I must have been hiding under a rock - No more E2!

jww

I guess I wasn't paying attention as I see there is now no more need for Eclipse E2 and Eclipse works just fine! It's now called the "universal fluid" which is cool, but how the heck did I miss the announcement?

Only thing I can fathom is I had a few bottles of each and it lasts forever... well, until such time as you leave the bottle not quite screwed on tight. (oops) Almost all the E2 evaporated from the last time I did my sensor cleaning, so I put it on the list of things to get.

...but it doesn't exist! I was in shock at the local camera store when I found none and they were not sure either. I did a bit of looking and found it wasn't offered on Photographic Solutions website, nor Copper Hill, and gone was the table of what solution to use for what camera body. I did find a few fragments of articles about them doing testing to find the diluted version, E2 was not needed any longer. However I never saw a date.

So silly me, I just have to ask when did this all come about? I'm just curious how long I have been living under the rock. ..though it was quite comfy rock to be honest. lol

Thanks in advance!

ziggy53

I think that they made the decision to start phasing out the E2 formulation around 2 years ago, after their own testing indicated that the original Eclipse solution did not damage the newer "anti-static coated" sensor assemblies.

jww

Wow... two years? Time flies and those bottles sure do last! lol

Thanks ziggy!

Brett1000

jww wrote: »

I guess I wasn't paying attention as I see there is now no more need for Eclipse E2 and Eclipse works just fine! It's now called the "universal fluid" which is cool, but how the heck did I miss the announcement?

Only thing I can fathom is I had a few bottles of each and it lasts forever... well, until such time as you leave the bottle not quite screwed on tight. (oops) Almost all the E2 evaporated from the last time I did my sensor cleaning, so I put it on the list of things to get.

...but it doesn't exist! I was in shock at the local camera store when I found none and they were not sure either. I did a bit of looking and found it wasn't offered on Photographic Solutions website, nor Copper Hill, and gone was the table of what solution to use for what camera body. I did find a few fragments of articles about them doing testing to find the diluted version, E2 was not needed any longer. However I never saw a date.

So silly me, I just have to ask when did this all come about? I'm just curious how long I have been living under the rock. ..though it was quite comfy rock to be honest. lol

Thanks in advance!

I've been using the same eclipse E2 bottle for several years

novicesnapper

Wasn't Copperrhill the ones that warrantied the sensor? That if you damaged it during cleaning they would replace it? I didn't see that on the site anymore either. When I cleaned my sensor about about 6 months ago, I ran across "that thread" on damage occurring from the wrong solution on some sensors, blah blah. I ended up going with the solution they recommended on their site at the time. I think it is E1. Which I believe is the weaker of the two. I had dust, but also a sizable grease smear in one corner. I need to grab another kit myself.

Just out of curiosity, are you guys using Pec pads or using new sensor swabs everytime? I went with the later, some were saying don't use the Pec pads because they were too rough?

ziggy53

novicesnapper wrote: »

... I ended up going with the solution they recommended on their site at the time. I think it is E1. Which I believe is the weaker of the two. I had dust, but also a sizable grease smear in one corner. ...

The Material Data Safety Sheet (MSDS) is still available for the original Eclipse and the E2 solutions:

http://www.sensorcleaning.com/Eclipse.pdf
http://www.sensorcleaning.com/MSDS_E2.pdf

Basically, the original Eclipse solution is a highly refined and filtered Methanol.
E2 is(was) a highly refined and filtered mixture of:

• Ethyl Alcohol
• Methyl Alcohol
• Isopropyl Alcohol
  (There was also likely some distilled water in the formulation, not required to be reported in the MSDS.)

E2 was considered potentially less chemically active with the Indium Tin Oxide anti-static coating on some sensors. It was less volatile and some users reported needing more E2 applications than Eclipse required for removing greasy residue.

jww

novicesnapper wrote: »

Wasn't Copperrhill the ones that warrantied the sensor? That if you damaged it during cleaning they would replace it? I didn't see that on the site anymore either. When I cleaned my sensor about about 6 months ago, I ran across "that thread" on damage occurring from the wrong solution on some sensors, blah blah. I ended up going with the solution they recommended on their site at the time. I think it is E1. Which I believe is the weaker of the two. I had dust, but also a sizable grease smear in one corner. I need to grab another kit myself.

Just out of curiosity, are you guys using Pec pads or using new sensor swabs everytime? I went with the later, some were saying don't use the Pec pads because they were too rough?

I doubt it was copper hill. Probably photographic solutions who makes Eclipse and the former E2. Copper Hill is just a guy that made kits, sensor swipes and published a really good way of doing the cleaning.

E2 was actually the diluted version of Eclipse.

I use pec pads wrapped around a sensor swipe as per the Copper Hill method. I use one pec pad per cleaning attempt. That is, I don't reuse a pec pad if I still find the sensor dirty. It takes awhile to wrap it properly around the swipe thingy, but you get better at it.

I don't find pec pads rough at all. I have felt some other kind of sensor swabs (can't recall the brand) that I thought were kinda rough and spongy and never used them.

novicesnapper

Ah thanks guys, been awhile and always have to refresh myself on this. I remembered I bought this from B&H, one of these disaster survival kits. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/Sensor-Cleaning/ci/18805/pn/4/N/4124216232
Differant sized swabs, depending on you're camera, not sure of solution. I do remember some complaining the solution wasn't getting the grease off, like mentioned in the above post, but this included solution worked fine on mine (T1i). And it had a whole corner covered in a grease smear.

The reason I ask about the Pec Pads, was at the time I heard two conflicting stories on them, vs sensor swabs. So I opted to spend more and go with swabs.

Well anyway, didn't mean to interrupt, thanks.