Posted by Steve Neff on January 2, 2010 at 7:59 PM
Happy New Year Folks.
The above mentioned camera is my work camera. I bought it after research on the internet gave it the highest performance in its class. It hasn’t disappointed. It won’t however get me to switch to Canon as my field camera [LOL!]. I take thousands of photos a month with this camera and have been pleased with it; except that lately, I’ve been getting dust spots on my photos. This only happens when I use the flash.
Whenever I review the image and see dust, I get out my Lens Pen and clean the heck out of the lens and reshoot; only to see the same problem. Since this isn’t a DSLR and I don’t have to change lenses, I don’t understand what’s going on with this camera.
Point and shoot cameras can get stuff on the sensor. Dust is generated as the shutter wears, for example. I've had a couple of pocket cameras that had this problem. I had them cleaned by the manufacturer under warranty. After warranty, I lived with it for a while and then replaced the camera. Come to think of it, this has been a problem with two out of six point-n-shoot cameras I've had for my business, one Sony, one Canon. Two Canons, a Nikon, and a Kodak have been dust free. That's a 33% likelihood of having a dirty-sensor in a point-n-shoot camera.
Posted by Steve Neff on January 2, 2010 at 8:40 PM
Thanks Buck:
I do have nearly 12,000 photos on this camera. I had a Fuji that had this problem as well. If I have to, I'll take it to Southern Photo in Orlando and get the sensor cleaned; don't have time to send it to the manufacturer.
My other Fuji didn't seem to have this problem, although at times [when using flash], I'd get a straight red or green line across the image when the lighting was right [or wrong].
I have had times when I clean the lens and there are less spots on the next photo. I forgot to mention that the spots are the most noticeable when I shoot an entire room/wide angle with flash. My company doesn't really care, but I'm a little on the anal side when it comes to my photos [must be the Nikon in me].
How's the weather tonight in Fort Myers? It's gettin' Ohio cold here in Wesley Chapel.
It may not be too cold here to folks up north but it's cold enough that I stayed in my warm bed this morning rather than go out on my customary photo foray.
The way you explain your problem, it seems different from my experience. In my case, the spots were most pronounced if I zoomed to the longest, and shot against a bright white wall or a clear blue sky. I seldom shoot indoors with flash, so I don't know how that affected the spots.
Posted by Steve Neff on January 3, 2010 at 11:07 AM
I was kinda thinking that maybe the technology of this camera [which is extremely good]causes it to pick up the dust spots when I'm in a house; although, even when I clean the lens, I still have a problem. I even considered that I could [and have at times] have picked up spots that were on the paint of a wall and when I photograph it [the wall], I get the effect that I do.
It would be great to clone these spots out, but I'm not allowed to alter any photos that I take. Looks like I'll just have to deal with it.
Stay warm Buck and thanks.
Posted by Alan Olander on January 3, 2010 at 11:08 AM
You're unlikely to see dust spots from a little dust on the lens, so I'd be careful when you "clean the heck out of the lens". Dust on the sensor shows up most with small apertures and solid bright backgrounds like the sky, for example. Bright spots that show up with flash could be particles of dust in the air, but that doesn't seem real likely.
Posted by Steve Neff on January 3, 2010 at 11:27 AM
Thanks Alan,
I've used both the smallest and the largest apertures and gotten the same results. While I agree with you regarding dust particles in the air not being likely, I don't have many more theories. All of my affected photos are taken of interiors. I never see the dust spots when taking exterior photos of homes [with flash].
Discussion
6 repliesThe above mentioned camera is my work camera. I bought it after research on the internet gave it the highest performance in its class. It hasn’t disappointed. It won’t however get me to switch to Canon as my field camera [LOL!]. I take thousands of photos a month with this camera and have been pleased with it; except that lately, I’ve been getting dust spots on my photos. This only happens when I use the flash.
Whenever I review the image and see dust, I get out my Lens Pen and clean the heck out of the lens and reshoot; only to see the same problem. Since this isn’t a DSLR and I don’t have to change lenses, I don’t understand what’s going on with this camera.
Any suggestions?
Thanks in advance.
I do have nearly 12,000 photos on this camera. I had a Fuji that had this problem as well. If I have to, I'll take it to Southern Photo in Orlando and get the sensor cleaned; don't have time to send it to the manufacturer.
My other Fuji didn't seem to have this problem, although at times [when using flash], I'd get a straight red or green line across the image when the lighting was right [or wrong].
I have had times when I clean the lens and there are less spots on the next photo. I forgot to mention that the spots are the most noticeable when I shoot an entire room/wide angle with flash. My company doesn't really care, but I'm a little on the anal side when it comes to my photos [must be the Nikon in me].
How's the weather tonight in Fort Myers? It's gettin' Ohio cold here in Wesley Chapel.
It may not be too cold here to folks up north but it's cold enough that I stayed in my warm bed this morning rather than go out on my customary photo foray.
The way you explain your problem, it seems different from my experience. In my case, the spots were most pronounced if I zoomed to the longest, and shot against a bright white wall or a clear blue sky. I seldom shoot indoors with flash, so I don't know how that affected the spots.
It would be great to clone these spots out, but I'm not allowed to alter any photos that I take. Looks like I'll just have to deal with it.
Stay warm Buck and thanks.
I've used both the smallest and the largest apertures and gotten the same results. While I agree with you regarding dust particles in the air not being likely, I don't have many more theories. All of my affected photos are taken of interiors. I never see the dust spots when taking exterior photos of homes [with flash].
Guess I'll just have to deal with it.