Dust in the lense question...

Corry · Jan 6, 2006

...ok, so there is a spec or two of dust inside my boyfriend's 70-300mm lense...he is wanting to know if he can safely take the lense apart and remove them, because he swears that the dust shows up in the sky of pictures he takes outside. I've told him and told him that the specs are dust on the sensor, but he says I'm wrong. Am I wrong? and can he safely open up his lense and clean it?

Thanks in advance guys and gals!

Dave_D · Jan 6, 2006

I have done alot of lens repair. If this is a newer lens (since you mentioned sensor) the electronics are very sensitive. This is not to mention the alignment of the elements. There are specialty tools for lenses and specific to certian brands and without them, it is very easy to trash a lens trying to wing it. I have rarely seen minor dust or artifact affect picture quality. I would advise your boyfriend not to try it and take it to a shop to have it looked at. Does he have other lenses to compare with on the camera to determine if it is infact the lens?

Mitica100 · Jan 7, 2006

Dust on any lens will not show up as specs of dirt in the pics. It is the sensor that's got dust bunnies on. Ask your BF to listen to you and tell him not to take the lens apart. Dave D is absolutely right about the newer lenses!

Rob · Jan 7, 2006

Dust and hairs on the lens won't show up as dust and hairs on the image. They'll make a soft area for sure, but you probably won't be able to notice it. The sensor is almost certainly the culprit as here a speck of dust will look exactly like a small spot in the picture.

You can take a modern lens apart fairly easily. It'll never work again unless you have all the right tools, some inert gas to refill it with, a laser calibration tool to adjust it with.... no, don't do it!!

Rob