spots :(

[kdabbagh]

On my vacation to Egypt this summer, I noticed black spots appearing in my pictures in the top left hand corner.

I took off the lens (at home, in a non-dusty place) and took a look inside but I couldn't see where the spots are on that mirror-like thing. (sorry for my ignorance).

Should I take the camera to be cleaned or is there a home remedy to clean.

Here are two sample shots:

http://www.box.net/shared/pg6yqf6qz3 <-- sometimes the dots are very obvious, like in this picture

http://www.box.net/shared/ach35nckzz <-- and sometimes they are more subtle, like in this picture...i think it varies by amount of lighting


Thanks for taking the time to help me with this.

 

[LaFoto]

That's sensor dust. You (or someone experienced in doing it) will have to clean your sensor. Not the mirror. Deeper down inside (I don't dare to clean mine, I ask someone to do it for me, and until I meet that someone, I have to clone out the dust specs - and I am cloning again like crazy these days, my sensor is in urgent need to be cleaned!). The smaller your chosen aperture, the deeper your DOF, the sharper and more visible your sensor dust.

 

[goodoneian]

i don't know the best method to cleaning your sensor, but what you can do is is set your camera to mirror up (if it has that feature) if not, set it to manual either at 30 seconds or bulb and just hold the shutter down. once it's open, use a basketball pump and blow into the camera gently and hold the camera facing down so all the gunk can get out. make sure not to poke the sensor though, and to get the pump's need out of the way or the mirror in case it swings down

also, the visibility of the dust dirt etc is affected by your aperture. the wider it is (say f/4), the less visible it is, the more stopped down it is, (say f/22), the more visible it would be

 

[kdabbagh]

Thanks for the feedback. You think it would be safe to take it to a photography store? Here in Canada we have Henry's and Black's they're very well known...or is there a risk of mistakes even in those well known places?

 

[kdabbagh]

Oh and just so I know, what causes sensor dust? How can it get in? I hardly ever remove the lens because...well...I only have one

 

[goodoneian]

Oh and just so I know, what causes sensor dust? How can it get in? I hardly ever remove the lens because...well...I only have one

it sneaks in there even if you never take your lens off which sucks :/

 

[rjackjames]

Being here in AFghanistan I always have dust in mine even though I hardly change my lens. So when I return home I be taking min 30D to clean, because sloning has become part of my PP on my photos.

 

[Alex_B]

a basketball pump sounds not like a good idea. there might be more dust and oil in that pump than in your camera.

 

[Alex_B]

Oh and just so I know, what causes sensor dust? How can it get in? I hardly ever remove the lens because...well...I only have one

well, the system is not 100% sealed. Some zoom lenses are in particular prone to dust.

also, there might be oil and dust your camera right from the beginning, which might slowly find its way to the sensor and settle down there.

 

[Overread]

a basketball pump sounds not like a good idea. there might be more dust and oil in that pump than in your camera.

even with the official blowers there are two tips to follow:

1) use the blower a good few times before using it on the sensor - helps to ensure that it has no dust inside it

2) place the camera on a tripod so that you have both hands free for holding the blower - makes the job much easier

 

[Bifurcator]

I wouldn't use air at all!

That's a really bad idea unless you want the dust to return shortly, become lodged in the mirror/focus screen areas or end up with a damaged sensor. Don't use a blower of any kind inside your camera - ever!

http://www.visibledust.com/products3.php?pid=702

http://www.visibledust.com/video.php

Blowers should only be used on the front element of a lens. Nothing else. Ever. (well besides film and other non-camera materials)

 

[Overread]

hmm I know many say not to used compressed air because of the risk of liquid from the canister being projected into the camera, but I can't see how a blower would cause damage. If you hold the camera so as the hole is pointing downwards whilst on a tripod then you can hold the nozzle of the blower in one hand and apply pressure to blow with the other.
Damaging the sensor would only happen if you were to get the nozzle into contact with the sensor - a similar risk to arctic butterflies in the wrong hands

that said something like a butterfly is far more accurate than a blower for more lodged on dust

 

[Bifurcator]

hmm I know many say...

I know many who call tone mapped jpeg files HDRs.
I know many who say you can use a garden hose to clean out a VCR.
I know many who say GMO foods are safe for the environment and to eat.
I know many who say it's safe to shoot heroin.

Doesn't make it so. Read your manual.

 

[Overread]

Ok I get all of them barring the VCR and hose ---- --- -- - that just plain confuses me!

And my manual also says not to used canned/compressed air - nothing at all about not using something like a Giotto rocket blower to clean the sensor. (it also say it should only be done by a canon certified cleaner too)

 

[Bifurcator]

a Giotto rocket blower is compressed air. When you squeeze the ball you're compressing air. But just ask any tech and they'll tell you the same thing if they know what they're talking about- I guess that could be a problem too.

Anyway, you don't want to use air at all on a sensor - ever - under any circumstances.

If you don't know why think about how a sand-blaster works or the affects of air & dust in the same stream blowing into a laminate device.