Ugly Hedgehog - Photography Forum
Home Active Topics Newest Pictures Search Login Register
Main Photography Discussion
rebel black spot
Oct 16, 2017 20:02:57   #
Lugano
 
Hello Forum,

I have a Canon 6D less than a year old and have hardly been exposed to lens changes on the outdoors. Nevertheless, I found a black spot on the upper roof crystal of the "shooting chamber". The mirror is 45 grades angle to it and that crystal is "frosted"
I have tried a soft fabric then a q tip imbibed in cleaning solution to no avail.
The black spot seems to be underneath the glass.
Does anybody knows if:

Canon 6D is cover by warranty?
What will be a good number to call Canon?
How to get rid of this nuisance?
Will it show in final pictures?

The last one should be easy for me to check but it seems to be in some and not in others.
Thank you for your help.

Lugano

Reply
Oct 16, 2017 20:19:15   #
twowindsbear
 
Can you post a pic that shows the defect that is 'in some and not in others?'

Is there any way at all that you can make & post a pic that shows the 'black spot on the upper roof crystal of the "shooting chamber". The mirror is 45 grades angle to it and that crystal is "frosted"?' Even a pic from a cell phone camera could help.

From what I read from your question, it sounds like the 'black spot' is inside the pentaprism / pentamirror housing and should not interfere or even be visible in a photo. I think a trip to a camera technician would be required to remove what ever is causing the problem.

Sorry, but I can't help you with your other questions about the contact info or warranty info.

Reply
Oct 16, 2017 21:01:39   #
MT Shooter Loc: Montana
 
Its a piece of debris on the top side of your focusing screen. NEVER touch the focusing screen of your 6D as it is plastic and your finger can damage the fresnel finish of the screen. It can be removed for cleaning by the proper personel.

Reply
 
 
Oct 16, 2017 21:21:27   #
Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.
 
Lugano wrote:
Hello Forum,

I have a Canon 6D less than a year old and have hardly been exposed to lens changes on the outdoors. Nevertheless, I found a black spot on the upper roof crystal of the "shooting chamber". The mirror is 45 grades angle to it and that crystal is "frosted"
I have tried a soft fabric then a q tip imbibed in cleaning solution to no avail.
The black spot seems to be underneath the glass.
Does anybody knows if:

Canon 6D is cover by warranty?
What will be a good number to call Canon?
How to get rid of this nuisance?
Will it show in final pictures?

The last one should be easy for me to check but it seems to be in some and not in others.
Thank you for your help.

Lugano
Hello Forum, br br I have a Canon 6D less than a ... (show quote)


Canon warranty is 12 months, try calling 1 800 385 2155.

Reply
Oct 16, 2017 23:16:42   #
Lugano
 
Thank guys all, this information shine light on my problem.

Reply
Oct 17, 2017 23:53:58   #
amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA
 
Lugano wrote:
Hello Forum,

I have a Canon 6D less than a year old and have hardly been exposed to lens changes on the outdoors. Nevertheless, I found a black spot on the upper roof crystal of the "shooting chamber". The mirror is 45 grades angle to it and that crystal is "frosted"
I have tried a soft fabric then a q tip imbibed in cleaning solution to no avail.
The black spot seems to be underneath the glass.
Does anybody knows if:

Canon 6D is cover by warranty?
What will be a good number to call Canon?
How to get rid of this nuisance?
Will it show in final pictures?

The last one should be easy for me to check but it seems to be in some and not in others.
Thank you for your help.

Lugano
Hello Forum, br br I have a Canon 6D less than a ... (show quote)


Oh my gosh! STOP! NOW!

A spot in the viewfinder is almost certainly either on the focus screen or on the mirror.... Neither of which you should try to clean yourself and ESPECIALLY NEVER WITH A Q-TIP!

Q-Tips and other common cotton swabs shed tiny, tough fibers and those can get into fine camera mechanisms and jam them... making for quite expensive repairs. A "soft cloth" might be no better. If it's contaminated with ANYTHING, it can scratch or leave residues that might be even worse than the speck you're seeing now.

The reason you shouldn't try to clean the mirror or the focus screen yourself is because they both are very delicate. The mirror is front-surfaced with vaporized aluminum and many of them are semi-transparent. Scratch that mirror and you'll have an expensive repair! The focus screen is made of optical plastic and also is easily damaged... some cleaning solutions will even "melt" a focus screen. I believe the focus screen in the 6D is user-replaceable, so it wouldn't be too expensive (usually less than $50) to repair yourself if damaged. But that has to be done very carefully. Only handle the screen by the edges and use a special plastic tool that's provided to remove and install the screen in the camera, the oils from your fingers can ruin the screen if you touch the matte side. The biggest risk messing around with the focus screen is slipping and damaging the mirror right below it. Many cameras also have rather delicate light seals right around the perimeter of the focus screen, which can be easily damaged too. If that happens, you'll see light leak issues in all your images.

But even more to the point, any spot seen in the viewfinder WILL NEVER SHOW UP IN ANY OF YOUR PHOTOS. When the image is taken, the mirror is flipped up momentarily to cover the focus screen and seal our any light from entering through the viewfinder. So any spot you see in the viewfinder is merely a minor nuisance and not worth getting concerned about (usually). The only exception might be if the spot is fungus getting started inside the optics of the viewfinder itself, which would call for an immediate professional attention before the fungus spreads to other parts of the camera and possibly into lenses used on it. But that's pretty rare.

Most likely it's just a speck of dust that got in there somehow (cameras and lenses aren't assembled in "clean rooms".... and "dust happens" throughout their useful lifespan). If the speck appears sharply in focus, it's on the focus screen. If it's out of focus, it's on the mirror. Try a bulb blower to puff it away. If that doesn't remove it, I recommend you just leave it alone until you need a sensor cleaning and then let a professional clean it at the same time they're cleaning your sensor. That's MUCH safer than messing around with it yourself.

Yes, the 6D comes with a one year warranty for the original purchaser. Warranties are not transferable, so if you bought it used any warranty would be what the seller offers (some stores offer 90 days... most private parties don't offer any warranty or only very short ones). But you also don't need to send it in just to get a speck in the viewfinder removed. A local camera technician will almost always take care of it the next time you have the sensor cleaned. At the very least, that will save you the cost of shipping the camera there and back, even if it's under warranty. It also will mean less time without the camera, since a sensor cleaning locally can often be done while you wait.

Reply
Oct 18, 2017 02:01:51   #
Lugano
 
Hi amfoto, much appreciated all your efforts and advise. After what I read won't touch anymore, mainly because you are very right and I also think it won't show in the final photos.
Thank you again from an ex San Francisco man.

Reply
 
 
Oct 18, 2017 02:19:41   #
Haydon
 
MT Shooter wrote:
Its a piece of debris on the top side of your focusing screen. NEVER touch the focusing screen of your 6D as it is plastic and your finger can damage the fresnel finish of the screen. It can be removed for cleaning by the proper personel.



MT is right. The focusing screen is extremely fragile and can be damaged with little effort. I had one replaced just recently when my hand slipped with a blower in my hand. Have a professional fix it. Canon charges $275.00 for a focusing screen change on a 5DIII because of my carelessness. I'm a CPS member and got away cheaply.

Reply
If you want to reply, then register here. Registration is free and your account is created instantly, so you can post right away.
Main Photography Discussion
UglyHedgehog.com - Forum
Copyright 2011-2024 Ugly Hedgehog, Inc.