Sensor Dust - or actually in my lens?

[Nifty Fifty]

I have a bad case of sensor dust when I use my 18-55mm lens, especially when I have used my UV filter. At first, I thought it was dust on my sensor, but it seems when I switch to my 300mm or my 50mm, then it doesn't show up on my photos.

Is it possible to get dust particles "inside" a lens?

Thanks in advance!

 

[quiddity]

yes but why keep the uv on when photographing

 

[tirediron]

Dust in your lens rarely shows up in your images. 99.9% of the time it will be sensor dust. The likely reason you're not seeing it from one lens to another is a difference in apertures. In order to test this, put one lens on, set it to the smallest aperture (largest f#) and at or near the minimum focusing distance, take a photograph of a blank, light/white wall. Change to the other lens and repeat. The dust patterns should be similar. If they are, it's sensor dust.

 

[xjoewhitex]

They really only show up on lighter objects, so this is probably why you are not seeing them all the time. One way I always checked is shooting straight up at a blue sky while I was out, another option open your browser to a blank white page and hold your focus lock and shoot. I really doubt its your lens.

 

[quiddity]

pics would be nice. could be flare you are experiencing?

 

[KmH]

yes but why keep the uv on when photographing

Why have a UV filter at all?

Unless you are way up in the mountains a UV filter can't improve your photos. Good UV filters may not degrade photos but they don't improve them and still cause more problems than they solve.

 

[RyanLilly]

Its probably sensor dust. Dust/scratches on the rear element of a lens are a much bigger problem than on the front, but minor dust on any surface of the lens, even inside, is rarely a problem. The easy solution is to get a sensor cleaning kit, and some quality lens cleaning solution and cloth/tissue. Also get a lenspen or rocket blower. I give each lens element, and the inside of my lens caps a quick puff every time I change a lens. It really goes a long way keeping everything dust free.

As far as keeping UV filters on lenses...I used to keep High quality UV filters on lenses just for the protection, however, I found that uv filters were more difficult to clean than the lens itself, and were more prone to smearing, and collecting dust, and offer minor protection. Now I don't worry about some thin piece of glass for "protection," but I do keep a lens hood on my lenses all the time. Day, Night, indoors, or out, anytime, anywhere. A lens hood Is the best protection you can put on a lens.

 

[Nifty Fifty]

Thank you all for your input. I thought that maybe the UV filter would help the day that I was using it, but from what you guys are saying, it really wouldn't help in the situation that I used it on (thanks for the advice).

Here is a photo of an example. There is a bunch of specs on the image, but I pointed out a few of them.

 

[quiddity]

wow looks like your sensor needs a cleaning.

take a picture of a white piece of paper with all your lenses, open in photoshop and ctrl+shift+L for autolevels and dust will be easily apparent.

 

[Nifty Fifty]

wow looks like your sensor needs a cleaning.

take a picture of a white piece of paper with all your lenses, open in photoshop and ctrl+shift+L for autolevels and dust will be easily apparent.

Cool - thanks Quiddity. I will try that!