Need Help with SLR Viewfinder

[JamesD]

Okay, here's a wierd one.

The other day, I was shooting a friend's house (new roof, he wanted pictures of it, and he contributes to my film fund). I composed the shot, pressed the shutter release halfway, and stared. A small insect (though huge in my viewfinder) crawled across the frame from upper left to lower right.

Now, I have a Canon Rebel GII. There's always a lens on it. It doesn't have interchangeable focussing screens. This insect is (still) on the inside, upper surface of the focusing screen. I took the lens off and peered in, and sure enough, I could see it in there.

I tried shaking it out, I tried tapping the camera, I tried blowing it out, I tried compressed air. I have no idea how it got in there (like I said, the only time a lens isn't on the camera is when I'm changing from one to another). Nevertheless, this insectile organism is surely going to die soon, and it will likely be just as annoying then as it is now, live.

Any ideas on how I can get it out? I really, really want it gone!

 

[Rob]

Sellotape or scotch tape... get a length about an inch long and stick one end on your finger and make a loopy thing. Touch the insect with it and it should stick and you can lift it out without squishing it.

Rob

 

[Meysha]

Nevertheless, this insectile organism is surely going to die soon, and it will likely be just as annoying then as it is now, live.

Or... it will keep feeding off the film chemicals and then it will breed (because it was already fertilised) and then you will have millions and millions of tiny little insectile organisms! hehehe MWA HA HA!

umm... try the sticky tape. ;-)

 

[Giles]

No tips, but you should tae a picture of it with another camera, through your viewfinder. That would look cool.

 

[JamesD]

The problem was that it was on top of the focusing screen, where I couldn't get to it. The GII has a pentamirror viewfinder, so there's a big empty space over the screen.

But the point is moot... I got adventurous with a jewler's screwdriver and found that the assembly is easily removed... it's a little springy clip that holds the screen in. Putting it back was another matter, but accomplished without too much fuss. I got to blow out some dust in the process.

Thanks, y'all! I like this forum because there's lots of friendly and helpful people. The world is a little better place for it.

Or... it will keep feeding off the film chemicals and then it will breed (because it was already fertilised) and then you will have millions and millions of tiny little insectile organisms! hehehe MWA HA HA!

Ew ew ew ew EW! uke:

 

[Meysha]

Awwwwwww!!!

:hug:: GROUP HUG!!!!! :hug::

 

[benhasajeep]

That would be a good scene for a horror movie.

Alien bug in the cameras viewfinder. Then as the person tries to compose a pic. It breaks through the viewfinder glass and into the photographers ery. Then it eats its way to the brain and takes over the body.

And before you ask, no I don't watch horror movies.

 

[2framesbelowzero]

Or... it will keep feeding off the film chemicals and then it will breed (because it was already fertilised) and then you will have millions and millions of tiny little insectile organisms! hehehe MWA HA HA!

umm... try the sticky tape. ;-)

lol..yea, I heard about these Canon focus-screen insects. I heard they enter a second-stage where they form a cocoon which attaches itself to the view-finder window. Apparently they remain in this state for 5-10 years. I'd throw it in the bin and get a Nikon F3...


:chatty:

 

[PopPicker]

Actually they don't die, the live on circuit boards and feed off the resin.

I used this method to kill, if not get rid of the one I had years ago in a Nikon FM.

I got a shoe box and sprayed the inside with insect spray, left it for a few minutes for the droplets to settle then taking the back and thelens off I placed it in the box for a while, can't remember how long but probably half an hour. I never saw it again.

I painted a little insect with an X over it on the outside of the camera.


PP