Black Smudge
Feb 12, 2018 12:14:20 #
Suddenly on my Nikon D300 a black smudge appearing on screen of shots taken. Have checked lens for cleanliness, along with mirror in camera and don't seem to find anything that would cause this problem. Smudge appears not only on camera monitor but when downloaded for post in Lightroom. Anyone experienced similar circumstance who might have a suggestion to remedy this problem? THANKS, in advance for any input, ideas or suggestions.
Feb 12, 2018 12:17:04 #
Probably a speck of something on the sensor. You'll want to be very careful in cleaning that.
Feb 12, 2018 12:21:04 #
That's the only thing I can think of and I'm petrified to mess with that. If it were your camera, what would be your course of action? I've never even though about doing anything to get to the sensor so confidence level is absolute zero. Guess the first thing I need to do is see id there is something on the sensor causing the problem. Thanks for your reply and I welcome your input.
Feb 12, 2018 12:25:06 #
BBBruce77
Loc: Eureka, Montana
There are a lot of BAD tutorials on cleaning your sensor on You Tube. Be careful what you follow. Lock up the mirrow and turn the camera upside down and blow on the sensor with a squeeze bulb blower. Try the least intrusive methods first.
Feb 12, 2018 12:34:52 #
BigDJim wrote:
That's the only thing I can think of and I'm petrified to mess with that. If it were your camera, what would be your course of action?
Dallas must have a full service Camera Retailer who can clean your sensor for you.
Feb 12, 2018 12:48:49 #
The squeeze bulb would be the first step. Maybe follow that with a very soft and clean brush. If that doesn't work, go to your retailer. Absolutely no chemicals. (Shudder)
Feb 12, 2018 16:22:58 #
Thanks for comeback. Have found camera repair service, cleans sensor, overnight service $100 cash. Considering what I'm dealing with, can't afford to mess with the sensor and screw everything up.
Feb 12, 2018 17:38:05 #
Is the smudge very dark or is it like the smudge in the photo below? If it's like the photo, it could be just a dust bunny. A blower can remove it. Also, do you have the ultrasonic sensor cleaner turned on with your camera? If you get a blower, make sure to get one that is filtered. I have the Koh Global Hepa Jet Air II blower. It has a large hepa filter, an anti-static filter, a one-way check valve, and a medical grade PVC bulb. Most blowers have a rubber bulb that can shed fine particles. The PVC bulb won't do that. Adorama Camera has it and you can order it directly from Koh Global.
Sometimes dust will also be on the focusing screen. You would only see that through the viewfinder - it doesn't show up in photos. It's the rectangular plate at the top of the mirror box. It's easy to blow dust off that as well.
Sometimes dust will also be on the focusing screen. You would only see that through the viewfinder - it doesn't show up in photos. It's the rectangular plate at the top of the mirror box. It's easy to blow dust off that as well.
Feb 12, 2018 18:00:57 #
Since it is not something that needs to be done often, and you feel uncomfortable about it, get it done by the camera shop.
You'll thank me later.
--
You'll thank me later.
--
Feb 13, 2018 05:13:37 #
Get your self a jetblaster or any type of bulb air blaste, never use anthing stronger. Remove the lens then go to the menu and lock the mirror in the up and turn off the camera. Holding the camera with the lens mount down give the sensor a blast or 2 if air frim about an inch away. When done tufn the canera in and the mirror will return to its normal position, remount your lens and take an f22 shot of the blue sky to test your work.
Feb 13, 2018 06:27:36 #
letmedance wrote:
Get your self a jetblaster or any type of bulb air blaste, never use anthing stronger. Remove the lens then go to the menu and lock the mirror in the up and turn off the camera. Holding the camera with the lens mount down give the sensor a blast or 2 if air frim about an inch away. When done tufn the canera in and the mirror will return to its normal position, remount your lens and take an f22 shot of the blue sky to test your work.
I just hate auto fill in.
Feb 13, 2018 08:10:16 #
As mentioned, my vote is sensor dirt.
--Bob
--Bob
BigDJim wrote:
Suddenly on my Nikon D300 a black smudge appearing on screen of shots taken. Have checked lens for cleanliness, along with mirror in camera and don't seem to find anything that would cause this problem. Smudge appears not only on camera monitor but when downloaded for post in Lightroom. Anyone experienced similar circumstance who might have a suggestion to remedy this problem? THANKS, in advance for any input, ideas or suggestions.
Feb 13, 2018 09:53:57 #
When I worked in a camera store, newbies would by a brush and then stroke in on their (oily, dirty) palm to see how soft it was. This transferred oils to the brush and later to the lens. Probably the same with a sensor. [One guy I knew stuffed his micro-fiber cleaning cloth in his pants pocket!)
Feb 13, 2018 11:28:54 #
Feb 13, 2018 13:54:27 #
I would recommend getting a blower designed for blowing out cameras. Just a blower, not a blower/brush combination.
Cleanliness is important. Keep the blower stored in the packaging it came in if possible, otherwise a ziplock bag. That will reduce the possibility of dust settling into the blower nozzle or the bulb. Only use it in a clean environment. Before you do anything to your camera, give the bulb a few squeezes to clean out the nozzle.
Turn off your camera. Remove the lens. Hold the camera with the lens opening facing downward (so anything that comes out will fall away from the camera). Blow into the hole to remove dust from the mirror box before doing anything to the sensor.
Many cameras have a setting to hold the mirror up so the sensor is exposed. Turn the camera on and use that setting instead of using the bulb shutter setting or a long exposure. For one thing, the shutter will not close unexpectedly with that setting. For another thing that setting removes power from the sensor so static charges will not hold onto the dust. Again, with the lens opening facing downward, blow into the camera but keep the nozzle outside so it doesn't touch the sensor. When you turn the camera off the mirror-up setting will be turned off.
To check whether you have dust on your sensor:
With a lens on the camera, set the aperture to something very small (large f/ number). Bring up a uniform white screen on your computer (a word processor works well). Turn the camera to manual focus (since there's nothing to focus on) and put the camera right up to the monitor. Take a picture. If your monitor is dim, the shutter may be open for a second or more. That doesn't matter at all since there's no image to be blurred. Download the picture onto your computer so you can look at it on a large screen. Dust will show up as dark dots or blobs. Occasionally threads from hair or fabric threads. If you see any of those things try blowing it out again. I recommend trying it until it's clean, but if it takes more than 3-4 tries, it will probably take further cleaning measures. It's not hard to do, but if you're not comfortable doing it take it to a professional.
Many people recommend taking a picture of a clear sky or a blank wall. Use of the computer monitor as your light source means you don't have to look for a wall without features or a sky without clouds, or anything like that. You can do it at night. You can do it at your desk in comfort so you don't have to go looking for that wall. You can hold it close to the monitor because you're not focussing on anything. And you're right next to your computer, which you're going to use to look at the test picture.
Cleanliness is important. Keep the blower stored in the packaging it came in if possible, otherwise a ziplock bag. That will reduce the possibility of dust settling into the blower nozzle or the bulb. Only use it in a clean environment. Before you do anything to your camera, give the bulb a few squeezes to clean out the nozzle.
Turn off your camera. Remove the lens. Hold the camera with the lens opening facing downward (so anything that comes out will fall away from the camera). Blow into the hole to remove dust from the mirror box before doing anything to the sensor.
Many cameras have a setting to hold the mirror up so the sensor is exposed. Turn the camera on and use that setting instead of using the bulb shutter setting or a long exposure. For one thing, the shutter will not close unexpectedly with that setting. For another thing that setting removes power from the sensor so static charges will not hold onto the dust. Again, with the lens opening facing downward, blow into the camera but keep the nozzle outside so it doesn't touch the sensor. When you turn the camera off the mirror-up setting will be turned off.
To check whether you have dust on your sensor:
With a lens on the camera, set the aperture to something very small (large f/ number). Bring up a uniform white screen on your computer (a word processor works well). Turn the camera to manual focus (since there's nothing to focus on) and put the camera right up to the monitor. Take a picture. If your monitor is dim, the shutter may be open for a second or more. That doesn't matter at all since there's no image to be blurred. Download the picture onto your computer so you can look at it on a large screen. Dust will show up as dark dots or blobs. Occasionally threads from hair or fabric threads. If you see any of those things try blowing it out again. I recommend trying it until it's clean, but if it takes more than 3-4 tries, it will probably take further cleaning measures. It's not hard to do, but if you're not comfortable doing it take it to a professional.
Many people recommend taking a picture of a clear sky or a blank wall. Use of the computer monitor as your light source means you don't have to look for a wall without features or a sky without clouds, or anything like that. You can do it at night. You can do it at your desk in comfort so you don't have to go looking for that wall. You can hold it close to the monitor because you're not focussing on anything. And you're right next to your computer, which you're going to use to look at the test picture.
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