BebuLamar

If you see the bug in the viewfinder then somehow the bug managed to get on top of your focusing screen. If it's on the mirror you won't see it.

GAH1944 Loc: SW Mich.

------------clean the mirror, can't hurt------------------------

anotherview Loc: California

What's on the mirror does not get recorded.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

——————————————————————You could scratch it!———
——-It’s a first surface mirror. ——————————————-

usnret Loc: Woodhull Il

Try it with a different SD card. I doubt it is the card but that way you will know for sure you can rule it out.

usnret Loc: Woodhull Il

I had a hair like that too, up till about a few years ago and it finally fell out! Not really, I was assuming that was direction you were going to go in with the topic. In these times a little levity is always a good thing to add into the mix.

aubreybogle Loc: Albuquerque, NM

I agree with the hair behind the mirror/in front of the sensor theory.

aellman Loc: Boston MA

Blowing a light stream of compressed air around the inside of the camera might solve the problem. Not to mention that the entire photo appears to be out of focus, which indicates a larger camera/lens issue or egregious operator error.

bleirer

I've heard a lot of people warn about the compressed air because the propellant can come out with the air. Never tried it for that reason.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

That's a big "speck" on your cameras sensor. It's definitely NOT anything to do with the SD card And it's not something on the mirror. If it were on the mirror, you'd see it in the viewfinder, but not in your images. Whenever an image is captured, the mirror is flipped up out of the way. It's also not on the focus screen. The mirror covers that before the shutter even opens, whenever an exposure is made. Note: Things on the focus screen will appear sharply in focus, when seen through the viewfinder. Things on the mirror will be out of focus, somewhat like what's seen in your image. However, since it's in the image, it''s definitely not on either the mirror or the focus screen.

I assume it's an interchangeable lens camera... either a DSLR or a MILC (Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera).

Many cameras now have a self-cleaning sensor (I know all current and recent Canon DSLRs and mirrorless do, except for the most entry-level models). If it doesn't run automatically each time you turn the camera on or off, look in the menu to see if you can run it manually. This "vibrates" the sensor, hopefully shaking any stuff off it.

If that doesn't work, a cleaning will be needed...

If it's a mirrorless camera, most of their sensors are fully exposed as soon as you remove the lens. Look closely with a flashlight and you'll likely see a hair on the sensor. A few mirrorless have a shutter that closes over the sensor when the lens is removed (I wish they all did!). If that's the case, the camera will have a sensor cleaning mode to open the shutter and give access to the sensor for cleaning.

If it's a DSLR, remove the lens and set the camera into its sensor cleaning mode. This will lift the mirror up out of the way and open the shutter. Be sure you have a charged battery when you do this. Power is needed to keep the mirror up and the shutter open. If it's really low on power, the shutter can close and the mirror drop back down.... and you don't want that to happen while you have anything inside the camera or it might damage something.

Regardless of the type of camera, once the sensor is exposed the cleaning process is the same. (Note: While we talk about "cleaning the sensor", you are actually cleaning a filter that sits directly in front of the sensor, protecting it from direct contact.)

First try a bulb blower. A puff of air from that will likely dislodge and remove the hair from the sensor. Hold the camera facing downward and, if you're lucky, the hair will fall out of the camera. But even if it doesn't, many cameras have an adhesive strip adjacent to the sensor to trap particles and keep them off the sensor. Try not to touch anything, but it it's really stuck on there, you may need to buy the right stuff and do a proper "wet cleaning" of the sensor. Things "stick" to a sensor when there are oils on it... usually lubricating oils thrown off from the shutter or other mechanisms. The only way to remove oils from the sensor, along with anything that's gotten stuck to them, is to do a wet cleaning.

It's not difficult to clean a sensor, but needs to be done carefully and properly. For info, see http://www.cleaningdigitalcameras.com/. Read everthing there and follow the guidelines, before trying to do a cleaning yourself, or you risk doing damage that will be expensive to repair, if it's even possible. Always use the least "touch" cleaning as possible...

1. Bulb blower.
2. Wet cleaning with sensor swab and sensor cleaning fluid.
3. Anti-static brush (sensor must be oil free or the brush will be ruined).
4. Adhesive type dust lifter (i.e., Dust Aid)
5. Speck Grabber for precise removal of individual specks.
6. Sensor Pen for a final, gentle "polishing" of a clean sensor (removes any haze left by the cleaning fluid and makes the sensor more resistant to dust adhering in the future).

A small, low power vacuum can be useful to draw dust away from the camera, but too strong vacuum can damage delicate mechanisms, so don't get too close with it.

A magnifying loupe with a light is very helpful.

All these items are widely available (including via the above site). It will cost $75 to $150 to put together a DYI sensor cleaning kit. But once you have the supplies, you'll be able to do a number of cleanings and the cost per cleaning will be relatively low. Alternatively, if you have any doubt about your own abilities have it professionally cleaned. Usually that costs $50 at most... maybe less in some markets.

Again, DO NOT use too strong a vacuum.

DO NOT used "canned air". Some of it is okay, but a lot of the more common types risk the propellant blowing out onto the sensor and possibly permanently damaging it. A small compressor can be used too, at low power... but it needs to be very well filtered to remove any oil from the air stream.

DO NOT use common household cotton buds (i.e., Q-Tips). They shed tiny fibers that can get into and jam camera mechanisms such as the shutter or the linkage that raises the mirror.

DO NOT take too long to do the cleaning, so that the battery runs down causing the shutter to close and the mirror to drop. Most cameras with a fully charged battery can hold them open for about half an hour or maybe a little longer. But I'd still recommend trying to finish the job in 10 to 15 minutes, just to be safe (in case the battery is older or for any reason doesn't fully charge).

DO NOT turn off the camera or press any other buttons or move any dials while doing the cleaning, which might cause the shutter to close and the mirror to drop.

Also, during wet cleaning be careful not to use too much cleaning fluid. One or two drops to dampen the cleaning swab are all that's needed. (If it's a pre-moistened swab, those are usually way too wet... shake it a few times to remove excess fluid, before using.) Use the cleaning sensor ONCE... Wiping across the sensor with it first one direction, then back the other direction. Then throw it away. if the sensor needs another wipe, use a fresh swab.

Finally, if the camera is NOT an interchangeable lens type (DSLR or MILC), don't try anything yourself. It will need to be professionally disassembled and cleaned because somehow something has gotten inside and onto the sensor.

aellman Loc: Boston MA

If you hold the can vertically, that is unlikely. Best advice: test it first aimed at a wall. I have used this type of product many times without any problem of that nature.