What would cause this blurring?

[Rigel]

A friend showed me these images and asked me to try to find out what would cause it. This was the only day that this ever happened. What do you think, something on the lens? The image of the ocean doesn't seem to have it but maybe something got on the lens later. Seems to be in the same area of the images. The weirdest one is the halo around the man's head. I don't know what type of camera it was other than digital. She said she never changed the settings and it never happened any other time. I'm guessing some kind of overexposure.

 

[Robin_Usagani]

Spot on sensor

 

[Overread14 2]

Hmm Sensor dust in my experience tends to show as a black/dark blob instead of a grey to white blob. I would suggest that its more likely some particle that got onto the back of the lens itself. Of course it could also be something on the front of the lens, but typically it would have to be something pretty big to cast that much of an effect (and you'd likely notice it when looking at the lens itself).

 

[KenC]

ALIEN SIGNALS!!!!!!!!!

 

[SCraig]

If it was visible when looking through the viewfinder it was something on the lens, if it was not visible it was something on the sensor. Don't know what camera it was but some of the D600's have been known to throw lubricant on the sensor. The fact that it wasn't there the next day kind of precludes that though. My guess is that it was something on the sensor that got cleaned off by the sensor cleaning routine many cameras are using now when it was turned on the next time.

 

[Rigel]

Thanks everyone. Sounds like a sensor problem then. Cheers.

 

[jbarrettash]

... or condensation on the back element? Was there a significant shift in temperature (i.e. indoors to outdoors?). Or just water droplets on the back element maybe? I can't imagine a sensor problem that would look like that - it would likely be sharper than the fuzzy globs on those pics.

 

[dmunsie]

If the "spot" moved from photo to photo..now THAT would be interesting. lol..

 

[Forkie]

It looks like a pretty grey day. A couple of raindrops on the front of the lens that you missed?

 

[raaskohx10]

May be the camera has reached its shutter count.

 

[bianni]

Ask your friend to shoot with a different lens, and see if it has the same effect

 

[BrianV]

I've seen this with internal haze on a lens, near the rear of the lens.

Inspect the camera with a light. If the lens comes off the camera, hold it up to a light and have a look through it.

If it is on the sensor- it is a big drop of something to cause the blurring. Usually a spot on the sensor is flat, and causes darkening.