Help, something is blocking my digital sensor

Hey everyone, not sure if this belongs in this forum but I was out shooting today with my A700 and noticed a big black slash that started appearing across my images. I changed lenses and it was still there so I put it into cleaning mode and there is a blade stuck in front of my sensor. Has anyone had this problem before, and can it be fixed?

Could you post a photo of it? Also, does it depend on the lens used? If it is with one lens, I'd look through the lens and see if it appears correct. Also, if you have a DOF preview, try setting that to see if you can spot anything in it.

The other possibility that immediately occurs to me, without seeing a photo, is a hair trapped in the mirror box.

Bugs that have come apart from being smashed by the mirror don't have a "slash' look to them, even from the wings.

Here's a picture of what it's doing..

I think we can safely rule out a hair. If it is not a camera strap or something really big and obvious sitting in the mirror box, I don't have a clue what is going on.

Broken shutter? Does the A700 have live view? Try that to see what it looks like if it does. Is it always in the same position?

No live view, I set the camera to cleaning mode to lift the mirror and there is a flimsy "blade" hanging down in front of the sensor. I gently moved it down with my sensor brush and now it appears in the upper lefthand corner of my images, every other image or so. I've never had a shutter break so I have no clue what it looks like.

I've only had the camera for a little over a year, maybe a year and a half. Of course the 1 year warranty from Sony has expired.

Zack, is your camera still under warranty? Looks like time to contact Sony.

Yep, broken shutter. Your description, plus the photo, is exactly what I would expect to see with a broken shutter. For some reason, I wasn't thinking about that from your original post although it should have been obvious to me. Sorry about the useless replies.

When I owned Minolta gear before switching to Canon in 2007, my 7D (Minolta 7D that is) had the "black frame" problem, and Sony did continue the repairs for free after aquiring Minolta in 2006. Maybe contact Sony support and ask if there's been a shutter issue with the Alphas, you may get a free fix. Canon still fixes the mirrors that fly off of the original 5Ds (I think).

If not, did you use a MasterCard or Visa to buy it? Most offer 1 year extensions on warranties for purchases in the form of a refund after the fix. Check your card!

BTW, nice image behind the band!

I am sorry to hear this Zack. I can relate to this - at least a bit. The mirror of my 5D went off and I was really worried whether all could be repaired. It was solved.
I hope this can be fixed in your case as well.

Regards
Dietrich

I am sending the camera to a local repair guy for an estimate, the guy at my local camera shop thinks it is the shutter. Sony wants over half of what the camera is valued at to repair it (and they have discontinued the model). I've only owned the camera for a year and four months. I am pretty upset that Sony will not work with me here, there is no reason there should be a shutter issue this early, the shutter is rated for 100,000 actuations. I think it is time to switch over to full frame, looking at the Nikon D700...

Hi Zack, this is a pitty to hear that Sony will charge you for this. First off the fact that the shutter breaks after 1.5 years is a really poor performance by Sony as such. Not sure if that assumption is valid, but that might also be the reason why they want you to take the cost - maybe this happens more often and Sony simply cannot afford to repair this for free. This is not meant to sound like "schadenfreude", but Canon repaired my broken mirror and the scratched lens (consequence of the loose mirror) for free , 3.5 years after the original purchase.
Go for full frame, either take the 5D Mk II or the Nikon...