Can a lens be cleaned INSIDE! I have a Canon EFS 18-135mm (IS) it appears to have a speck of dust INSIDE ..yes, I said INSIDE the lens. I have tried to cleans it off on the outside ..

Barb Loc: ALASKA

I have a Canon EFS 18-135mm (IS) it appears to have a speck of dust INSIDE ..yes, I said INSIDE the lens. I have tried to cleans it off on the outside .. it is still there! Anyone know if I can get this cleaned professionally .. or do I jusdt have to live with it (or get a new one) It is not that big but......

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

Barb wrote:

I have a Canon EFS 18-135mm (IS) it appears to have a speck of dust INSIDE ..yes, I said INSIDE the lens. I have tried to cleans it off on the outside .. it is still there! Anyone know if I can get this cleaned professionally .. or do I jusdt have to live with it (or get a new one) It is not that big but......

You'll have to send it off to the manufacturer to have that done.

Kit Lens

Short answer: Not by you. It needs to go back to the manufacturer or an authorized repair shop.

madcapmagishion

Just out of curiosity, what makes you believe its on the inside of the sealed lens and not on the sensor?
Can you see it in there or is a dark spot just appearing on some of your photos?

Barb Loc: ALASKA

I can see a white speck inside the lens and I have a professional lens cleaner
kit" .. tried to wipe it off .. brush it off .. it does not move. and it appears to be INSIDE!

Barb Loc: ALASKA

madcapmagishion .. you mean inside the camera on the sensor? If this is your question .. I remove the lens and it is still there .. not in camera itself.

madcapmagishion

OK! I was just wondering if it was on the sensor, as is the case with so many others asking approx. the same question on UHH.

hangman45 Loc: Hueytown Alabama

Can you see it in any of your pictures if not would not worry about it most dust specks do not effect the image quality at all. Almost all lens will eventually get dust specks in them if they are used outside if you send them in everytime you spot a speck you better have deep pockets.

seeSAW Loc: Western Mass

Barb wrote:

I have a Canon EFS 18-135mm (IS) it appears to have a speck of dust INSIDE ..yes, I said INSIDE the lens. I have tried to cleans it off on the outside .. it is still there! Anyone know if I can get this cleaned professionally .. or do I jusdt have to live with it (or get a new one) It is not that big but......

Same situation, same lens. :|

Timely posting, thanks.

fishone0 Loc: Kingman AZ

expect to pay in the triple digits to get it cleaned by Canon.

Barb Loc: ALASKA

TRIPLE DIGITS! WOW! Maybe I should just buy another one!

hangman45 Loc: Hueytown Alabama

Barb wrote:

TRIPLE DIGITS! WOW! Maybe I should just buy another one!

The dust speck is more than likely not effecting anything so why buy another lens all but the high dollar weather sealed zoom lens will get dust in them I have seen some older lens with a bunch of specks and you would never know it from the pictures

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Barb wrote:

I have a Canon EFS 18-135mm (IS) it appears to have a speck of dust INSIDE ..yes, I said INSIDE the lens. I have tried to cleans it off on the outside .. it is still there! Anyone know if I can get this cleaned professionally .. or do I jusdt have to live with it (or get a new one) It is not that big but......

I've never inspected my lenses for internal dust, and I don't intend to.

From all I have read, having a tiny speck of something inside a lens doesn't matter. Even lenses straight from the factory can have dust trapped inside them. It makes no difference to the quality of the images.

http://mansurovs.com/what-to-do-with-dust-inside-lens
http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2011/08/the-apocalypse-of-lens-dust
http://photo.net/filters-bags-tripods-accessories-forum/00CfGf

lachmap Loc: Sydney Australia

I have a lot of dust specks on the inside of my lens and have never had any problems with them affecting images. It is only dust on the sensor that you need to worry about.

gfinlayson

You'd be surprised how much grime needs to get inside a lens to affect image quality. I had an old Nikon 35-70 f/2.8 D which had a delaminated internal element. It only showed up as veiling flare with strongly backlit subjects. I wouldn't worry about the odd speck of dust inside your lens!