New Nikon D610. Is this amount of sensor dirt normal?

I have a new Nikon D610 bought 2 weeks ago. I've changed lenses about 10 times in total, very very carefully indoors in a still, dust free room. The lenses were also new.

Noted some obvious sensor dust marks when taking some test shots of the sky at small aperture. Here is one I took just now.

I've tried the built-in 'sensor clean' program repeatedly with no noticeable effect.

I've got a blower on order. Do you think that will solve it? Looks SO like the pictures of oil spots seen on D600s that I'm wondering if it's oil and so not removable by blowing.

Bit gutted.

Thanks for any thoughts/suggestions

That's the original full size image, untweaked, complete with EXIF data. Here it is tweaked.

Oops! I'd say yes - oil drops, sprayed across the sensor. Seems like it's not just a D600 related issue, after all.

Take it back and ask the supplier.

I'm not saying you don't have a potential issue, but come one people, let's not jump to conclusions about faulty shutters from one example.

This could be a bunch of stuff, and yes, there's definitely dirt there. The built-in cleaner does minimal work, so until you've got a blower and can see if that stuff disappears I'd say that it's a potential problem at best. Nothing I see looks like oil, which in and of itself is mostly invisible and will trap dirt inside a nice, round ring. I only see flecks of dust and dirt. You might, MIGHT, have something going on with shutter wear. If you bought it local, take it to the shop and have 'em take a look at it. Otherwise, get that blower ASAP and give the sensor a blow.

One important thing to consider ... Gravity!! Don't shoot your dust shots straight up at the sky as anything inside the camera will fall straight onto the sensor. Bring it indoors, stick a piece of white paper on the table under a bright lamp, close the aperture all the way, set it to manual focus and turn the focus ring to the minimal focus distance, fill the frame with the paper and shoot. That, is your dust reference photo. Check that, blow the sensor and check it again.

When looking at the specs between the 600 and the 610 the only changes I see are in the video area. To me not an impressive improvement over the 600. When I heard the problematic 600 was being replaced by the 610. All I see is a more expensive 600 with potentially the same shutter issues. Although I do feel bad for all you 600 family owners.
I wish you all allot of luck.

FastGlass said:

When looking at the specs between the 600 and the 610 the only changes I see are in the video area. To me not an impressive improvement over the 600. When I heard the problematic 600 was being replaced by the 610. All I see is a more expensive 600 with potentially the same shutter issues. Although I do feel bad for all you 600 family owners.
I wish you all allot of luck.

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Then you didn't read closely enough. It's a completely different shutter that now shoots 6 fps (instead of 5.5 fps) and also gives you a 3 fps Quiet Mode shutter. Most definitely different. Believe me, if it were the same you'd hear Mr. Hogan screaming madly from every rooftop.

And btw, the price actually dropped from the initial retail on the D600 - it's the current retail on the remaining D600's that's less.

People really need to know of what they speak before spreading rumor. These things are documented all over the D600/610 forum and in blogs everywhere. It's really not that hard to find the facts if you bother looking.

BackdoorHippie said:

Then you didn't read closely enough. It's a completely different shutter that now shoots 6 fps (instead of 5.5 fps) and also gives you a 3 fps Quiet Mode shutter. Most definitely different. Believe me, if it were the same you'd hear Mr. Hogan screaming madly from every rooftop.

And btw, the price actually dropped from the initial retail on the D600 - it's the current retail on the remaining D600's that's less.

People really need to know of what they speak before spreading rumor. These things are documented all over the D600/610 forum and in blogs everywhere. It's really not that hard to find the facts if you bother looking.

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Whoa, Whoa BackdoorHippie. I admit it. I only read one comparison between the two and all the way down the line the two were identical. I figured there were more differences than what I have read. As far as bothering to look harder for the facts before replying to a thread. Yes your right point made. As far as spreading rumors. I don't feel they were rumors more like my opinion.

My apologies for getting personal, but it seems every time someone has a spec somewhere on a D600/610 the sky begins to fall again. It's habitual on the internet where personal opinion becomes stated fact overnight with no verification when it gets passed on. So while you stated your opinion, if it sits uncorrected then it becomes someone else's gospel truth, and they talk about it on another thread. As a D600 with a camera that was fixed on the second go-around I've sat through a lot of nonsense about a pretty great camera that's now worth next to nothing - which is mainly Nikon's fault, but a lot has to do with the way in which things blew largely out of proportion. I'd hate to see the same thing happen needlessly to the D610, which by all reports seems to have kept all the great from the D600 and built on that. So pardon me for trying to keep perceptions in line, and not just for you but for those who would read your words and not think twice about repeating them.

No room is dust free..

The sensor clean feature is more of an afterthought. It really doesn't do much. You really need a blower to see if you can dislodge that stuff before asking if it is oil or not.

Thanks for all the replies!

I have a rocket blower inbound. Will be with me on Monday.

I bought the camera recently from Amazon.co.uk (not fulfilled by them, from them) so if there's any problem at all they will refund or replace.

But I know that sensors will get mucky over time anyway so if I can fix it with a blower I'll be happy - and it means I don't have to go any time without my new toy. I'd miss it!

Noted I should shoot downwards at a lit white paper.

I will also google how to use the blower to best advantage.

Will report back on Monday.

Thanks again!

PS. Does the image hit the sensor vertically inverted? Or?

Most of the 'dust' on my sensor is to the left and top. Does that mean when I look at the sensor it is mostly on the bottom left corner as I look at it?

You could try with these: New Durable 6 Pcs Wet Sensor Cleaning Kit CMOS CCD Cleaner Swab for Camera DSLR | eBay

I don't think I'll try those. If it doesn't blow off it'll be going back for a replacement.

I use a blower on my D610 after every shoot. I have not had anything yet that the blower hasn't at least moved around. I wouldn't worry about the oil issue just yet.

PhotoBob said:

PS. Does the image hit the sensor vertically inverted? Or?

Most of the 'dust' on my sensor is to the left and top. Does that mean when I look at the sensor it is mostly on the bottom left corner as I look at it?

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IIRC everything is inverted, so top left in the reference photo is bottom-right on the censor.

PhotoBob said:

I don't think I'll try those. If it doesn't blow off it'll be going back for a replacement.

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Uh, good luck with that, particularly through a third party Amazon dealer. Though Amazon may force them into an exchange. That said, I suspect they'll offer to send it to Nikon for a cleaning, or have you do that under warranty service. You've got the highest grade consumer camera Nikon makes, so I recommend you learn how to care for it, and that involves sensor cleaning. Every DSLR needs it at some point. I do mine about every 3-4 months. Comes with the territory. Heck, I haven't removed the lens from my D7000 once in the last 12 months since I did an IR conversion and I still have dust spots. It's not difficult, and if you learn it properly you can charge your mates for the privilege of doing theirs.

Get it changed before it's too late. Don't take chances, once you are out if the few weeks periods (during which u can return or have it replaced through the seller) u will have to deal with Nikon which has horrible CS. Good luck!


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Deezey said:

I use a blower on my D610 after every shoot. I have not had anything yet that the blower hasn't at least moved around. I wouldn't worry about the oil issue just yet.

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What do you mean by "I use a blower on my D610....."? Do you actually remove the lens, go into the menu's open shutter to clean sensor and then blow on the actual sensor? Or are you writing about removing the lens and blowing inside the chamber to prevent dust that could have gotten inside?
If you actually open the shutter and blow on the actual sensor after every camera use, I suspect you might be creating more problems than you're trying to solve.
But just my opinion.

Clarify....not after indoors shoots. But when I get outdoors I tend to shoot a lot, and in a lot of stuff to where pollen and things can make it into my camera.

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