Dust?

Will James

Will James

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Hi all,

2 weeks ago I acquired a Sony A6500 from MPB in "like new" condition, a Sony 16-70 used from LCE and a new Sigma 30 1.4. I then tried it all out on my holiday at the lakes last week.

Looking through photos from the start of that trip taken with the 16-70 and some taken tonight, I've noticed a spot in the same place on all the photos, with it being more pronounced at narrower aptertures. I have looked carefully through the Sigma 30 1.4 photos but I can't seem to see the mark - having said that I have shot it mainly wide open and not with a bright sky so it could be on these photos too (to distinguish if it's the lens or sensor).

I had this experience on my previous camera (Canon 500D) and it turned out to be a permanent mark on the sensor which was not repairable, hence I'm a bit nervous seeing this type of thing again. Could it just be dust? (I hope so).

Which steps would you recommend I take to find out what this mark is and to resolve it? I'm not sure whether I should use a rocket blower on the back element of the lens or on the sensor (my first mirrorless camera). Needless to say I've thoroughly cleaned the front element and UV filter on my lenses and did so before taking the second photo below.

Photos below show the mark in the top-left - first photo is not cropped and at f22, second one is heavily cropped and at f13.

Thanks in advance for any advice


DSC00302.jpgDSC00908.jpg
 
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Just dust on the sensor, get it cleaned or pick up a good sensor cleaning kit. Unfortunately one of the drawbacks with digital, dust will get on the sensor and will need cleaning. Whenever you use a stopped down aperture your DOF increases and any dust on the sensor gets more visible
 
There will be far more than one spot.
You can ignore it to a point it is rarely visible except in skies and easy to clone there if you see it.
It will get in even if you never change lenses but that's the high risk point.
I like to use a blower around the camera mount before detaching, also take the camera end lens cap off and blow that, then when you change keep the open body pointing down and do the whole job as swiftly as possible - have everything placed just ready to go.
 
You can use a Rocket blower on your sensor and lenses. I've done it many many times without issue.

When faced with sensor contamination the first thing I do is use the in camera cleaning system, if it has one. If that doesn't shift it I use a rocket blower and if that doesn't shift it I do a wet clean.

I'd recommend home cleaning if at all possible. It may be daunting at first but I've cleaned all my interchangeable lens camera sensors for years now with no ill effects at all. I must have done it hundreds of times by now. Rather than shop bought swabs I use a Pec Pad and Eclipse fluid taped around a slice cut from an old credit card.
 
Thanks all for the useful advice.

I used the in-camera sensor cleaning operation first, but the mark was still there.

Then I used a rocket blower not held close to the sensor but pointed at it, and now the spot seems to have gone. Relief!

I’ll save all of your tips for future reference as I’m sure it’ll happen again!
 
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