Housing

We recommend cleaning the scanner on a daily basis to avoid dust from building up. The housing can be cleaned with compressed air (from a compressor or air-duster) or with a dry or slightly wet cloth (use a bit of water or cleaning agent).
Always use lint-free (microfiber) cloths.

Film path

Ideally, the film path should be cleaned after each scan as film can leave dirt or residue on the rollers and in the gate, which could cause scratches on the next film that runs through the scanner.
The standard guide rollers (non-rubbery) and the film gate can be cleaned using a cloth with isopropyl alcohol.
Never try to remove dirt by scratching a surface with a hard material, a scratched part could in turn scratch film that get in contact with it.

PTR rollers and capstan (HDS), follower wheel (Pictor)

The rollers covered in a rubbery material should be cleared of dust between each scanning job. This can be done by rolling the roller over a piece of tape with the sticky side up. Clear packing tape works well for this. It is advised to do a more thorough cleaning of the rollers once a week to remove any residue and oil. For this type of cleaning use tepid water with a mild detergent, preferably dish soap. Clean the rollers by hand and rinse off the detergent. Let the rollers dry before using them on the scanner.

Dirt in the optical assembly

Always be very careful when touching the optical parts of the scanner. If you are inexperienced, it may be wise to ask a professional for advise (a photographer in your neighbourhood, for instance).

If dirt is visible in your images, first locate where it is: it could be on the light source, on the exterior of the lens, or inside the optical assembly.
Remove the film and put C2D in preview flash mode.
Adjust the zoom.
If the dirt spot is “moving” in the image, it is on the light source or exterior of the lens.
If they come in and out of focus, they are on the lens of the light source.
If the spot is fixed, it is probably on the camera sensor. When you reduce the aperture, the particles will still be visible if they are on the sensor (see image below). They will be less visible with a larger aperture (more light).

If dust particles are on the exterior of the lens or on the light source lens, you might be able to see them with the naked eye and simply remove them with a dry lint-free cloth or air-duster.
If they are sticky, do not scratch the lens. Use a lens-cleaning agent made for cameras (avoid cheap cleaning wipes for glasses).

To clean the light source, please refer to the following links: HDS | Pictor

To clean the camera sensor: see this link.
To access the sensor:
On the HDS, just unmount the lens assembly at the base ring next to the camera.
On the Pictor, see the instructions on this page.

If the light source lenses are damaged, replacements can be ordered directly from our webshop.
If another optical part (zoom lens, camera sensor) seems to be damaged, please get in touch with us.