Camera Labs

I was reviewing a few photos that I've taken recently (Which frankly, aren't very good, so brace yourself!) and I noticed some black spots on some of them. If it means that it's time to clean the lens, no problem. I have some air and cloths (Although I don't like to use the cloths, I don't want to touch the lens whatsoever). If it's time for a sensor cleaning, I'll need to take it to be cleaned. These spots I could only really see on pictures of the sky. I presume that this is dust on the sensor, but I could be wrong.

Help please!


Notice the little black spots at the bottom of the picture.

-Evan

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-Evan

Gear: 7 Nikon Nikkor AI-S and AF-S lenses, SB-700 flash, Nikon D7000, Nikon FM, variety of accessories

"There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs."
- Ansel Adams

if it is on the sensor take it to where you bought the camera.. if they are anything like they are where I live they will sell you what you need to clean it yourself and also show you how to do it properly yourself the first time.

Since I was shown how to do it I have done it myself with no bad things happening to date.

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Canon 7D + 50D + EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM + EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM + EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM
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If you're talking about canned air, you're generally OK to use it on the lenses - and good, high-grade lens cloths or microfibers are generally OK too. Never rub hard, always blow off loose grains first, etc.

However, be more careful with the sensor. It's very easy to clean on your own, but canned air is generally not recommended because of the potential risk of getting residue on the sensor, freezing the sensor, etc. People have used canned air on sensors and may report they've never had a problem, but what if that one time comes along and you do get some of that nasty liquid on the sensor? Some reports are that it can stain permanently. So rather than take the risk, you're best to go with a bulb-type blower to shoot air at the sensor - better bulb blowers designed for camera use have filters on the intake valve to avoid dust getting into the bulb. A majority of the time, this will solve your problems and not require anything more.

I also use two other methods - bulb blower works about 80% of the time - for 15% of the time that it doesn't work, a sensor brush will. Sensor brushes are extremely-fine bristled brushes that are 'charged' staticly by blowing air through the bristles with a blower or waving the brush through the air. No pressure is needed - the bristles simply glide across the sensor plate to pick up more stubborn dust.

For that final 5% of the time that these two methods will not work, most people go to a wet-swab system. A clean, fast drying alcohol solution often known as 'Eclipse' or E2 is the most popular - and small swabs with wet pads on the end. Cleaning solution is dropped onto the wet pad, then the pad is swept across the sensor plate in one clean motion, never using the same wet pad side twice.

All told, these are cheap solutions - bulb blowers go from $10 to $50, sensor brushes from $12 to $30, and wet swab systems usually for $30-50 including fluid and multiple swabs.

And in case you didn't know, in your menu your camera will have a 'cleaning' mode, which will flip up the mirror to allow you to access the sensor for cleaning.

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Justin Miller
Sony DSLR-A580 / Sony 18-250mm / Minolta 50mm F1.7 / Sigma 30mm F1.4 / Tamron 10-24mm / Tamron 200-500mm / Tamron 90mm F2.8 macro / Minolta 300mm F4 APO
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Could you show us some more pictures with the same problem? That looks too large to be dust in my opinion.

Also, unless you've been very careless it wont be on the sensor. Ive been changing lenses very regularly for 2 years on the beach in some cases on my D5000 and am still without a problem even with a 10mm lens. Im guessing youve just had the 16-85 strapped on the whole time? Its not going to be the sensor.

Also, the photo appears to be taken at quite a telephoto setting, at which point dust and scratches on the sensor and lens become invisible, so Im pretty confident that those black spots were in fact on the image although they do look out of place.

Have you any other examples?

What focal length and aperture are we at here?

Cheers,
Jeremy

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Nikon D5000 and D300 with 12-24mm, 35mm f1.8, 50mm f1.4, 60mm f2.8 Macro, 18-200mm, 17-55mm f2.8 (all Nikon)

Ah on second thoughts is this a crop?

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Nikon D5000 and D300 with 12-24mm, 35mm f1.8, 50mm f1.4, 60mm f2.8 Macro, 18-200mm, 17-55mm f2.8 (all Nikon)

Glad you posted this Evan, I was gonna post summat last week, but being new to Dslr & not seeing anything posted on here about it, I thought it might be a silly or obvious question.

I've been bedevilled by dust on the sensor recently, (presumably due to me swapping lenses fairly frequently)

I'm always as careful as possible & use the Giotto rocket-blower around my camera, the lens i'm taking off and the lens i'm going to put on, prior to changing (I tend to do this away from the worktop or table i'll be using, to try to minimize any dust)

I use the in camera, sensor dust off setting, but still can't seem to avoid the dust spots on photos (mostly evident on blue skies etc)

If I start to see dust on photos I use the blower carefully on the sensor & around the inside of the body, but it never fully eliminates it!

Last week I could just about see some stuborn specks on the sensor that I couldn't get rid of, so bought one of those kits (crikey they aint cheap!) & eventually spent an hour.....& 4 of those sensor wipes, getting it `spot free`.
I sort of understand how surgeons must feel in microsurgery, after i'd finished

I suppose my questions are;
1, How often do folk clean their sensors. (in general terms & presuming you change lenses)
2, Is there a cheaper SAFE way/product to use? (those sensor wipes are about £1 each! )
I've recently read that some folk use pec-pads, but they aren't recommended for most sensors.

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Nikon D800E & D700 bodies + Nikon AF-S 80-400mm f4.5-5.6G ED VR, 50mm F1.4G, 16-35mm f/4G VR, 105 F2.8 VR macro, 70-300mm lenses. A couple of filters, Giotto tripod & ballhead. Lowepro Slingshot 302 AW

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This isn't a crop, Jeremy.

From what I've read, I wouldn't use a wipe, I'd avoid touching the sensor as much as possible. There are some nice camel-hair brushes if you do need to get something stubborn off.

A tip to avoid dust-collection in the camera, is when changing lenses to have the camera facing towards the ground.

_________________
-Evan

Gear: 7 Nikon Nikkor AI-S and AF-S lenses, SB-700 flash, Nikon D7000, Nikon FM, variety of accessories

"There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs."
- Ansel Adams

For what it's worth, every recommendation I received when seeking advice about cleaning kit indicated that I should leave the sensor to the professionals/supplier/maker. it is true that some might have had an interest in their answers but I thought that the responses were genuine and sensible.