Dirt? Dust? Where?

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Ed_Sutch

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Ed
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Afternoon all! Hopefully the title will just about describe my problem, along with the pictures below to try and figure out just how to go about cleaning (and where) any help greatly appreciated!

Have a 'blower thingy' (not the technical term :p) on the way in the post which will hopefully aid me?

Do I need to do that 'mirror lock up' thing I read about in the manual?

Pictures on a Nikon D40 btw

DSC_0647.jpg


DSC_0649.jpg


Cheers, Ed
 
Mirror lock up won't hellp or hinder cleaning, that's to prevent camera shake (mainy when using a tripod for a ong exposure)

You'll need to find the sensor clean option
 
As far as im aware mirror lock up is used for sensor cleaning on a nikon.

I know its the only way on my Nikon D50.
 
THIS might help.

Looks like quite a lot of dust on your sensor (particularly as you're only at f10) the blower should shift a lot of it but you might need a wet clean if you want to get it perfect. Deffo try the blower first though.
 
Flashman said:
THIS might help.

Looks like quite a lot of dust on your sensor (particularly as you're only at f10) the blower should shift a lot of it but you might need a wet clean if you want to get it perfect. Deffo try the blower first though.
Click to expand...

Thanks very much, will give it a go and see what I get!

I know there may always be slight imperfections from dust, but as you say the amount on mine just makes pictures annoying!

Ed
 
TheCrow said:
As far as im aware mirror lock up is used for sensor cleaning on a nikon.

I know its the only way on my Nikon D50.
Click to expand...

thats correct on the d40 too. the d40 doesnt have a sensor cleaning system. d60 and above does.
 
Page 105 of the manual will tell you how to access the "Mirror Lock Up" function, although strictly speaking, it's a bit different to "Mirror Lock Up". The sensor cleaning MLU raises the mirror and opens the shutter without turning the sensor on, allowing the sensor to be examined and blown/wiped, while the term Mirror Lock Up used to (and still does) mean that the mirror is lifted a short while before the exposure is made, to allow vibrations caused by the mirror rising to die down before the shutter is opened.

What the manual doesn't tell you is that the specks of dust and hair that appear on your images are miniscule so may well be invisible to the naked eye. There are products available to allow well lit and magnified inspection of the sensor (OK, it's actually the low-pass filter that's just in front of the sensor that gets dirty but we all know what is meant by "sensor" in this context!) but refitting the lens and taking a shot of a plain wall at a small aperture (big number) will show the crud up just as well so you can tell if a contact clean is needed after a good blow.

I use a SensorKlear pen type gizmo for my sensor cleaning and use them as a one shot deal, relegating them to lesser cleaning duties after their sensor job is done. Other methods are available and will be recommended by others.
 
Uneducated_Rick said:
Mirror lock up won't hellp or hinder cleaning, that's to prevent camera shake (mainy when using a tripod for a ong exposure)

You'll need to find the sensor clean option
Click to expand...

Living up to your user name there, Rick :naughty: On the D40 cleaning the sensor is exactly what the mirror lock up function is for.....

corbystock said:
I would start from the outside in ( filter, lens ) 1st.
Click to expand...

That won't make any difference, I'm afraid - the dust is on the sensor, a quick puff from the rocket blower should shift it easily though :thumbs:
 
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