Help! Strange mark showing on my photos!

[Narked-Photographer]

I have no idea where this should go - just signed up to get help with this.

I have this... mark... showing on my photos. It looks like a scratch or a smear other than that, when I zoom in on the area of the photos affected, the scratch/smear/thing stays in exactly the same size and in the same place. This can't be a scratch or smear on my lens or mirrors can it? This has come on since this afternoon (clear photos) and tonight (problem). I havent changed lenses between the two sessions.

Just to note, it is definitely not a scratch or smear of the LCD screen, I hoped it might be at first, but I've cleaned and examined that thoroughly.

Anyone have any ideas? I'm so worried my camera may be damaged in some way...

 

[oldmacman]

I have no idea where this should go - just signed up to get help with this.

I have this... mark... showing on my photos. It looks like a scratch or a smear other than that, when I zoom in on the area of the photos affected, the scratch/smear/thing stays in exactly the same size and in the same place. This can't be a scratch or smear on my lens or mirrors can it? This has come on since this afternoon (clear photos) and tonight (problem). I havent changed lenses between the two sessions.

Just to note, it is definitely not a scratch or smear of the LCD screen, I hoped it might be at first, but I've cleaned and examined that thoroughly.

Anyone have any ideas? I'm so worried my camera may be damaged in some way...

It might help to see the image.

 

[Narked-Photographer]

It's how its showing on the LCD screen - just about to upload and check on the monitor - will add it if it shows there too.

EDIT: There's no mark showing on the images once I upload them that I can find. It's only showing on the LCD screen, stays exactly where it is and the same size/shape and is not showing on photos I took earlier in the day today or any before this. I'm guessing this is pointing to it not being anything serious?

 

[KmH]

Does your LCD screen have a removable, protective cover?

You don't say what camera you have so.......Who can tell if it's a problem or not?

 

[LCARSx32]

More than likely, there is a hair on the mirror. Take the lens off and examine the mirror. Since it's not showing up on pictures, it's either on the mirror or the viewfinder.

Wait... it's showing up on the camera's LCD screen after you take the shot? Or is it only visible through the viewfinder or on the LCD when using live view?

 

[Narked-Photographer]

Sorry, didn't know the camera would really affect this. Its an Olympus E-420.

And Lcars, it is only showing on the LCD screen. I have *no idea* what this can be. But I have checked the mirror and both ends of the lens I have on. Nothing :/

 

[KmH]

Anything showing up on the LCD screen cannot be on the mirror. The mirror can only be seen in the viewfinder. It has to be raised out of the way to project an image on the image sensor, or for any Live View function.

At this point it sounds like a defective LCD screen to me since the scratch/smear is not seen in images viewed elsewhere.

 

[prodigy2k7]

could be a hair that somehow got into the body itself behind in front of the LCD screen. If its not affecting your actual images I say leave it alone.