Sensor spots?

I know what dust on sensor looks like, but I have recently discovered weird faint circles in the left-hand part of the sensor. They are hardly visible unless on a uniform background and only when contrast is increased. Here is a 100% crop with contrast turned to extreme to visualise them.



I checked that these are visible with three different lenses, so I suspect there must be something on the sensor. My guess is that two drops of a liquid (my own sweat?) landed on the sensor when I was changing the lens. Anyone else seen something similar?

I guess it is sensor cleaning time. Can you recommend good and safe cleaning kit? What about Eclipse?

Felisek said:

I know what dust on sensor looks like, but I have recently discovered weird faint circles in the left-hand part of the sensor. They are hardly visible unless on a uniform background and only when contrast is increased. Here is a 100% crop with contrast turned to extreme to visualise them.

I checked that these are visible with three different lenses, so I suspect there must be something on the sensor. My guess is that two drops of a liquid (my own sweat?) landed on the sensor when I was changing the lens. Anyone else seen something similar?

I guess it is sensor cleaning time. Can you recommend good and safe cleaning kit? What about Eclipse?

Click to expand...

Even the tiniest dust bunnies on the sensor are frequently round like that and there's no telling what they're actually composed of. When I get schmutz on the sensor that's pretty much what it looks like.

Eclipse makes good stuff and I don't hesitate to suggest their cleaning supplies. There are alternatives to doing a full on wet cleaning though. I would start with a rocket blower and see if that does the job.

If the blower fails what I really like is the Sensor Gel Stick. You just sort of dab the sensor with this and the pad lifts off the schmutz. Another tool I consider indispensable is a loupe.

You can spend a ton of money on one but I use this Carson Sensor Mag for less than $20. It does a great job of illuminating the sensor so you can really see if it's clean or not.

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Horoscope Fish said:

EIf the blower fails what I really like is the Sensor Gel Stick. You just sort of dab the sensor with this and the pad lifts off the schmutz. Another tool I consider indispensable is a loupe.

Click to expand...

Hm... Most comments on this product a good, but there are a few negative comments on the UK Amazon website, stating that it left some sticky residue on the sensor and ruined it. This sounds quite scary, even it it happens to one-in-a-hundred user.

I use eclipse and sensor swabs....guess it's personal preference...but I'd venture to guess most use what I posted. I also have a Delkin Loupe that works fantastic. Good luck....(are you sure those aren't UFO's) just kidding....have you seen the video on cleaning a sensor? I guess I could post it again if not.

Here ya go!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qi6S3jHA21w

Felisek said:

Hm... Most comments on this product a good, but there are a few negative comments on the UK Amazon website, stating that it left some sticky residue on the sensor and ruined it. This sounds quite scary, even it it happens to one-in-a-hundred user.

Click to expand...

Use what suits you but every cleaning method has it's drawbacks and the one person claiming it ruined the sensor was a Sony camera user and reviewers have stated repeatedly not to use these with the Sony cameras. We use gel sticks in the photography department at the college where I work, and have for years, without issue.

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Ah, indeed. I just read the comment from the manufacturer stating that Sony mirrorless sensors have some different type of coating. Fair enough. I think I will go with it. I'd rather trust you (and your photography department) than some anonymous reviewers on Amazon. Cotton swabs and cleaning liquid come with their own set of problems, apparently...

I've used the FX Sensor Swabs and Eclipse solution on my former D600 and my current D610, and they work extremely well. Ratings for the pre-moistened Sensor Swabs aren't too good because people claim they leave streaks. I've only used the dry swabs and moistened them with the Eclipse solution. I need to get some DX Sensor Swabs for my D7100 and D90. The video Chris posted is what I watched before doing a wet cleaning. It is really thorough.

For me, the Eclipse solution left streaks that really freaked me out. I had to use Methyl Hydrate and it got rid of the streaks and worked extremely well. This is what I use now and it cost me almost nothing since I have about a gallon left. I have other use for the stuff in my piano work.

What I've learned from using Eclipse solution on swabs is to use one drop of fluid on each side of the swab. ONE drop, both sides and no more. I've had the swabs streak on me but using the aformentioned one-drop method, and a light touch with the swab, I was able to remove them. It was a pain in the arse, though. Far better not to get them in the first place. I suggest you try dry methods (blower, brush) before pulling out the "big guns" of a sticky-pen or a wet cleaning.

I like the methyl hydrate solution...

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in your original post you guessed maybe your sweat dropped onto the sensor, you should hold you camera upside down when changing the lens, 1 it stops this and 2 crap might fall out, its just a better habit to get into.

Good luck with the (your first) cleaning.

I had spots just like that at an air show. Wife remembers a guy near me was spraying sun lotion on himself. Some of it blew my way it seems. Darn

Felisek said:

I know what dust on sensor looks like, but I have recently discovered weird faint circles in the left-hand part of the sensor. They are hardly visible unless on a uniform background and only when contrast is increased. Here is a 100% crop with contrast turned to extreme to visualise them.

View attachment 105311

I checked that these are visible with three different lenses, so I suspect there must be something on the sensor. My guess is that two drops of a liquid (my own sweat?) landed on the sensor when I was changing the lens. Anyone else seen something similar?

I guess it is sensor cleaning time. Can you recommend good and safe cleaning kit? What about Eclipse?

Click to expand...

When you change the lens, the mirror should be down and the curtain closed. It is almost impossible to get sweat on the sensor while changing lens. While cleaning the sensor thought if you did sweat...

Just relax and do another wet cleaning and things should get back to normal (I hope).

Marcel said:

When you change the lens, the mirror should be down and the curtain closed. It is almost impossible to get sweat on the sensor while changing lens. While cleaning the sensor thought if you did sweat...

Just relax and do another wet cleaning and things should get back to normal (I hope).

Click to expand...

That is a very good point. Because it doesn't look like a dust speck, I assumed it must have been a drop of some liquid, like my sweat. But you are right, this is just impossible while changing the lens, and I haven't cleaned the lens yet. Should have thought of this myself...

I have found another shot where there is a more defined spot in the same place. Now I guess there is a dust particle sitting perhaps a bit higher above the sensor, hence the smeared image. Not sure how this is possible, but I'm going to have a good look tomorrow.

I had a good look at my sensor and found the culprit. It looks like a tiny little spike, sticking out of the sensor. This is why it looks so smeared in my pictures. I have no idea how it attached itself at the bottom. If there are any gaps between pixels in the sensor, I suspect the sharp end of the particle wedged itself in one of those gaps. Anyway, it is not a splash of liquid.

There were a few other tiny dust specks and I managed to remove all of them with the blower. However, this one is very stubborn! Now I have only one artefact instead of two (see my picture at the beginning of this thread).

I ordered a gel stick and try to remove the little bugger when it arrives. Might be a while though, as it is coming from Germany...

a good trick i learned the other day for spotting sensor spots ,in later versions of camera raw go to the spot removal tool and down the bottom there is a check box for visualise spots , adjust the slider so they show up clearly and are very simple to see and remove, good place to check if you need to clean your gear

Thanks, Egosbar. I didn't know that. It should be very useful for picking "normal" spots. However, in this particular case I have a large (but subtle) splodge, so this contrast enhancement system simply doesn't work.

yeah didnt think it would help in this case but thought id post the tool as its a useful one to know , so far i have no spots but i check it from time to time now to see , they show up very clearly

Patrick Molloy said:

I had spots just like that at an air show. Wife remembers a guy near me was spraying sun lotion on himself. Some of it blew my way it seems. Darn

Click to expand...

That is the worst I can think of....wrong place, wrong time. Hope you can use eclipse and sensor swabs and get it cleaned properly!

I'm too paranoid to damage my sensor because I don't know much about how to clean it. I usually drop it off at the local camera store, and they charge $50 for DX, $85 for FX I think. It seems fairly reasonable.