Something wrong with my camera?

toadlet

Something wrong with my camera?

I use a 350D and have been noticing something odd.

How many times do you see foreign objects in your photographs that you cannot account for? I take many landscape photographs so there are a considerable number of my images with sky/clouds in them.
On closer inspection I have noticed what appears to be small blobs, and sometimes streaks in the sky. I have noticed sometimes a small bird fly across my viewfinder and when such a photo has been taken the bird even at high speeds is a blur, so I am thinking that it might be birds. Its something that happens in random, sometimes they are there and other times they are not. It happens regardless of lenses used as well. Could it be possible that the camera is picking up small birds in the sky that the with the naked eye one cannot see? These are not sensor dust, as this would show up as “soft circles”.
I have attached 2 examples of what I am talking about. I am sure the 1st example is a bird in this shot as I remember just before hitting the shutter button it flying across – it was taken at 1/400th. The second image I am not sure, but may be some matter blown into the air as it was windy when this shot was taken – 1/25th Does anyone get similar things happening on occasions as the attached images?
I just hope its not something wrong with me camera/sensor. And, yes I have heard all the funny replies before ie – UFOs....so no need to add them to the replies.

Does my camera need fixing, or is it something else?










and another two from differnet days

gus

When did you last clean your sensor ?

toadlet

2 days ago....but this is not sensor dust as such as they would show up in the dust bunny fashion.....

gus wrote:

When did you last clean your sensor ?

ivar

:s85

gus

toadlet wrote:

2 days ago....but this is not sensor dust as such as they would show up in the dust bunny fashion.....

Have you tried some shots with a different lens to eliminate a rock in the rear of the lens ? Not that i think it is but im wondering.

toadlet

Seriously though is there something wrong with my camera? Should I get it checked out, or would it more likely be something floating in sky that the naked eye cannot see?

toadlet

I have tried 3 differnet lenses, and have also made a point of looking at rear element for dust, but as clean as.....from what I understand if it were dust it would be OOF so as to not show up in the image

gus wrote:

Have you tried some shots with a different lens to eliminate a rock in the rear of the lens ? Not that i think it is but im wondering.

gus

toadlet wrote:

Seriously though is there something wrong with my camera? Should I get it checked out, or would it more likely be something floating in sky that the naked eye cannot see?

Its def in the camera...not in the sky. I would try it some more at large & small apertures.

z_28

Few basic questions first :
- are dots always in same places ?
- are dots visible with different apertures - small and large such 1.8 and 22 ?
- any changes with different lenses ?
- are you original owner of camera ? any history of servicing ? by Canon or any other person ?

toadlet

z_28 wrote:

Few basic questions first :
- are dots always in same places ?
- are dots visible with different apertures - small and large such 1.8 and 22 ?
- any changes with different lenses ?
- are you original owner of camera ? any history of servicing ? by Canon or any other person ?

No, the dots are not always in the same places. I have not used differing apatures, mainly shooting on f8/11, but its so random that its hard to tell. I have though shot a piece of white board several times and such blobs never show up. I am the original owner, and no servicing at all. BTW these photos are 100 per cent crops.

z_28

Hymmmm... so dust isn't on filter and not on surface of back lens -
there is only one place left.
Between filter and sensor.
Hard to believe, but it's possible.

gus

z_28 wrote:

Hymmmm... so dust isn't on filter and not on surface of back lens -
there is only one place left.
Between filter and sensor.
Hard to believe, but it's possible.

This wouldnt explain it moving about & being erratic thought would it ? I mean i assume that would cause it to be held tight in one spot.

toadlet

I am sure someone else out there in the world must have had a similar experience, or is it that I am the only one in the world to have experienced it

gus wrote:

This wouldnt explain it moving about & being erratic thought would it ? I mean i assume that would cause it to be held tight in one spot.

gus

toadlet wrote:

I am sure someone else out there in the world must have had a similar experience, or is it that I am the only one in the world to have experienced it

Mate its this easy...there is a lump of crap in the firing line. Not that you didnt already know that. We need to eliminate each part in that firing line to find out where it is sitting/floating.

Have you got in there with a rocket blower with the camera upside down & let her have it for a few mins ? Sorry if that sounds patronising...i dont mean to but i dont know your level of experience.

toadlet

No worries Gus, im trying to get to the bottom of this as well:) Yep, I do have a rocket blower and have blown 3 times now, by holding the camera in a downwards position and blowing onto the sensor. I haven't really blown around in the chamber direction, more or less directly towards the sensor. So you think I should give it another try? Should I do a blow clean with the mirror down as well as it up?

gus wrote:

Mate its this easy...there is a lump of crap in the firing line. Not that you didnt already know that. We need to eliminate each part in that firing line to find out where it is sitting/floating.

Have you got in there with a rocket blower with the camera upside down & let her have it for a few mins ? Sorry if that sounds patronising...i dont mean to but i dont know your level of experience.

swintonphoto

I wonder if there is some dust floating around inside the body that lands on the sensor, lens element, etc. and it doesnt stick around. Maybe it lands on on one of those places after moving the camera around or after changing lenses.... Hmmm... How annoying:bash

z_28

gus wrote:

This wouldnt explain it moving about & being erratic thought would it ? I mean i assume that would cause it to be held tight in one spot.

There is a space between filter and sensor, so it is easily explained.
Hardly, but possible.
If there is NO dust on filter and end lens surface, no other place possible.

z_28

OK - there is one other option :
a lot of dust inside body may generate new patterns of birds and UFO's
everytime mirror/shutter are released !!!

toadlet

So is it safe to take lens off and blow the chamber/mirror with bulb blower? I have only ever cleaned the "sensor" by flicking the button to open the shutter.

z_28 wrote:

OK - there is one other option :
a lot of dust inside body may generate new patterns of birds and UFO's
everytime mirror/shutter are released !!!

BigAl

toadlet wrote:

So is it safe to take lens off and blow the chamber/mirror with bulb blower? I have only ever cleaned the "sensor" by flicking the button to open the shutter.

The bulb blower is the first step. When you find that doesn't work, you get something like the Eclipse cleaning kit.

Flicking the button to open the shutter won't clean the sensor.

gus

toadlet wrote:

So is it safe to take lens off and blow the chamber/mirror with bulb blower? I have only ever cleaned the "sensor" by flicking the button to open the shutter.

But you have used something like 'copper hill' etc to clean the sensor before...no ?

DavidTO

toadlet wrote:

2 days ago....but this is not sensor dust as such as they would show up in the dust bunny fashion.....

It sounds like you're not cleaning your sensor at all, just shaking a stick at it.

You need to read up on The Copperhill Method.

toadlet

BigAl wrote:

The bulb blower is the first step. When you find that doesn't work, you get something like the Eclipse cleaning kit.

Flicking the button to open the shutter won't clean the sensor.

Sorry, I should have been more clear. I open the shutter and then I have used a bulb blower. My question is that should I try it again but this time by not having the mirror open?...hmmm if that doesn't work then will have to try the copper hill method I suppose - BUT the thing is have you ever seen sensor dust/dirt that looks like what I have posted in my original post? Is this what it can look like?

gus

toadlet wrote:

Sorry, I should have been more clear. I open the shutter and then I have used a bulb blower. My question is that should I try it again but this time by not having the mirror open?...hmmm if that doesn't work then will have to try the copper hill method I suppose - BUT the thing is have you ever seen sensor dust/dirt that looks like what I have posted in my original post? Is this what it can look like?

When you said you had cleaned your sensor a few times i was concerned...now im not. Yeah get a copper hill or a static brush. Its a lump of crap on the filter covering the sensor.

toadlet

gus wrote:

When you said you had cleaned your sensor a few times i was concerned...now im not. Yeah get a copper hill or a static brush. Its a lump of crap on the filter covering the sensor.

Thanks gus. I reckon I will give the static brush a go. Any ones in particaulr that have a good proven track record? I have heard of a brush called Arctic Butterfly® so might give that a go if they are any good.

But again, the thing that gets me is that these spots do not show up when taking a photo of a wall, in as many shots as i take, nothing like in the sky photos. Strange one

gus

toadlet wrote:

"visible dust", might give them a go.

That will do just fine.

toadlet

Well I thought that sensor dust had a distinct look; you know the dust bunny look, but upon reading information from the Copper Hill Images website it sounds like that dust can appear in all shapes and forms:

"[FONT=geneva,arial,sans-serif]There are two kinds of dust particles you'll have to deal with: loose specks that will just move around on the sensor, and "super-stuck" particles, which have the same characteristics as dried-up bug-splat on a car windshield. There are many theories as to how they become this way (the dust specks, not the bugs), including internal condensation along with temperature and humidity changes."[/FONT]

DavidTO

If I had only one sensor cleaning system, it would be wet. The static based ones will often work, but will not remove those stuck-hard items like the ones mentioned in the quote you posted from their site.

The adventurous can also try this. Looks pretty cool.


(Watch the video on that page!)

gus

toadlet wrote:

Well I thought that sensor dust had a distinct look; you know the dust bunny look, but upon reading information from the Copper Hill Images website it sounds like that dust can appear in all shapes and forms:

"[FONT=geneva,arial,sans-serif]There are two kinds of dust particles you'll have to deal with: loose specks that will just move around on the sensor, and "super-stuck" particles, which have the same characteristics as dried-up bug-splat on a car windshield. There are many theories as to how they become this way (the dust specks, not the bugs), including internal condensation along with temperature and humidity changes."[/FONT]

As TO mentioned...the wet method can be better however its my belief that if you clean the sensor (or more correctly...the filter in front of the sensor) fairly often & dont be using your tee shirt in there...i dont see issues with big goopy bits.

Andy did mine with the 'visable dust method' at Glacier & it worked a treat.

DavidTO

DavidTO wrote:

(Watch the video on that page!)

Oops. That was the german version. May work for some of you!

Here's an english version of it.

RevLinePhoto

This is such a easy fix get a new job at the tabloids buy another camera and use that one as your work camera. No clue but just had to say it suprissed Im the first to crack a joke.