Hi all, I'm getting "error 1" on my 1DmkII now and then, which the manual says is corrected by cleaning the contacts. Today, I just used my fingernail to run along the contacts on the back and then the lens (a 1.4tc today), and it worked after that. But it also happened this weekend too with a different lens. Any thoughts on this? Is this common, something to be concerned about, the best way to clean them? Thanks! Shane
Here's a quote from the Caig web site that explains why their products are different. Also note that Caig has been around for a long time and they have a great reputation.
"Simple contact 'cleaners' wash away dirt, dust, and grime, but prove ineffective at removing oxidation and surface sulfides.
"These tough contaminants actually attach to and become an integral part of the contact metal. This issue causes increased unnecessary service calls for covered warranty repairs that could have been prevented, translating into literally millions of dollars of lost revenue for service organizations.
"The only true method of eliminating oxidation and surface sulfides is by chemical action and reaction, and that's what puts CAIG products in a class by themselves."
According to Chuck Westfall, this is what Canon USA recommends:
"We do not recommend using any sort of abrasive material to clean the contacts on EF lenses and extenders as well as the lens mount contacts in the camera body. Try rubbing them gently with a clean, dry, soft cloth first. This technique is sufficient to remove fingerprint oil, which is the most common source of dirty contacts. If the problem is more persistent, try rubbing the contacts with a lens
tissue that has been slightly moistened (not soaked) with isopropyl alcohol. Remove any residue with a clean, dry, soft cloth. If the problem still persists, have the equipment examined by a Canon service technician."
The reference to abrasive materials in the first sentence was in response to using erasers to clean the contacts. So in a word, no, to erasers.
Both camera and lens contacts are gold plated, which will not oxidize so cleaners involving a chemical action should not be necessary. The gold plating is very thin and will be removed with abrasive cleaners. Once the underlying base metal is exposed it will oxidize and cause long term problems. As Chuck suggests all that should be necessary is an orgainic solvent for grease, however caution is advised since some solvents can dissolve the plastic used for the contact mount. Isopropyl alcohol is fairly inert in this respect.
