Beginner dirty sensor

Messages
1,686
Name
jason
Edit My Images
Yes
I noticed a fair amount of spots on my photos so decided to clean my filter. I have a Delkin Sensorscope kit, with magnifying scope, swab sticks and cleaning fluid. I follow all instructions and am very careful.. I've done it a few times before with good results.
Then, after my last outing, the first after cleaning, ive looked at my photos and its terrible!! Ive looked at 2 different photos with difference lenses fitted. I did not clean the mirror so is it possible the spots could be from the mirror? Or should I just have another go at cleaning the sensor?

Ive purposely cranked up the dehaze to accentuate the spots-please don't think these are my edits!
DSC_2666 by jason greenwood, on Flickr
DSC_2798 by jason greenwood, on Flickr
 
Dust on the mirror, would show up in the viewfinder, but not the actual images.

Lot of dust, on the sensor, which may indicate you need better technique / care, when changing lens. Always be careful, of the environment you are in (windy, etc.) and make sure you point the camera downwards when changing lens. Sometimes, it is best, if you can control the conditions you change lens in, e.g. change inside the camera bag, inside a car, etc.

Dust on sensor, not a major issue, but you don't want to have to clean it every time you take the camera out.
 
Hi Jason yep looks like you mucked it up, give it another go. To test before your next outing take a high exposure shot of a white door or something and zoom in on the photo in camera to see how well you did it hth Mike.
 
GHP_2671 crop.jpg Just try clenaing the sensor again. Normally I do one wipe in one direction side to side then one wipe back and that's it no more. You should use a cut down glue stick with a pec pad wraped around it and eclipse optical cleaning fluid. Two drops on the end of stick only.
 
Last edited:
Is it dust or is it cleaning fluid?
I've had my camera for 2 years now and I've never had to clean the sensor, I never see more than 2-3 spots on photos (and that's if I'm really looking for them). I find hair to be much more annoying than the odd dust spot.
I sometimes think people obsess too much about having a spotless sensor.
You'll obviously have to clean your sensor again, but once it's clean, I wouldn't clean it again until there is something obvious to clean off.
 
Surely you'd be able to see all those on the sensor just by looking at it? I've never had a sensor with that many spots on it before!!

The spots also seem very uniform in size too & almost overlapping in places.
 
In the years I have had a DSLR I have only ever used an arctic butterfly brush and always got great results. Very quick and easy to use. Something to consider as it uses no liquids.
 
Or oil spots?

If you look closely, you can see the spots have a darker circumference.

I do wonder. On another forum, in a thread on the perennial question "protection filter or not" one poster replied with a strong affirmative, as he photographed air shows and found that at the end of the season the filters had acquired a dirt coating that couldn't be cleaned off and had to be replaced. This was attributed to the large amounts of particulate matter, aviation fuel (and oil?) in the air at such shows. I'd never thought of the possible result of lens changing with a digital camera at such events, but now I'm wondering in the light of the photos shown to illustrate the problem.
 
I had a complete mare wet cleaning my sensor.
I went through an entire 10 pack of pads before I was happy.

In fact it was such a pain I vowed never to change my lens in the field again.
 
Was it new when you bought it? It may have a faulty shutter that's putting oil on your sensor. It just seems strange that you've had to clean the sensor so often in just 6 months. I've not heard of it on this model before (but there was a problem with the d600 when it first came out).
 
I tend to use one of my airbrushes to clean dust of sensor and mirror, works really well as you can adjust the pressure which is constant, and filtered.

I have a rocket blower for on the go, but they dont half move about when in use.
 
Have you checked that the camera was not one subject to recall for oil deposits.
 
The camera (Nikon D7200) was new (grey import) . Its been faultless for 6 months. Cleaned again tonight with minimal fluid and swabs. Looks good. Tested on bright sky. I'm using it tomorrow so will see the results.
 
Back
Top