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#1
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20D and dust spots
Dust seems to be a problem.
I noticed a piece of fluff on the viewfinder today. Rather than let it migrate to the sensor I *think* I managed to remove it. This prompted me to try the sensor dust test (stop down to f22 and shoot the sky out of focus. Sure enough there are a couple of faint spots, so I guess changing from film to digital won't mean I will be giving up using the clone stamp any time soon. What I find disturbing is this is a brand new camera for xmas, I only have one EF lens which has been mounted exactly twice, once on delivery and once on xmas day. The camera has only been used in doors apart from a short stint (mostly because I have been fixing my central heating). If this is the amount of dust intrusion at this point what are things going to be like after changing lenses in windy conditions a few times? I know the 20D is not a pro camera so I was not expecting the mount to be dust proof, but this seems to be an issue. Is this a particular problem with the cheap 18-55mm kit lens or can I expect the same problem with any lenses? I was planning to get mostly prime lenses like my old system but now I wonder if I should consider zooms just to reduce the number of lens mountings.... Can some of the more experienced DSLR users please indicate how much of an operational issue sensor dust is and what precautions they take. cheers Lester |
#2
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"Lester Wareham" wrote in message
... Dust seems to be a problem. I noticed a piece of fluff on the viewfinder today. Rather than let it migrate to the sensor I *think* I managed to remove it. This prompted me to try the sensor dust test (stop down to f22 and shoot the sky out of focus. Sure enough there are a couple of faint spots, so I guess changing from film to digital won't mean I will be giving up using the clone stamp any time soon. I've had a 10D for nearly 2 years, and it's been in amateur use and has taken 5000 images. I also mainly use prime lenses. If I stop down to f22, I too can see dust spots. BUT, why do I mainly use prime lenses ? So that I can use f2.8, f4 and f5.6 and still get sharp images; and at f1.4 as well. Stop worrying, and get out taking some photos! -- M Stewart Milton Keynes, UK http://www.megalith.freeserve.co.uk/oddimage.htm |
#3
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I've had a 10D for nearly 2 years, and it's been in amateur use and has taken 5000 images. I also mainly use prime lenses. If I stop down to f22, I too can see dust spots. BUT, why do I mainly use prime lenses ? So that I can use f2.8, f4 and f5.6 and still get sharp images; and at f1.4 as well. Stop worrying, and get out taking some photos! -- M Stewart Milton Keynes, UK http://www.megalith.freeserve.co.uk/oddimage.htm Thanks for the confidence boost, but is the 10D better sealed or are you lucky? I guess there is an issue of finding a problem if one looks for it on my part, the dust motes are barely detectable at f8 and then probably not at all except on an even tone. The other reason for avoiding zooms are the weight and size, particularly for the Canon f2.8L flavours. On my old FD system I did have a 70-210/f4, but it was so cumbersome I almost never used it. thanks Lester |
#4
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I've had a 10D for nearly 2 years, and it's been in amateur use and has taken 5000 images. I also mainly use prime lenses. If I stop down to f22, I too can see dust spots. BUT, why do I mainly use prime lenses ? So that I can use f2.8, f4 and f5.6 and still get sharp images; and at f1.4 as well. Stop worrying, and get out taking some photos! -- M Stewart Milton Keynes, UK http://www.megalith.freeserve.co.uk/oddimage.htm Thanks for the confidence boost, but is the 10D better sealed or are you lucky? I guess there is an issue of finding a problem if one looks for it on my part, the dust motes are barely detectable at f8 and then probably not at all except on an even tone. The other reason for avoiding zooms are the weight and size, particularly for the Canon f2.8L flavours. On my old FD system I did have a 70-210/f4, but it was so cumbersome I almost never used it. thanks Lester |
#5
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Lester Wareham wrote:
I've had a 10D for nearly 2 years, and it's been in amateur use and has taken 5000 images. I also mainly use prime lenses. If I stop down to f22, I too can see dust spots. BUT, why do I mainly use prime lenses ? So that I can use f2.8, f4 and f5.6 and still get sharp images; and at f1.4 as well. Stop worrying, and get out taking some photos! -- M Stewart Milton Keynes, UK http://www.megalith.freeserve.co.uk/oddimage.htm Thanks for the confidence boost, but is the 10D better sealed or are you lucky? I don't think you are getting much dust in with the lens on, although zoom lenses may have a chance of creating a problem, I have not seen in in my 20D, as of yet. I admit I am more careful changing lenses than I was with my non-digital SLRs. Still I have changed lenses in the rain and not had a problem. I guess there is an issue of finding a problem if one looks for it on my part, the dust motes are barely detectable at f8 and then probably not at all except on an even tone. The other reason for avoiding zooms are the weight and size, particularly for the Canon f2.8L flavours. On my old FD system I did have a 70-210/f4, but it was so cumbersome I almost never used it. thanks Lester -- Joseph Meehan 26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math |
#6
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"Lester Wareham" wrote in message ... Dust seems to be a problem. I noticed a piece of fluff on the viewfinder today. Rather than let it migrate to the sensor I *think* I managed to remove it. This prompted me to try the sensor dust test (stop down to f22 and shoot the sky out of focus. Sure enough there are a couple of faint spots, so I guess changing from film to digital won't mean I will be giving up using the clone stamp any time soon. What I find disturbing is this is a brand new camera for xmas, I only have one EF lens which has been mounted exactly twice, once on delivery and once on xmas day. The camera has only been used in doors apart from a short stint (mostly because I have been fixing my central heating). If this is the amount of dust intrusion at this point what are things going to be like after changing lenses in windy conditions a few times? I know the 20D is not a pro camera so I was not expecting the mount to be dust proof, but this seems to be an issue. Is this a particular problem with the cheap 18-55mm kit lens or can I expect the same problem with any lenses? I was planning to get mostly prime lenses like my old system but now I wonder if I should consider zooms just to reduce the number of lens mountings.... Can some of the more experienced DSLR users please indicate how much of an operational issue sensor dust is and what precautions they take. cheers Lester Lester, please see my posts in rec.photo.digital.slr-systems. The thread is titled "sensor cleaning". I am also fairly new to the 20D and saw about 10-15 dust spots @ f/22 straight out of the box essentially. Initially I was very upset about this (being new to DSLR also) and it made me very uncomfortable. I did quite a bit of research and this is totally not uncommon. I tried the rocket air bulb blower yesterday and it removed all my dust-spots. I did not resort to physically touching the sensor. Note that I had my significant other hold a vacuum in the proximity of the camera while I used the blower (but I am not sure if this is really necessary). Here is a link to the rocket blower: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...=259157&is=REG Here are some other cleaning methods/links **try at own risk!!**: http://www.photo.net/equipment/digital/sensorcleaning/ http://www.pbase.com/copperhill/ccd_cleaning http://www.luminous-landscape.com/es...cleaning.shtml After reading all the physical cleaning methods, I was very happy that the blower worked for me. Those C02 blowers look very good too. Hope this helps Musty. |
#7
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"Lester Wareham" wrote in message ... Dust seems to be a problem. Yes, it is. It is a problem common to all dSLRs. The spots mainly show up against large expanses of sky or some light colored area. They get lost in background clutter otherwise. It is the main reason I hesitated for so long before getting a dSLR. There is no way to keep dust out of the camera. The major source of dust indoors is people -- everyone lives inside of a dust cloud, shedding an aerosol of bits of skin and hair and particles of clothing and mites and stuff out of every conceivable opening everywhere they go. Thankfully, we don't think about it much, but it affects our photography. No matter what you do, some of that is going to get into the camera. It is probably cleaner to change your camera outdoors on a windy day. Clean your sensor regularly, using a dry bulb to blow particles off the chip. If something is really stubborn, a cotton swab and denatured alcohol will work. If it does not come off with that, a trip to the repair shop is in order. Some manufacturers have a disclaimer saying that you should never try to clean the chip. Nikon does this on cameras sold in the US, but then turns around and sells a do it yourself cleaning kit in Japan. Maybe they think American fingers are too big (thinking of the film "Crazy People") to do a good job. Anyway, all the kit contains is a blower bulb, some swabs, and some denatured alcohol. It tells you to run the very lightly moistened swabs in swirls over the sensor. Be gentle; it should not take any pressure to remove even stubborn dust. You are unlikely to scratch the sensor with a swab, but I suspect you could knock it out of alignment. You don't want to use enough fluid that it might leave a stain. Canned air contains freezing cold fluids that can drip onto the sensor, so most people avoid it. Even if it is certified as fluid free, it is under enough pressure that when released it can cause moisture to condense out of the air and form ice on the sensor. Whenever you run air through a narrow passage to accelerate it the pressure is reduced, meaning it can hold less water and the temperature is also reduced, which also lowers how much water the air can contain and which means that any water that condenses out will be cold. It is the reason that canned air and propane tanks and the like, if run continuously, will sometimes clog up with ice at the valves. |
#8
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On Fri, 31 Dec 2004 13:25:18 -0000, "Lester Wareham"
wrote: Dust seems to be a problem. I noticed a piece of fluff on the viewfinder today. Rather than let it migrate to the sensor I *think* I managed to remove it. This prompted me to try the sensor dust test (stop down to f22 and shoot the sky out of focus. Sure enough there are a couple of faint spots, so I guess changing from film to digital won't mean I will be giving up using the clone stamp any time soon. What I find disturbing is this is a brand new camera for xmas, I only have one EF lens which has been mounted exactly twice, once on delivery and once on xmas day. The camera has only been used in doors apart from a short stint (mostly because I have been fixing my central heating). If this is the amount of dust intrusion at this point what are things going to be like after changing lenses in windy conditions a few times? I know the 20D is not a pro camera so I was not expecting the mount to be dust proof, but this seems to be an issue. Is this a particular problem with the cheap 18-55mm kit lens or can I expect the same problem with any lenses? I was planning to get mostly prime lenses like my old system but now I wonder if I should consider zooms just to reduce the number of lens mountings.... Can some of the more experienced DSLR users please indicate how much of an operational issue sensor dust is and what precautions they take. cheers Lester You think you've got problems :-)) http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikeb1/ |
#9
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On Fri, 31 Dec 2004 13:25:18 -0000, "Lester Wareham"
wrote: Dust seems to be a problem. I noticed a piece of fluff on the viewfinder today. Rather than let it migrate to the sensor I *think* I managed to remove it. This prompted me to try the sensor dust test (stop down to f22 and shoot the sky out of focus. Sure enough there are a couple of faint spots, so I guess changing from film to digital won't mean I will be giving up using the clone stamp any time soon. What I find disturbing is this is a brand new camera for xmas, I only have one EF lens which has been mounted exactly twice, once on delivery and once on xmas day. The camera has only been used in doors apart from a short stint (mostly because I have been fixing my central heating). If this is the amount of dust intrusion at this point what are things going to be like after changing lenses in windy conditions a few times? I know the 20D is not a pro camera so I was not expecting the mount to be dust proof, but this seems to be an issue. Is this a particular problem with the cheap 18-55mm kit lens or can I expect the same problem with any lenses? I was planning to get mostly prime lenses like my old system but now I wonder if I should consider zooms just to reduce the number of lens mountings.... Can some of the more experienced DSLR users please indicate how much of an operational issue sensor dust is and what precautions they take. cheers Lester You think you've got problems :-)) http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikeb1/ |
#10
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Anyone know of a UK supplier for "Sensor Swabs" and "Eclipse Optic Cleaner"
for sensor cleaning? "Musty" wrote in message ... "Lester Wareham" wrote in message ... Dust seems to be a problem. I noticed a piece of fluff on the viewfinder today. Rather than let it migrate to the sensor I *think* I managed to remove it. This prompted me to try the sensor dust test (stop down to f22 and shoot the sky out of focus. Sure enough there are a couple of faint spots, so I guess changing from film to digital won't mean I will be giving up using the clone stamp any time soon. What I find disturbing is this is a brand new camera for xmas, I only have one EF lens which has been mounted exactly twice, once on delivery and once on xmas day. The camera has only been used in doors apart from a short stint (mostly because I have been fixing my central heating). If this is the amount of dust intrusion at this point what are things going to be like after changing lenses in windy conditions a few times? I know the 20D is not a pro camera so I was not expecting the mount to be dust proof, but this seems to be an issue. Is this a particular problem with the cheap 18-55mm kit lens or can I expect the same problem with any lenses? I was planning to get mostly prime lenses like my old system but now I wonder if I should consider zooms just to reduce the number of lens mountings.... Can some of the more experienced DSLR users please indicate how much of an operational issue sensor dust is and what precautions they take. cheers Lester Lester, please see my posts in rec.photo.digital.slr-systems. The thread is titled "sensor cleaning". I am also fairly new to the 20D and saw about 10-15 dust spots @ f/22 straight out of the box essentially. Initially I was very upset about this (being new to DSLR also) and it made me very uncomfortable. I did quite a bit of research and this is totally not uncommon. I tried the rocket air bulb blower yesterday and it removed all my dust-spots. I did not resort to physically touching the sensor. Note that I had my significant other hold a vacuum in the proximity of the camera while I used the blower (but I am not sure if this is really necessary). Here is a link to the rocket blower: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...=259157&is=REG Here are some other cleaning methods/links **try at own risk!!**: http://www.photo.net/equipment/digital/sensorcleaning/ http://www.pbase.com/copperhill/ccd_cleaning http://www.luminous-landscape.com/es...cleaning.shtml After reading all the physical cleaning methods, I was very happy that the blower worked for me. Those C02 blowers look very good too. Hope this helps Musty. |
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