Dirt on images, What's the cause?

Hey all,


took a few photos today, and noticed that I have some specs of dirt on them near the top and also a kind of glare seems to be on there too, like someone just ran their finger across the lens.

Here's a picture where it's noticeable (and poorly circled);


(Large Image)
http://img594.imageshack.us/img594/7235/img7699pp.jpg




Never really had this issue before, though I'm sure it has come up many, many times on here before?

I know something obviously needs to be cleaned, but not sure what. Would it be the lens? the camera itself? If it's something on the back of the lens or camera, is it worth attempting to fix myself?


Cheers in advance to anyone able to help out

Barname

take a shot of white card

clean your lens

take another shot

if the spots are still there the dirt is on your sensor

if its on your sensor, be very careful.

The sensor is the most expensive part in your camera.

(if you read this in daylight, shoot the blue sky, specs are very easy to spot on that)

Thecageyone

The spots are the norm for dslrs. Some cameras have a shake system that knocks loose spots off when you either switch the cam on or off. You'll feel a little vibration. On top of that you can use a blower, a little pump type thing that literally blows a light blast of air in around the sensor , knocking dust spots off.

If it's persistent dist specs you may need a wet clean. You can buy kits to do it yourself which works out a lot cheaper than getting it done in a shop.

Google 'sensor cleaning' or search it on youtube. It's pretty easy to do with the right tools.

You get dust no matter how careful you are, and it's usually when changing lenses out doors.

Just don't ever blow into the camera yourself!

alexlyons

My initial thought is the sensor. you may be able to lock the mirror up for cleaning (it should be in the menu) or possible the back of the lens. I would doubt its the front of the lens and definitely not anything to do with the view finder.

Often if you look through the view finder and see a few specs that don't come out in photos, it is most likely on the mirror, but not in this case.

oshead

I had the same problem just the other day. Havn't cleaned the sensor in over a year. Then somehow got a lot of dust in.

Here is the before and after. I created a blue image in photoshop and photographed to have a look.


Here's a shot after the clean. I got the cleaning kit in Gunns on Wexford St.


Don't pay to have it cleaned. It's a complete rip. Buy the kit and DIY.

pete4130

Its specs of dust on your sensor that get in when changing lenses. Common enough. You'll really only notice it when shooting small apertures like f8, f11, f16 etc....where your depth of field is increased and they become noticable.

Get a rocket blower and you can set your camera to "mirror up" mode where the mirror pops up and exposes the sensor for cleaning. Blow the rocket blower at the sensor to dislodge any dust that might be on it. Some dust is stubborn and won't come off.

For these stubborn pieces of dust you have two real options. A wet and a dry option. The dry option is easier and its what I'd recommend and its what I use.

The dry option is a sensor pen which is safe to use and easy to use. twist the cap a few times to create some static and then rub it around the sensor, and repeat with the rocket blower afterwards to blo any remaining dust out.

I did both my bodies this morning and it works 100% every time.

The wet option involves liquids and expensive swabs for your sensor and usually takes more than 1 go to get it clean. It's more awkward and messy too.
I recommend the dry option.

pixbyjohn

Deleted User wrote: »

Hey all,


took a few photos today, and noticed that I have some specs of dirt on them near the top and also a kind of glare seems to be on there too, like someone just ran their finger across the lens.

Cheers in advance to anyone able to help out

That photo was taken with an F20 setting, I think there are very few sensors that won't show some dirt at that F setting, so don't worry about it. Clone them out with software. The large glare is something different, maybe flare or a smudge on your lens.
Look at this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huOdzpl534k

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpSi27u4azQ&feature=related

Morrisseeee

Change lenses to rule out a particular lens.
Don't you have an Olympus E410 or 420 !!, ie. it has the 'supersonic wave filter' thats used to shake off any little annoyances. Also there's an option in the menu for 'Pixelmapping' and also 'Cleaningmode'.

Pixel Mapping
To be used occasionally (every six months or so, or as needed) to map out the few bad pixels which may show on your sensor.
Cleaning Mode When you select this and press [OK], the camera enters the cleaning mode: the mirror goes up and the shutter opens, so that the dust barrier in front of the image sensor becomes accessible for cleaning — if you remove the lens, of course.

nilhg

Morrisseeee wrote: »

Change lenses to rule out a particular lens.
Don't you have an Olympus E410 or 420 !!, ie. it has the 'supersonic wave filter' thats used to shake off any little annoyances. Also there's an option in the menu for 'Pixelmapping' and also 'Cleaningmode'.

Pixel Mapping
To be used occasionally (every six months or so, or as needed) to map out the few bad pixels which may show on your sensor.
Cleaning Mode When you select this and press [OK], the camera enters the cleaning mode: the mirror goes up and the shutter opens, so that the dust barrier in front of the image sensor becomes accessible for cleaning — if you remove the lens, of course.

I think the picture is from KKV's 20D, it's rare enough for something like this to happen on an Oly, and even rarer that a few runs of the cleaning mode won't shift it, in 4 1/2 years I've never had to wet clean a Oly sensor.

Yup, the picture is from the 20D. I don't have another lens, so I can't switch lens to see if that's what is causing it. The smear looks like it's been fixed though. I think it was on the front of the lens.

I have a lenspen, but no blower.

Where would I pick up a air blower thingy? I'm in Drogheda so those camera shops (Gunnes, etc.) are of no use to me really and ordering off eBay will take too long.

I don't think there's any photo shops in Drogheda? There's a Kodak Express shop, and a Chemist (Maher's) that have photography stuff, but I don't think either would stuck such items.

Thecageyone

I'm actually in a similar boat. Not one camera shop in Navan! Dublin is my only option to buy over the counter gear which means an hour on the bus each way, then traipsing around the streets to find shops. Pain in the arse.

I don't have a blower either, and I've no way at present to buy online. Could do with one fast myself as I'm constantly getting dust when out and about with the camera. I like to switch between the kit lens and 50mm a lot.

Well all I can recommend is not trying to clean it with a lenspen.

Read from some site on how to do it and I can safely say that I made my problem a lot worse. Well.. actually, I don't know if that's true or not. The dirt is gone, but theres a new, much more noticeable one instead. It's more centered, too.


I think I'll just buy a blower online and not use the camera until it arrives.


It's a pity you can't buy over the phone with Gunnes and a credit card or something (or can you?). I remember Forbidden Planet used to do that. You could buy WWE figures off them with a credit card and they'd post them out to you (or hold them for a later date). Was grand and handy.

pete4130

Any electronics store that sells video cameras/cameras should have a smaller type blower (not as powerful as a rocket blower) and should do the job. They usually come in cleaning kits with some soft tissue type paper, a yellow lens cloth, some cleaning alcohol and some cotton buds (like the type for your ears).

If you get one of these, forget the yellow lens cloth. They get greasy from your fingers and once you use the once they need cleaning. get some alcohol on the cotton bud and gently make growing concentric circles from the centre of the lens outwards (so you move any grime/dirt towards the outside of the lens) and then use the tissue type paper doing the same, working from the centre outwards. You can do this for both the front and rear element of the lens.

If you have a 20D I'm guessing you bought it used/2nd hand? there can be dust in front of the mirror from prior lens changes that can get in behind when the mirror pops up for exposure so it is possible there could be dust on the sensor.

The sensor cleaning mode on cameras helps but isn't a guarantee that you won't have dust spots. Some dust could have moisture on stick to the sensor and wont be shook off or could be held on by static. Dust is just something you have to learn to live with on DSLR's and get used to cleaning the sensor. Once you get used to it its a 30 second chore that isn't as daunting as you first think.