View Finder Dirt ??

cwgrizz

Senior Member
Challenge Team
This morning I was out with the dog and the camera. I started to set the CPL for the direction that I would most likely be shooting and noticed some black specks in the view finder. After getting back to the house, I did a little detective work and tried to clean. Lens looked ok, removed it and still saw the specks. Sprayed air (bulb type blower) into the camera housing (mirror area, etc.) No change in the specks. Looked at Live view and saw no specks. Decided it must be in the view finder itself. Played with the diopter adjustment on the view finder and saw the dust in and out of focus. This points to the focus screen/viewfinder area. Correct? I don't think it is hurting the photo results, but is very annoying. I have used the bulb blower trying to move the specks etc. with no luck. Any way to clean or move the specks and to determine exactly where they are? All advice is appreciated. Thanks
 

Marcel

Happily retired
Staff member
Super Mod
They are probably stuck under the ground glass (focusing screen). When you remove the lens, raise the camera above your eye level and look up inside above the mirror. That's usually where they'll stick maybe because of static. You can use a VERY very soft brush on the glass, but NO scratching, just a bit of pushing, then the blower and you should be OK.

Sometimes, they could get above the focusing screen. Then it takes the special tool to remove the screen to get to them. But, since they don't show on pictures, they're just a bit distracting and if you leave them there long enough, you'll completely forget about them.
 

cwgrizz

Senior Member
Challenge Team
I think it is above the focusing screen. I don't have a loop, but looking at it with the sun illuminating the focus screen, I think I can see a speck. I used a soft brush off of the end of a small bulb blower I had and it moved nothing. I used an imitation rocket blower which also did nothing. I guess for now I will live with it. How it got in there is a puzzle. I have been very careful changing lenses and use the bulb blower on the lenses and in the box area of the body each time. I have looked on the web and found that I am not alone. Ha! The camera is less than a year old. Oh well, thanks Marcel for responding.
 
Top