what are these dark spots?

[nobrowser]

I'm getting a number (5 or 6) of ugly dark spots in my pictures, always approximately in the same places. Much larger than single pixels. It happens no matter what the angle between camera and light, and with or without hood, so I do not think it is lens flare. I have posted an example here:

http://primate.net/~itz/imgp8089.dng

Thanks for any hints or suggestions

Ian

[Donald]

Ian

Welcome to CiC I hope this won't be a one-off post and that you'll become a regular member.

Anyway to your question - DUST BUNNIES

Specks of dust on the sensor of your camera. An inevitable consequence of life in the digital world. I've just had the sensor on my Canon 40D cleaned.

You can do it yourself. Care is required and you are advised to study tutorials on how to do it before you start. Or you can put it into reputable service centres who will do it. Mine cost 30 GBP.

[Dave Humphries]

I'm getting a number (5 or 6) of ugly dark spots in my pictures, always approximately in the same places. Much larger than single pixels. It happens no matter what the angle between camera and light, and with or without hood, so I do not think it is lens flare. I have posted an example here:

http://primate.net/~itz/imgp8089.dng

Thanks for any hints or suggestions

Ian

Hi Ian,

Welcome to the CiC forums from me.

Them be what's often known as 'dust bunnies' - specs of dust on your digital sensor. Actually, they are on something called the anti-aliasing filter (which sits across the front of the sensor, but no matter on the technicalities.

You'll find they will be worse at small diameter apertures and most noticeable against the sky, as here.

If your camera has a dust removal feature and you don't normally use it, now would be a good time to try it, but I doubt it'll shift this lot.
It can be cleaned by yourself if you 'know what you're doing', but many prefer to get their sensor professionally cleaned at a camera shop or servicing centre. There are many threads here discussing the topic and plenty of vidoes on YouTube showing how to do it, but I must warn there is the possibility of causing expensive damage if it goes wrong.

It would have been preferable to save us a jpg than give the dng, but hey-ho, it works
I have converted and attached one.



Cheers,

[intrepidstu]

I had the same problem not long back and i simply kept using the removal feature built into the camera (it actualy vibrates the sensor a little). It didnt work at first, but after a couple of days of using it a few times a day, it finaly shifted. Failing that, you may have a facility in your camerea that identifies the spots and removes them through software on all pictures.

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Ian,

One more thought; to prevent a reoccurence, you might want to review your lens changing technique to stop dust getting in there.

Please ignore this suggestion if your technique is good, but you live in an area prone to dust storms

Cheers,

[Geoff F]

Sensor cleaning is a common occurrence, Ian, and I regularly clean mine.

It may sound complicated and dangerous but isn't much different to lens cleaning if you do it correctly.

There are several sensor cleaning kits available which come with full instructions. Your camera manual should also cover this.

Basically, you just remove the lens and use the appropriate camera function to open the mirror then wipe the glass sensor cover with a swab moistened with cleaning fluid.

The sensor vibrator auto cleaning system is a great help but eventually some tiny speck sticks a little harder and a wipe is needed.

[nobrowser]

Yes, cleaning the sensor fixed this. I didn't think this was the problem at first because my camera is one of those that shake a bit every time it's turned on and I thought that would prevent gross dust accumulation like this, but apparently not.

Thanks for the help.

[TobyMac]

I use to have the same spots on all of my pictures and it drove me absolutely mad, learning to clean the sensor is in my opinion is one of the most important things to know if you have an SLR camera and want superb pictures.

Hope your enjoying the clean Pictures

[Colin Southern]

I thought that would prevent gross dust accumulation like this, but apparently not.

The "shaking" is part of a "dust control system" -- unfortunately, they haven't come up with a "dust ELIMINATION system" yet