repeating smudge on pictures from EOS 350D

Dimy

Hi,

I recently bought a Canon 350D and now have a problem with the image quality from my camera. A smudge appears on every picture at exactly the same spot (in the lower right hand side corner when shooting in landscape). The smudge has always the same shape but is differs in width. Below is an image with 100% crops from originals:



I've cleaned the filter and lens (both sides), cleaned the mirror but still the same. I've checked the sensor as well, but there doesn't seem to be anything on the sensor. Any idea what this could be?

Alun

Looks like sensor dust to me.

440Hz

I concur... reckon its the sensor.

1# One cleaning kit €100
2# Smudge-free photos, priceless

rymus

this looks like a job for (da da da daaaaaa) a copper hill cleaning kit!

adrian522

rymus wrote:

this looks like a job for (da da da daaaaaa) a copper hill cleaning kit!

Or photoshop, ha ha

Dimy

Well yeah I can clone the smudges out with Photoshop, but that's rather time consuming, it's time consuming enough as is to edit all the RAW's without having to do the clean-up. I ordered the cleaning kit, there's no notice about delivery time though. Until then, I'll use photoshop.

Thanks for the advice.

PaulieC

How recently did you buy it? If I bought it recently and was seeing that I would bring it back to the shop and get them to rectify it (unless you bought it over the web). No way I'd be spending an extra 100 quid on a cleaning kit so soon after shelling out for the camera...

Dimy

I bought it about a month ago at Camera Exchange in Dublin. Sooner or later you'll need the cleaning kit anyway and from what I read you can do a long time with it, so I don't mind paying for the kit.

rymus

yeah the copper hill kit is well worth the money. I got mine only a few months after buying the camera (i.e. when dust spots began to become noticable) and it does a wonderful job of cleaning them all off. See the post on my blog below for a before & after pic.

http://blog.rymus.net/2005/10/07/squeaky-clean/

Also, the kit is only 53 euro, not 100. Add a few quid P&P to that though. I got mine from a Swiss crowd. http://chili-pix.ch/shop/product_info.php?currency=EUR&products_id=28&osCsid=a9a9456b6cc0abeb5a08dc37f3651ddc

Alun

cambo_gueno wrote:

How recently did you buy it? If I bought it recently and was seeing that I would bring it back to the shop and get them to rectify it (unless you bought it over the web). No way I'd be spending an extra 100 quid on a cleaning kit so soon after shelling out for the camera...

????? It's dust! When you change lenses, dust gets in and sticks to the sensor. How is that the responsibility of the shop you bought it from? Do you take your new car back to the garage and demand they clean it for you because it got dirty?

PaulieC

Duh...no I don't. But if I bought a camera within the last month and it was exhibiting this I would bring it back. OP didn't mention how often the lens was changed, if at all.
No need to get all pissy when I just made a suggestion.
I have had a 300D for about two years and there are no signs of anything like this on it..

rymus

Lots of people have experienced dust in brand new, just out of the box cameras. I noticed mild dust in mine after a few weeks but did nothing about it until it became noticable on most shots.

It could well be a genuine, bona-fide miracle if you have no dust after 2 years of use. Take a shot at f22 or something smaller, run an auto levels on it and post it up here.

Alot of camera shops will simply use a blower to remove the dust, which does nothing to remove the stubborn stuff. All the local camera shops I went to before I bought the kit were horrified at the thought of using a cleaning solution & pec pad. Some of them even suggested using a hoover with a small nozzle! THAT's how much local shop owners know about dslr cleaning! However, after a chat with a Dublin based specialist in camera cleaning, it appeared that is exactly how they clean sensors (and charge €50 + VAT + shipping per cleaning too).

Dimy, if you were in Cork I'd clean it for you myself for the price of a pint

Alun

cambo_gueno wrote:

No need to get all pissy when I just made a suggestion.
I have had a 300D for about two years and there are no signs of anything like this on it..

Wasn't getting "pissy" at all, you really wouldn't want to know me if I was .

I was just trying to point out that getting dust on a sensor in a digital SLR isn't exactly an uncommon occurrence, is a very well known problem, and not something that can, in any way, shape or form be considered to be the fault of the manufacturer or supplier of the camera, hence my dirty car comparison.

Have a nice (dust free) day

440Hz

rymus wrote:

yeah the copper hill kit is well worth the money. I got mine only a few months after buying the camera (i.e. when dust spots began to become noticable) and it does a wonderful job of cleaning them all off. See the post on my blog below for a before & after pic.

http://blog.rymus.net/2005/10/07/squeaky-clean/

Also, the kit is only 53 euro, not 100. Add a few quid P&P to that though. I got mine from a Swiss crowd. http://chili-pix.ch/shop/product_info.php?currency=EUR&products_id=28&osCsid=a9a9456b6cc0abeb5a08dc37f3651ddc

Hmmmmm very glad I DID NOT buy that cleaning kit in town now... yipee, nice one rymus.

Actually, on that topic is there any advice for first time cleaners?? My poor 2-week-old camera came out of the box full of dirt... like a hoover bag (posted bout this already) and so it seems like I will have to do this myself. I bought the little cleaning kit with the blower brush etc but its having no effect... if i buy this kit online, will it be easy enough to do?

rymus

for the love of god, do not use the blower brush on the sensor!!

get the kit at the link I posted with the correct size swipe for your camera and clean the sensor with that. Take it easy the first time or two, it'll take a bit of practice to become confident in putting a small amount of pressure onto the sensor to clean off all the gunk.

It's easy as long as you take your time. They recommend practicing on a filter or CD case first. Having said that, theres nothing on earth like the feeling touching the sensor on purpose. Wear some brown pants if you have them as you may need them. It'll probably take anywhere between 4 and 10 swabs to get the sensor to an acceptably clean level the first time you do it.

Progen

I've never had problems with my 300D dslr, dirt wise on sensor, but I have once used a dry cotton bud and gently wiped the mirror and the inside of the viewfinder as when I looked through the outside of it, it showed dirty dots, but not on photos - how I found it it was dust on the inside.. easy enough to get at with a cotton bud..

Then just ran the hairdryer over it quickly to blast any dust out of the body..


Did the job perfect.. Havn't had to look at the sensor cleaning wise, all photos are spot on crystal

Dimy

rymus wrote:

Dimy, if you were in Cork I'd clean it for you myself for the price of a pint

I should move to Cork huh? ...if only because the price of a pint is less than here in Dublin! :rolleyes: You work cheap

440Hz

rymus wrote:

for the love of god, do not use the blower brush on the sensor!!

Sorry didnt mean that... meant the blower brush on the mirror, which is also filthy... I havent even been brave enough to consider the sensor yet, ill get the kit and follow your tips! Thanks

440Hz

Progen wrote:

Then just ran the hairdryer over it quickly to blast any dust out of the body..

Joke? Right? surely that is really bad for the camera.... concentrated puffs of air hot or cold ar not supposed to be good in case they hit the sensor right? or is my book wrong?

Progen

440Hz wrote:

Joke? Right? surely that is really bad for the camera.... concentrated puffs of air hot or cold ar not supposed to be good in case they hit the sensor right? or is my book wrong?

Well, it's not as if I'm plumbeting the hair dryer at the camera, it's more of a quick "whoosh" past the open section. to blow any exess dust / cotton bud excess.. Wouldn't dream of going near the Sensor myself though!

No harm in a blow dry once in a blue moon

Valentia

Rymus, just ordered the kit & brown trousers :eek:

rymus

way hay

Dimy

Finally....the kit arrived today! But my brown pants won't arrive for another week.... :rolleyes:
I ordered both the sensor sweep and sensor swipe, I hope I'm getting some positive results!

rymus

there's been a lot of humming and hawing about the sensor sweep; people saying it's nothing more than a makeup brush or indeed that you could get the same results with a new makeup brush with all the size completely washed out of it. Handy to have when you're out and about I'd imagine, post some after shots once you've swabbed your sensor

elderlemon

If this is a new camera my advice is DONT GO NEAR THE SENSOR. I know many people who screwed it up, cleaning kit or no cleaning kit. Its a new camera so bring it back to Canon and have them fix it. Chances are they won't even charge you for it.

rymus

You have to learn how to do it sometime, my 20D was only a few months old when I first cleaned the sensor and it didn't cause any ill effects afterward. If you read the instructions and be careful on your first few attempts, you won't screw it up. The sensor isn't as horribly sensitive to damage as some people make it out to be. Wiping it with a pec pad wrapped around a small soft tipped spatula isn't going to damage it... unless of course you put your entire weight on the end of the thing.

JMcL

Progen wrote:

Then just ran the hairdryer over it quickly to blast any dust out of the body..

Eeek! Not a good idea. A hairdryer will suck any whatever crap that happens to be floating around in the vicinity and blow it at high speed into the camera body, so you will probably end up with even more gunk on the sensor, probably stuck on even better. Never be tempted to go at it with cans of compressed air either, they contain liquid propellent which will make your sensor very unhappy.

I've never had to use anything more than a blower after about 18 months and many lens changes. I finally settled on one of these: http://www.2filter.com/prices/products/rocket.html It looks stupid and smells a bit funny, but it really does the job. Cost about a fiver in Jessops in Derry. The day will undoubtedly come when I need a Copperhill kit, and I really should buy one in anticipation, but keep postponing!

I'm firmly in the camp of not wanting to touch the sensor unless absolutely necessary, I don't look that good in brown trousers

John

Dimy

Yeah I bought that rocket blower as well in Jessops (in Dublin during the riots last saturday). I just used the rocket blower on the sensor, and I must say that most of the dust is gone now, especially that annoying big piece in the lower right hand corner you can see in the pics I posted. Here's the before and after:

(shot on max aperture ehh...smallest aperture size, highest value you know what I mean ) And I did auto-levels in Photoshop... I was really stunned by the heavy amount of dust on my sensor in my before picture!

Before "Rocket Blower" treatment:


After "Rocket Blower" treatment:


As you can see most of the dust is gone now, I'm sure I can get a cleaner result with the sensor-sweep method.

rymus

nice one

440Hz

Ipressed! I dont think ill ever manage that... or at least it would take me hours of holding my breath and stuff...

Dimy

440Hz wrote:

Ipressed! I dont think ill ever manage that... or at least it would take me hours of holding my breath and stuff...

Oh I didn't use the sensorsweep yet! I just used a comon blower for this, the one JMcL posted about (see his link). There's still a few dirt left on the sensor, but it doesn't seem to show up on my pictures, so for now I'll just keep the copper hill kit safe until I really do need it. There's nothing scary about using that blower on your sensor

Valentia

Well lads and lassies I've just used the Copper Hill swab and it is not as daunting as it sounds. It worked wonders in just two swabs. Have a look at post #9 from Rymus. The link to the product is: http://www.pbase.com/copperhill/ccd_cleaning

Pics below. All taken at f32

Before - the dust was worse than it looks here.



1st Swipe







2nd Swipe WOW!!




The dark bits are just out of focus sky.

Dimy

impressive results! I have yet to use my copper hill cleaning set.

rymus

nice job valentia... that shot is so clean it shows up all the dirt on the front of my monitor

Valentia

He he!!!:p

"She who must be obeyed" volunteered me to do her niece's wedding today. I've done dozens but none in the last 6 years and none digitally. I used the old Bronica. Say a prayer for me.

Fajitas!

Brave man to do a wedding! Probably better off using the Bronica if that's what you were used to though! Good luck!

leinsterman

rymus wrote:

yeah the copper hill kit is well worth the money. I got mine only a few months after buying the camera (i.e. when dust spots began to become noticable) and it does a wonderful job of cleaning them all off. See the post on my blog below for a before & after pic.

http://blog.rymus.net/2005/10/07/squeaky-clean/

Also, the kit is only 53 euro, not 100. Add a few quid P&P to that though. I got mine from a Swiss crowd. http://chili-pix.ch/shop/product_info.php?currency=EUR&products_id=28&osCsid=a9a9456b6cc0abeb5a08dc37f3651ddc

Hi ... I note you are recommending the Copper Hill kit ... can you do me a favour and take a look at this thread -

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2054914740

... and give me your opinion ... it appears the manufacturer of the PEC * PAD in the Copperhill kit does not recommend its use for CCD cleaning.

rymus

...because they want you to buy a more expensive product.

EireRoadUser

I don't know how anyone would be able to clean their sensor themselves.
How do you know if your in a really clean area ?

rymus

theres no fungus growing on the desk?!?

EireRoadUser

Not that side of things i mean the air in the room, when the camera is on it's back i would of thought that any dust floating around would land on the sensor ?

Valentia

Thought is a dangerous thing . I think the results speak for themselves. In relation to the Pec Pad stuff, the maker of the Copper Hill product refers to the disclaimer in his tutorial and says that they are just covering their asses.

I certainly have no reservations about using it.

leinsterman

Valentia wrote:

Thought is a dangerous thing . I think the results speak for themselves. In relation to the Pec Pad stuff, the maker of the Copper Hill product refers to the disclaimer in his tutorial and says that they are just covering their asses.

I certainly have no reservations about using it.

... and their wallets no doubt ... I'm going ahead with copper hill ...

rabbitinlights

I just want to get this clear in my mind, if you have dirt on your sensor, the only way to really clean it is with the copper hill kits, and blowing on the sensor with a small blower is a big no-no? ive noticed a few spots but they are very small, but im sure they will get worse over the next few months.

S.

rymus

no... get a blower to remove the small stuff. The bigger stuff thats stuck to the sensor will need a copper hill kit (eventually)

440Hz

OK, now that someone has pointed out more dust on my shots that i just cant live with its time for copperhill....

What do I need though... do I buy this guy, complete kit or is this enough?? What did everyone else go for?

Dimy

440Hz wrote:

OK, now that someone has pointed out more dust on my shots that i just cant live with its time for copperhill....

What do I need though... do I buy this guy, complete kit or is this enough?? What did everyone else go for?

I bought the full kit, but that was a mistake the 51 euro kit is all you need really... and make sure you have a dustblower as well (can be picked up for about 10 euro at almost every camera shop) if you don't have one already.

440Hz

Dimy wrote:

I bought the full kit, but that was a mistake the 51 euro kit is all you need really... and make sure you have a dustblower as well (can be picked up for about 10 euro at almost every camera shop) if you don't have one already.

Is the complete one surplus to requirements? What does it have that you dont need?

Dimy

It has a lens cleaning cloth and a Sensor-brush for dry cleaning that I don't use. The brush method works as follow, you charge the tip of the brush with electromagnatic charge which will attracts dust. You will then sweep the brush just above the surface of your sensor so it will pick up the dust particles. I have no need for that as I use the blower to get rid of the "easy-to-get-rid-of-dust", and if needed I use the sensor-swap for thorough wet-cleaning.

440Hz

Super reply, just the info I was looking for, nice one Dimy!