Texas T Loc: Texas

Hello fellow members. I am new to photography I have the Nikon D3400 and have been watching a lot of videos on Utube that have been very helpfull.
My question at this time is, I have started noticing that I have trash in my view finder. I have blown the mirror off with my bulb and can still see it with the lens off. Is their a way to clean. It is probably not a bad thing but is annoying.

Dave327 Loc: Duluth, GA. USA

Try a sensor cleaning swab. Dampen it and gently wipe the mirror. They are sold by sensor size and you can also use them to clean the sensor (mirror up). Available at Amazon, B & H, Adorama, etc.

fjdarling Loc: Mesa, Arizona, USA

The dirt may be on the bottom of the viewfinder (above the mirror). Suggest you remove the lens again, point the camera's lens mount *straight down*, and try to blow off the dust with your bulb blower, being very careful not to touch the mirror with anything. If the dirt still doesn't come off, you can *gently* clean the bottom of the viewfinder with a cotton swab and rubbing alcohol. Be sure to dry it (gently) as well, again with cotton swabs or a lint-free lens cloth. If the thought of that makes you squeamish, you can have a camera repair shop do it for you. I've done it on my D3300 with no ill effects. The dust/dirt could instead be on the top of the viewfinder glass, in which case you should refer it to a repair shop.

BebuLamar

What you see in the viewfinder is on the bottom side of the focusing screen and not the mirror.

DanielB Loc: San Diego, Ca

If your not seeing spots on your images then its probably on the mirror. If that is the case your better off leaving it alone as cleaning the mirror is often more hassle than it's worth and can leave it worse than before. Option 2 is to have it professionally cleaned. The sensor you can do yourself as Dave mentioned.

BebuLamar

It's very hard to see dust on the mirror thru the viewfinder. Only what's on the bottom side of the focusing screen is seen clearly thru the viewfinder.

Texas T Loc: Texas

Thanks will give it a shot.

Texas T Loc: Texas

Thanks I appreciate the info

Texas T Loc: Texas

Thank I suspect it’s not on the sensor

Texas T Loc: Texas

Thank , will do

Don, the 2nd son Loc: Crowded Florida

CO

The dust is almost certainly on the focusing screen. It's the rectangular shaped plate at the top of the mirror box. Get a good filtered blower. I use the Koh Global Hepa Jet Air II blower. I see that they now call it the Orbit blower. If the dust is very stubborn, Visible Dust makes swabs that are designed to cleaning focusing screens. The end is at a 45 degree angle to make it easier to clean the screen.

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billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

I see a camera store in your future.

Earnest Botello Loc: Hockley, Texas

Welcome to the Hog, T, enjoy.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Anything you see in the viewfinder is merely a minor annoyance... it WILL NOT effect photos (unless you loosen it with a bulb blower and it somehow finds its way onto the sensor, behind the shutter). When you take a photo, to the mirror flips up and covers the focus screen, so that light coming in through the viewfinder won't effect images (during long exposures and when you don't have your eye up to the viewfinder, it's a good idea to cover the viewfinder eyeport with something... even your thumb... since the mirror doesn't fully seal off light).

If what you see in there is blurred and indistinct, it's on the mirror. If it's sharply in focus, it's on the focus screen above the mirror.

It IS NOT a good idea DIY clean either the mirror or the focus screen yourself, with anything more aggressive than a puff of air from a bulb blower or very weak vacuum. Both the mirror (front-surfaced with vaporized aluminum in most cameras) and the focus screen (usually optical plastic) are very easily damaged with improper cleaning. Best to leave it to a pro to clean, or you might end up with a more expensive repair.

You will need to have sensor cleanings done, anyway (the D3400 doesn't have a self-cleaning sensor). The tech will take care of any dust on the mirror or focus screen, too, at the same time they do the sensor cleaning. You may want to get the tools and supplies, learn to do sensor cleanings yourself. Depending upon your use of the camera, it may need fairly frequent cleanings. I often have to shoot in dusty conditions and before I was able to upgrade to cameras have self-cleaning senors, I had to do manual cleanings as much as monthly on my cameras. Hopefully you won't be shooting in as severe conditions and will need less frequent cleanings... but you still will need to do them from time to time, when spots start showing up in your images.

There's tons of info about sensor cleaning and links to get the necessary supplies here: www.cleaningdigitalcameras.com

It usually costs $25 to $50 to have a cleaning done (varies by market). Last time I looked, it cost $125 to $150 to buy the minimum tools and supplies to do it properly yourself. But that will be good for a number of cleanings, so the per-cleaning cost will be much lower than having it done professionally. But, even if you do eventually clean the sensor yourself, I don't encourage you try cleaning the mirror or focus screen. Just live with whatever is in there until having the camera pro-cleaned every so often.