Marks on my photos

[smd3000]

Hi,

A couple of weeks after I got my camera (I got it at the start of June) I notice a mark in the top left of some images (see example below), mainly images with the sky involved. I assume it's more noticeable in these as the sky is bright and highlights the mark more.

I can only presume that the mark is on the sensor as it appears on images regardless of which lens I use and is becoming a pain in the back side. I put the camera in cleaning mode and had a look but couldn't see any marks but that could just have been cos it's quite a dark little place inside there and I couldn't see it. Hmm... maybe I should have used a torch!

I was just wondering if anyone had any advice on cleaning as I'm new to DSLRs and not really sure how to clean them. I did look on google and have seen how to clean with a blower but not sure how effective it would be for this. Also seen something that you can use to clean the sensor but wouldn't want to try this then break / ruin the camera.

Would I maybe be best just taking it back to Jessops and asking them about it?

Thanks.

P.S. Camera is a Sony a330

 

[Thmaga]

Its a bit of hair or something on the sensor, try a blower if you like, but i'm sure my local Jessops do a sensor clean.

 

[Lornholio]

Definitely worth getting a blower and learning how to clean. Far better to use a blower regularly as a preventative measure before dust specks get welded on over time, requiring a more expensive/tricky wet clean.

 

[Nod]

That's a tiny hair on the sensor - a rocket blower shou;d shift it no problem (although it could shift it to somewhere else on the sensor or focus screen, mirror etc...) Even if Jessops were doing sensor cleaning for nothing, I would be wary of letting them do mine!

 

[smooth]

FITP's Sensor swabs are fantastic for sensor cleaning. Great value too.

I would definitely give them a try if a rocket blower does not shift it.

 

[smd3000]

Excellent, thanks for the advice. I'll get myself a blower and see how I get on.

 

[HoppyUK]

You should be able to shift that with a blower. You may be looking in the wrong place for it - it's in the bottom left corner, as you look at the sensor. The image is inverted.

 

[classcams]

You should be able to shift that with a blower. You may be looking in the wrong place for it - it's in the bottom left corner, as you look at the sensor. The image is inverted.

I myself have a mains operated sucker/blower, quite powerful with a 1/4" rubber tube attached. If you blow you do not know where the hairs and dust go,but sucking clears everything.

 

[ChrisH]

Also consider a Sensor Loupe, it's a little magnifying device with a built in light.

Not cheap but worth their weight in gold for seeing dust on your sensor.

Remeber too that that dust is at the bottom of your sensor not the top, so maybe your looking in the wrong place

 

[smd3000]

Thanks for the tips. I got the culprit this morning. Mainly I had been looking at the top left of the sensor :bonk: but had thought that it may be the other way round and had a quick look elsewhere but hadn't seen anything. A bit more light this morning and I could see it in the bottom left. A few blows of air and it was gone - well I hope it is, I took a few test shots of some white paper and couldn't see any marks.

 

[HoppyUK]

Thanks for the tips. I got the culprit this morning. Mainly I had been looking at the top left of the sensor :bonk: but had thought that it may be the other way round and had a quick look elsewhere but hadn't seen anything. A bit more light this morning and I could see it in the bottom left. A few blows of air and it was gone - well I hope it is, I took a few test shots of some white paper and couldn't see any marks.

The other thing to note is that you often only see dust marks at high f/numbers, like f/11-16-22. It's the increased depth of focus (not field) that pulls them into sharp view.

Some cameras also have a software option that can be pre-programmed to edit out persistent dust marks. Basically a kind of auto-cloning facility - handy if you've got 300 images to retouch!