Found an intruder

[IanH]

Hi All
Excuse my ignorance before I start.
Firstly I'm new to all things SLR/DSLR. So can you be gentle
When I look through my viewfinder (EOS400D) I can see a dark spot/dirt on the bottom right (about 5 o'clock) I took a sample pic to see if was on the image.
It wasn't so I removed my lens (kit 17-55) and it was still there. I think it's maybe on the mirror, but I haven'y a clue how to remove/clean it without causing damage to the mirror.
I've done a search regarding cleaning and I get a lot of sensor cleaning tips, but nothing on mirrors or general lens/body cleaning.
I'm hoping Santa will be bringing me a better lens soon so any advice on lens care would be appreciated.
Cheers

Ian

 

[Deleted member 3428]

Give it a good blow with a lens bulb blower.

 

[Steep]

It's quite possibly on the fresnel lens above the mirror. Either way use a pecpad or similar cleaning swab to give it wipe, don't use a blower inside the camera body, it's liable to blow any dirt further inside and onto the sensor.

 

[Gofer]

Both my 400D's had a single foreign body showing when I looked through the viewfinder when they where new. A quick puff from the Rocket before fitting the lens sorted both of them. I was careful not to put the nossle into the mirror box and simply aimed the nossle towards the focusing screen from just outside the lens mount.

 

[8utters]

I had a bit of dust or dirt or something on my mirror the other day, just gave it a blow and now it's fine.

 

[RobertP]

Whatever you do don't touch the mirror as the surface is delicate. Use a rocket blower not compressed air or your breath. Once you have had the camera a while you get used to the odd bit of rubbish on the ground glass screen and stop noticing it

The ground glass screen is above the mirror and easy enough to see (and see the dirt) when you take the lens off.

edit: readings Steeps post I disagree. The shutter will be closed and dust wont get on the sensor. Always best to hold the camera up so the open face points downwards when using the blower.

 

[IanH]

Cheers for the replies, I'll have a look tomorrow in daylight and see what I can find. I did try using lens cleaner on a cotton bud on the flip up mirror to no avail.
I hope this hasn't done any damage.
Thanks again.

Ian..

 

[Witch]

It's not on the image? Therefore it's not a problem!! Trust me - you'll gain plenty more minor lumps of crud kicking about in there over time - the only stuff I worry about is the stuff that shows in the final product I have to say!

 

[Marcel]

Yup, I'd be tempted to leave it Ian.

When I first got my 350D a couple of years ago, I had some dust or some such on the focusing screen, but it annoyed me, and in my inexperience, I tried to get rid of it, and ended up making it much worse!.

You do learn to live with the occasional bit of goober

 

[W.Smith]

Whatever you do don't touch the mirror as the surface is delicate.

Huh?
The mirror surface is about the least delicate surface you will find in the mirror box. It's a mirror, for gossakes. Easy to clean.

 

[RobertP]

It is not an ordinary mirror. The silvering is on the surface to eliminate double reflections - not on the back like a household mirror.

http://photo.net/learn/cleaning-cameras

Or as many as you like in a google search

W.Smith - I'm pretty thick skinned so I don't wind up easily. You have a habit of posting comments in such a way as to create reaction. I believe you are in the Netherlands and whilst your English is excellent I make allowances on the assumption it is not your first language and you don't understand the more subtle inferences in some of the things you say. Please consider how others may view your words a little more deeply before you next hit the reply button.

 

[CT]

The mirrors on SLR cameras are indeed surface coated unlike conventional mirrors. If you get a mark or a fingerprints on it you wont get it off as it will actually be imprinted on the mirror coating. Ignore the advice given at your own risk.

As for dust in the viewfinder - don't worry about it - there's always the possibility it could be on the inside of the focusing screen anyway, which means you'd have to remove the screen - perfectly do-able if you're a fairly patient, dextrous sort of person, but it's very easy to make a real mess of the job if you're not.

 

[Milestone]

My 350D viewfinder is covered in crud, but none of it finds it's way onto the image, you just learn to live with it in the end. Though every few months I give things a good clean, which does seem to remove the majority of it, but it's never completely clear.