Irritating

[Newtricks]

according to the EXIF that photo was taken at f32...

In the pursuit of answers I'll go out once the sun has risen, take a couple shots wide open and post the photos.

I'm guessing you never use the 70-300 or 300 f4 at that aperture...

You would be correct.

 

[Newtricks]

Overread, thanks for the advice.

 

[Newtricks]

Did a few test shots this morning, at 5.6 no spots, by 22 they're back.



It is dust on the sensor, spot are there with the 300mm at f/32 as well.



Thank you all for your help.

Anthony

 

[Newtricks]

Even more irritating... Used the squeeze bulb to blow off the sensor/low-pass filter again this morning and the spots are still there, they look like oil or grease. There's an authorized Nikon service center not to far from me, I've had the camera 6 months hopefully they'll cover cleaning the oil off the filter under warranty.

 

[Overread]

It might still just be dust, as said the blower won't likely remove it all so a wet clean is oft needed as well. Dust also doesn't show up until you're shooting at smaller apertures; so you can have some dust and most of the time you'll never notice it.

 

[astroNikon]

I can't recall exactly but when I bought my 35-70/2.8 it had spots. It took several cleanings of the outside glass to get rid of a few weird spots on the lens, then everything cleaned up. But it was visible at normal apertures.

Sounds like you have problems too (sensor or lens). If you look through the lens on a light source, can you see spots at various apertures ?

 

[Newtricks]

Overread, looking around the internet I came across a number of people who have a an internal oil problem with D7000 and yes the spots don't start showing until stopped down to f/22.

Astro, the spots are there at small apertures with a number of lenses.

Thanks

Anthony

 

[grafxman]

Sorry about your problem. I always have this kit nearby:

Lenspen NODPK-1 Outdoor Photo Pro Kit NODPK-1 B&H Photo Video

I also carry a squeeze bulb blower shaped like a little rocket ship. Since much of my photography is outdoors in dusty areas its paid for itself many times.

 

[Newtricks]

I also carry a squeeze bulb blower shaped like a little rocket ship. Since much of my photography is outdoors in dusty areas its paid for itself many times.

97% of what I shoot is outdoors as well primarily birds and wildlife, the squeeze bulb/blower is in an outside pocket of the backpack. I'm retentive when it comes to lens changes and place more importance on getting a lens on the body over capping the lens. I know reading anything on the internet is as reliable as it's source.

Thing is, when it comes to poking around (wet cleaning) the low-pass filter in this camera I am not that comfortable, and would rather have an authorized service center deal with this issue, on top of that, looking through the photos it seems this problem has been there since I got the camera, how does a camera pass inspection with crud on the filter/sensor?

 

[KmH]

They don't inspect every camera that closely.
Maybe the QA people inspect every 100th camera that closely. Maybe only every 150th - 200th camera.

The image sensor gate installed in the camera chassis at something like step 14 and it's not until step 96 that the outer skin is put on the chassis.

In this video we see the image sensor from 2:38 to when it goes into the chassis at 2:43:

 

[vimwiz]

seems this problem has been there since I got the camera, how does a camera pass inspection with crud on the filter/sensor?

My canon was an official refurb and was filithy (one big dark area in the bottom left, and some spots near the middle). Blower did the trick or dust, in conjunction with a small brush/pen for the (spittle?)

If you clean it yourself, make sure you are on a full battery! When you lock the mirror up to poke around in there, if the camera loses power, it (and the shutter i think) will come down on whatever tool is there.

 

[grafxman]

I've never done a wet cleaning. I'd be a bit nervous about that. I think I have an eyepiece somewhere that allows me to inspect that filter. It magnifies everything and goes over the lens mount area. I have used those lens pens several times. They are great. You just touch a speck with it, no rubbing, and it picks the speck right up.