What is wrong with my camera? Picture shows up with weird line. Scratch? Hair? Crack?

Hey everyone,

I am new to the forum so I apologize if this has already been answered. I currently have a Nikon D5100 and for about 6 months now have a very strange "squiggly line" on most of my pictures that I have taken. It is quite annoying because I haven't gotten to the bottom of what it could be. I don't remember when it first showed up so it quite possibly could be anything. I know it is associated with the camera itself because the line shows up regardless of what lens I used. I have tried cleaning the mirror, the lens, the sensor and it still shows up. Does anyone have any advice as to what it could be and how to get rid of it? Thanks!

You can see it here at the top in the middle behind the heron. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Ah, seems you have a hair on your sensor. Open up your manual and with a "rocket blower" you should be able to clean it up. You also can Google "DSLR sensor cleaning".

You say you have tried cleaning the sensor,how did you do it.

Yeah, going with hair on this one also. If it were a crack, it would be much more visible.

Clean yo' gear!

I agree with the other posts, this looks like a hair, it might not be on the sensor, could be just in front of it, or near to where you connect the lens.

Does it show up with every lens you use?

Get yourself a torch, a magnifying glass and tweezers. Shine at the sensor and have a good look through the glass. I'm sure you will find a hair somewhere there. Pick it carefully with the tweezers.

The hair could be stuck on a shutter blade and the rocket blower might not be able to dislodge it. It just has to be in there. Remember that the image is inverses so the hair could just be sitting in the bottom of the camera's chamber below the mirror.

Felisek said:

Get yourself a torch, a magnifying glass and tweezers. Shine at the sensor and have a good look through the glass. I'm sure you will find a hair somewhere there. Pick it carefully with the tweezers.

Click to expand...

In my world a torch involves compressed gases and flame, but I figured it out before I panicked.:cower:


I also concur with the hairy theories. If always identical location and shape, my guess would be stuck to the sensor.

Nathan, I sincerely hope that you will share your findings with us. It would be a nice polite gesture to all that replied to your question.

Hey everyone! So sorry I haven't responded sooner. I was out in nature, hiking/camping for the past couple days and was not around my computer.

I have tried to use a can of compressed air several times on the lens, mirror, sensor, and all around to try and rid of the unwanted hair (it has to be that I agree!). When you say torch do you mean like a can of compressed air or do I need something completely different.

The hair shows up no matter which lens I use.

I am usually very good about keeping everything clean, but somehow this slipped by me.

Thanks for the replies and any other suggestions are welcomed!

Well everyone, as soon as I finished typing that first response I googled sensor cleaning and locked the mirror to look at my sensor (DOH for not trying that before!) and low and behold there was a little hair hanging out in front of the sensor. Thanks again for all your help!!

LOL. Glad you found the little rascal hair that was where it had no right to be!

Nathen....I wouldn't use ompressed air to clean my sensor....there's been a consensus that it's not a good idea...can leave residue from the propellant on the sensor.