Dirts or fungus?

[LBL2009]

I took a few shots of the clear blue sky and filled up the frame with the light blue. To my surprise, I saw some round dots appearing at the same positions in all the four pictures I took.

They are round and the size is about 1.5mm on a picture size of 20x13cm.

I increased the contrast of the pictures and enlarged the picture size to 200% and found many more dots.

This is how they look



Are they dirts or fungus and where are they, on the lens, the mirror or the sensor?

How to get rids of them?

 

[catola1010]

high chance on the mirror, and sensor
Which model u using? Lift up the mirror, look at your sensor, if dust is there try use blower to see can clear^^

 

[Rashkae]

high chance on the mirror, and sensor
Which model u using? Lift up the mirror, look at your sensor, if dust is there try use blower to see can clear^^

If it's on the mirror, it would not show up in the pictures.

This is sensor dust. Get a blower and learn how to clean your sensor.

 

[LBL2009]

Thanks for the fast responses. Really appreciate it.

I am using a D40.

Blow the sensor? I suppose this is not an easy task. Have to find out how to do it.

 

[Rashkae]

Blow the sensor? I suppose this is not an easy task. Have to find out how to do it.

It's very easy, and is also explained in your manual.

http://www.lmgtfy.com/?q=how+to+clean+dslr+sensor

 

[daredevil123]

To see the sensor dust more clearly, set smallest aperture possible, switch to MF, point to a white wall or something, and shoot. Easier to see the dust when shooting a white background.

I blow my sensor every once in a while. I do it more on my old D40x before I sold it as it did not have anti dust system. Blower usually took care of the dust. Did not have to ever use any cleaning liquid, brush or pads.

 

[Keenblade]

To see the sensor dust more clearly, set smallest aperture possible, switch to MF, point to a white wall or something, and shoot. Easier to see the dust when shooting a white background.

I blow my sensor every once in a while. I do it more on my old D40x before I sold it as it did not have anti dust system. Blower usually took care of the dust. Did not have to ever use any cleaning liquid, brush or pads.

As he said... white background will show dust more clearly, and you shouldn't ever ever use solvents or fluid on the sensor or hell stick stuff in your camera unless you know what you're doing. The most I'd recommend is a blower, and use it gently... otherwise it's time to send it to a shop.

 

[kodkod32]

Yup! thoses are dust speck on your sensors. just set your aperture to highest f number e.g 22 and snap at the sky or plain wall. (may want to manual focus) . Try not to blow at the sensor too often as there are chances of damage the sensor by accident. just go to the menu and select the Mirror up function. Face the camera down, remove lens, use a blower...never never touch the tip on sensor! unless you have sensor cleaning kit and know how to use it. If in doubt, please sent the D40 to nikon services to clean it. D40/x is a good camera.

 

[LBL2009]

Thanks all for the good advice.

Looks like this is a routine maintenance if I change lenses often. Better learn to do it.

 

[torak]

If there are spots in photos, how to determind whether its sensor or lens dust that are causing it?

 

[Dream Merchant]

Sensor dust: http://images.google.com.sg/images?hl=en&source=hp&q=sensor+dust&btnG=Search+Images&gbv=2&aq=f&oq=

Fungus results won;t show up in photos until it's too late - you'll see a general lowering of contrast as well as increased prone to flaring, and an overall 'soft-focus' effect. However, fungus on lenses look like this: http://images.google.com.sg/images?...ns+fungus&btnG=Search+images&aq=f&oq=&start=0

 

[daredevil123]

If there are spots in photos, how to determind whether its sensor or lens dust that are causing it?

When doing small-aperture-photo-at-the-wall test, if the dust looks very well defined, it is on the sensor. dust in the lens do not show up that clearly.

 

[shaoken]

It may be on the mirror.
I've encountered such problem before too. Just clean the mirror and see whether it has cleared.. :dunno:

 

[chalib]

It may be on the mirror.

Dust on the mirror will not appear in the pics as what Rashkae wrote earlier

Google and read up how a DSLR works

If the dust on the mirror, usually you will see it through VF

 

[daredevil123]

It may be on the mirror.
I've encountered such problem before too. Just clean the mirror and see whether it has cleared.. :dunno:

Huh? waaa, transparent mirror ar? Must be some new technology we all don't know about. :bigeyes: Good. No more mirror flap to worry about in the future when taking long exposures.

 

[burningacid]

bring it to Nikon service center, if you are unsure... sensor cleaning about $20 odd...

 

[shaoken]

Huh? waaa, transparent mirror ar? Must be some new technology we all don't know about. :bigeyes: Good. No more mirror flap to worry about in the future when taking long exposures.

Sorry but it happened to me before.
There are some dust on my sensor (my mistake to say it's mirror) and when I snap pics, I zoom in and saw spots like this too.

After cleaning it, it's alright. :dunno:

 

[daredevil123]

Sorry but it happened to me before.
There are some dust on my sensor (my mistake to say it's mirror) and when I snap pics, I zoom in and saw spots like this too.

After cleaning it, it's alright. :dunno:

Oh ok.. that clears it up.