eyebidder

I'm using a D7000 and I've noticed for the second time these small dark spots on a lot of photos I've taken recently. Last time I cleaned the mirror, lenses and it seemed to work.

I've heard about Nikon's problem with oil spots on the sensor and I think that might be the problem. I've had the camera "clean" the sensor a couple of times but have not noticed it come up.

Does anyone have any ideas what's causing these faint spots?

thank you!

eyebidder

RichardTaylor Loc: Sydney, Australia

Looks like dust spots on the camera sensor.

roxiemarty Loc: Florida

Sometimes the camera clean doesn't get the dust all the way off. Definitely needs a sensor cleaning.

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

I honestly believe that the in camera sensor cleaning of Nikon bodies is a joke. I have two Olympus M43 bodies and I NEVER ever had to clean the sensor, something I have to do periodically with my Nikons.
The simplest method to clean the sensor in the D7000 is to use a fully charged battery and proceed to raise the mirror for cleaning. Then with a soft blower and camera body upside down blow inside the lens mount opening which gives access to the sensor. If that does not take care of the problem a professional sensor cleaning is in order.

eyebidder

I just happened to look at the sensor and it had these tiny smudges; I carefully cleaned it and it does look better but I'll check more photos when I shoot again.

f8lee Loc: New Mexico

Yes, this looks to be dust or something on the sensor (cleaning the mirror has zero effect on the image - remember that the mirror is flipped out of the way when the picture is taken). And it may have nothing whatever to do with the oil spot issues on other Nikon models - virtually every interchangeable lens digital camera (including mirrorless of course) can get dirt on the sensor.

The self cleaning function is essentially a shaking of the sensor to dislodge the dust, but it's not foolproof by any shot - so you are now in need of a bona fide sensor leaning. If you're not comfortable doing it yourself then take it to a shop that will do it.

By the bye, if you want to double check that it is dirt on the sensor take a series of shots of a large blank area (open sky, light colored wall) at different apertures; you will notice the spots become more visible at smaller apertures.

Armadillo Loc: Ventura, CA

eyebidder,

The spots on the photo look like some type of foreign material, it could be dust spots, or an oil from the mirror mechanism.

If these were dust specks with a static charge the "Dust Removal" function of the camera would have shaken them off. If the dust specks have an oily base your camera cannot remove the dust. If the spots turn out to be oil specks you will need to take the camera to an authorized Nikon camera repair facility to have the camera cleaned and lubricated with great care. Nikon has bad reports of the mirror splashing excess oil onto the sensor.

Dust, or oil on the mirror would not show up on the photo, the mirror is up out of the light path to the sensor at the moment of exposure. Prior to exposure the mirror is blocking the sensor and the view is reflected up through a pentaprism into the optical viewfinder.

Dust specks on the exit element of the lens would not show up on the photograph because they would not be at the focus point on the sensor. Large specks (1mm dia.) could block enough light to cause a dark blur to appear on the sensor).

Michael G

flyguy Loc: Las Cruces, New Mexico

I find that it is a joke on my Canon Cameras as well, they always need a manual sensor cleaning. "Crap Happens".

anotherview Loc: California

Dust motes on the camera sensor cause spots like these ones to appear in a photograph.

I remove them in the photo-editing software. In Adobe Canon Raw, click on the Spot Removal icon in the bar along the top edge of the image display. The icon looks like a paint brush and has three spots surrounding it. This action brings up a panel on the right side of the display.

At the bottom of this panel, you will see a slider labeled Visualize Spots. Check the box next to this label. Then move the slider both ways until dust spots stand out.

You then can click on the spots with the Spot Removal Tool (which looks like a circle defined by short segments). Resize the circle to fit the spot.

Spots away!

Good luck.

katbandit Loc: new york city

i just brought my 2 d7000 cameras in for cleaning for the second time in less than 2 years ..i hardly even use them anymore but decided to have them done at the nikon manufacturer in new york..believe it or not they are now farming out the work and it costs almost double to have it done now..it took almost a month to get them back..anyway getting back to the spots..i tried to clean them also but found it wasn't any better ...i say it has something to do with the inner mechanism..there is no reason for me to get dust spots so often in my cameras since i put a lens on and keep it there ..not changing them from camera to camera..when i questioned the person at the counter that took in the cameras they said that the d7000s didn't have that issue ..but the last time i brought it in i was told that it was and that they were the only ones with the right chemicals to clean it..honestly i don't know who to believe anymore..

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

FWIW - use of zoom lenses will sometimes pull in dust from the outside and send it into the sensor cavity of the camera. Zooming the lens in and out are a bellows basically, so not changing a lens will not always prevent dust particles from entering the camera. Some zooms will pull more air in and out of the camera.

I have been shooting with a Nikon D7100 for several years now, change lenses often, and do not get much dust on the sensor. I set the camera to clean off the sensor at power on and power off, always making sure to hold the camera in the proper position so any dust shaken off falls down to the catch area.

I have not needed a "wet cleaning" yet, every now and then I will use a rocket blower to clear the sensor and the blower and lens brush to clear the lenses.

I will also remove spots in post processing easily until it looks like the time is right for a cleaning session with the rocket blower ;)

katbandit Loc: new york city

i also have the d7100 and the d810 ..use them all the time and so far have not had any spots or issues with these .if and when i change the lens i use a blower also as shown by a nikon tech...but unfortunately i have had spots twice now with the d7000s which i hardly used ..so they are packed up for now since i've been spoiled using the newer ones.

Rongnongno Loc: FL

Since it is a thumbnail and the spots are visible, the size of what is creating this is way larger than simple dust.

Professional cleaning time. Do not try to do it yourself because this is so blatant it can be something else like oil that does not go away with a simple solution rubbing.

Rongnongno Loc: FL

Time to donate to your GK!!!

katbandit Loc: new york city

that would be a good idea...my youngest is showing interest..