GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

Actually, Nikon did make several movie cameras, all super 8, if I remember.
I age, the OP needs to tell us exactly which model and photos (with "store original" checked) from the offending camera for anyone to make an intelligent guess at the issue.

Nikon R10

bpulv Loc: Buena Park, CA

I never knew that Nikon made super 8 cameras. In any case, Mei mentioned 16mm and we both know Nikon never made anything for 16mm.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

I agree.
Dust on the sensor would cause gray/black/dark shaded spots since it would be covering (shading) the pixels on the sensor, wouldn't it?.

JPL

Probably dirt on the sensor, will show at stopped down apertures, f/16 or f/22 Could be some water droplets since it is transparent

OddJobber Loc: Portland, OR

NO!

drklrd Loc: Cincinnati Ohio

If this is film I have seen it before during enlarging of the negative. Water spots on the film from improper drying. You need to use a wetting agent after the final film rinse so that the film dries properly. Just as I hung the film to dry after using the wetting agent I would wipe the 35 mm film between two fingers using my wet fingers as a squeegie to remove excess water from the film to prevent water spots. If the shot is digital then those might be dust spots on the sensor and you need to have the sensor cleaned professionally.

DanielB Loc: San Diego, Ca

Mia - The model of the camera would be helpful but lets see if I can help. Is your Canon a fixed lens camera or are the lenses interchangeable? If the lenses are interchangeable then they are most likely "EF" mount (it will show this somewhere on the lens). Doe's the pattern of the splotches change from picture to picture or does it stay the same? If the pattern is the same from photo to photo then it is most likely on the CCD sensor of the camera and it will need to be cleaned by an experienced photographer or a dealer.
Try this - If the lens is interchangeable try a different lens and see if the same thing happens. If it doesn't then it's most likely the lens. If you don't have another lens either borrow one or you can take it to a local camera store that rents and test out another lens there. If the same thing happens with another lens then the CCD is dirty...very dirty. Based on the image it was left without a lens on the camera and that left the CCD open to exposure to contaminants. A dealer can also loop the CCD for you and tell you right away if it needs to be cleaned.

Good luck, Mia.

DanielB Loc: San Diego, Ca

Yes dust would look that way but water spots would look totally different. She did mention it was an older camera. Best way to tell is the swap lenses and check again or put a loop on the sensor. If the pattern remains the same then CMOS for sure.

DanielB Loc: San Diego, Ca

Mia - take the lens off the camera, hold it up to a bright wall or light and look through the opposite end. Do you see the dirty spots? if not it's the camera sensor.

JPL

Well, what then? The OP stated that there is no dust, fingerprint or anything else on the lens. Then we have the sensor. Of course it could be a good way to figure if it is the lens or the sensor to try a different lens on the camera. If this continues with a different lens it is the sensor. If the spots disappear when using a different lens it is the other lens.

MatthewJunt

It is probably either the lens, our your sensor. I am not exactly sure how you would fix it, but I would take it to a local camera shop, they might know what to do.
Sorry if that wasn't very helpful, it is just my experience.
BTW, what year of high school are you in?

anotherview Loc: California

You say: "its not every photo."

As a clue, this text informs me, then, that not the lens or the camera but the shooting conditions cause the spots in the image.

This phenomenon goes by the name of "lens flare."

Wikipedia says this about lens flare: "Flare is particularly caused by very bright light sources."

Read more here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lens_flare

Good luck.

pbferst

Just remembered this as a way to determing if you do have dust. Take the cameras outside and find a patch of blue sky. Take a shot. The automatic focusing system will probably hunt so switch to manual focus since there is nothing to focus on. Dust spots will show up doing this. Some of the artifacts I can see but not all do seem to suggest dust. You may have more than one problem.

JPL

This here looks exactly the same. Does this spot problem happen only when you use flash?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orb_(optics)

Diamond41 Loc: St. Louis, MO

It has been a while since I processed my own film but you seem on the right track. Nothing else really makes sense.