off with a rocket blower to get rid of any loose bits before a wet clean i still feel helps and also the reason i use the dust aid as it actually lifts the particles out of the chamber,basically work out a safe routine to minimize anything being on the sensor that may be abrasive before you commence with a wet clean.
Wait until you step into the mirrorless world.. Far more hassle as the sensor is exposed!
 
Wait until you step into the mirrorless world.. Far more hassle as the sensor is exposed!

Never really had a problem that the blower wouldnt solve on my X-T2 or Sony A7III to be honest or at least not as much as i have had with oil spots from the mirror assembly lubricant on the 1DX MKII.
 
My first 1dx2 had what looked like oil splatter.
I wet cleaned it once and the problem went away. I guess it's only a matter of time before all the stuff has gone and is no longer an issue.

My current 1dx2 has, as of now, not exhibited the same issue.
 
How often do 1dx2 owners get their cameras serviced?


The question doesn't make any sense... I am a prolific user shooting thousands of pics a week and get mine done every year.. Wouldn't make any sense for a hobbyist shooting a couple of pics a weekend to do the same :)
 
The question doesn't make any sense... I am a prolific user shooting thousands of pics a week and get mine done every year.. Wouldn't make any sense for a hobbyist shooting a couple of pics a weekend to do the same :)
That is true although "A couple of pics a weekend" is unlikely at 14fps.
As an armature I love the machine gun sound at max fps.
 
The question doesn't make any sense... I am a prolific user shooting thousands of pics a week and get mine done every year.. Wouldn't make any sense for a hobbyist shooting a couple of pics a weekend to do the same :)
So every year if you shoot thousands of pictures. Not sure why you needed to tell me my question didn't make sense as I don't see how you would know what I shoot.
 
Has anybody experienced this little anomaly.? Transferred my pictures from my memory cards onto the computer for processing later, put the cards back into the camera to reformat, but before I do I like to check the pictures on the card, and the camera says no image.! No I don’t delete / format on the computer after transfer, only In camera..
 
You don't mention how you transferred the files from the card. Did you by chance 'move' the files rather than 'copying' them?
 
If you happened to nudge the shift key whilst you were dragging then this would turn a 'copy' into a 'move'. Click the first, hold shift and click the last and then start dragging before releasing the shift key?
 
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So every year if you shoot thousands of pictures. Not sure why you needed to tell me my question didn't make sense as I don't see how you would know what I shoot.

Your missing the point.. we dont need to know how many you shoot.. your asking us how often we have ours serviced but the question and answers wont make any sense unless you ask how much we shoot.. .... think about it :) if you get one answer saying i service every 6 mths and another saying every 2 yrs..its useless information wihtout knowing how many pics ( roughly ) they take... So i tried to help you by adding that info... ... your welcome BTW :)
 
So every year if you shoot thousands of pictures.

No every yr it would be tens of thousands as i stated i shoot thousands a week :)
 
Hmm.Well thank you and perhaps your point could have been made without being patronising... not everybody who has one of these cameras is a full time sports photographer or a "hobbyist who shoots a couple of photos a weekend".
 
not everybody who has one of these cameras is a full time sports photographer or a "hobbyist who shoots a couple of photos a weekend".

I think you will find thats exactly the point I was making......

Hmm.Well thank you and perhaps your point could have been made without being patronising...

oh dear.......
 
I have a pair of batteries that are both showing "recharge performance moderate" and 2 green indicators, Is there a way of getting this back up to 3.? Ive never been asked for the batteries to be calibrated, which is odd.? thoughts please guys..
 
One of mine was showing poor recharge performance; when I recalibrated it perked right up. Takes hours though to discharge and recharge.
 
Wait until you step into the mirrorless world.. Far more hassle as the sensor is exposed!

.... Not so on the mirrorless Canon EOS-R as the sensor is automatically covered and protected by a curtain whenever the body is switched off. Obviously you should always switch off the camera before changing lenses.

Canon are working on a mirrorless version body which they apparently say is a 1DX equivalent aimed at professional use. Perhaps their sensor curtain feature may be included.
 
The question doesn't make any sense... I am a prolific user shooting thousands of pics a week and get mine done every year.. Wouldn't make any sense for a hobbyist shooting a couple of pics a weekend to do the same :)

.... It makes more sense for a professional who by definition uses his/her camera to generate income, to regularly have their camera serviced but even then I suggest it depends on its amount of use.

I am a 'hobbyist' although I prefer to be called a 'serious amateur' and I often shoot over 300 photos every day. I also shoot with a mirrorless EOS-R but which body I use depends on the subject - I find the EOS-R best for close-up macro shots but generally prefer my 1DX-2 for all other wildlife photography.
 
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