Cost to have a lens cleaned?

I have an 18-105 kit lens that came with my D90 years ago when I purchased it.

I don't really use it, as my D90 is now my backup and I use my D700 with my FX lenses most of the time.

I loaned it to a friend, and I noticed in some of his photos that it appeared to be dirty. I suggested he clean the lens, which he did, and they are still there. He thinks the specks are inside the lens, which is quite possible, but I thought it could also be his sensor.

If the specks are inside the lens, what would Nikon charge to clean this lens? I imagine it would be more than the lens is worth.

Are there alternatives? Is this something I dare attempt myself? A used 18-105 VR seems to sell for around $150-200 on eBay, sometimes cheaper. I'm pretty handy, perhaps I should tear into it myself.

I'm thinking that it is more his sensor that is dirty. specks in the lens would produce diffusion on a photo but if you see specks on a photo, it's probably the sensor that has got dust on.

Google "sensor cleaning" you'll see the pictures taken with a dirty sensor and then you can decide what it is. I've never seen pictures made with a dirty lens to show specks.

Its like marcel says... a dirty lens can degrade an image but its highly unlikey they would appear as flecks on
a print. It is most likely the sensor. Also... as Marcel says... google sensor cleaning... this is rather delicate

You could confirm that it's his sensor by putting the lens on your camera.

I intend to do so. I sometimes go a few weeks without seeing this friend, so I haven't had the opportunity to see him recently.

It's a pretty large 'speck', perhaps I used a bad choice of words.

I'll attach a photo. I'm not sure what it is. I will see him Wednesday and hopefully can check the lens out then!

Looks like bunnies to me...

johnwartjr said:

I intend to do so. I sometimes go a few weeks without seeing this friend, so I haven't had the opportunity to see him recently.

It's a pretty large 'speck', perhaps I used a bad choice of words.

I'll attach a photo. I'm not sure what it is. I will see him Wednesday and hopefully can check the lens out then!

View attachment 11125

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It is dust on the sensor. It has nothing to do with the lens. I'm 100% certain of this.

Just have the sensor cleaned and it will be gone.

As Marcel says, it looks like a dirty sensor. Stop a lens down to f/22, and shoot a picture of a blank wall. The resulting picture will show up all of the dirt on the sensor.