How do I remove the dust from my Rebel XTi. I see it in the view finder but not on the image itself... What do I do?
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Gettin the dust out?
- Thread starter aaron.lee2006
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
If you don't see it on the resulting image, it probably isn't on the lens or sensor. I'd wipe off the viewfinder or use a blower to pump some air inside.
It's either on the mirror (take the lens off and look inside) or the focus screen above it. A light breeze of air (not from your mouth- saliva spots are even worse) should fix it.
lol i already used my mouth but i made sure it was dry before. What if I used lens cleaner on the view finder? Would that work, or is it bad for the camera.
No offense, but if you dont know the basics to such things as to how clean a camera, keeping the optics spot-free, or what will/wont hurt the camera, what possessed you to purchase an 800+ dollar camera? Here is my advice ... walk away, sit the camera down and dont touch it. Now, go on the net and read everything you can find on camera care. Then ... reread it all. Then go back and start to use the camera again. No need in having such a piece of equipment if you cant care for it.
Not knowing how to care for something you buy is no reason not to buy it.
I think what you said was a bit ridiculous.
I think what you said was a bit ridiculous.
You know I did just ask a question.... How wrong can I be to ask a question? I was told by the camera people on the boat to blow in it.... so if your not gonna be helpful and at least try to help just don't post here. What is with people and negativity these days?
No it's never wrong to ask a question, and I asked a question too. Albeit a rhetorical one. And then I proceeded to give you a response in how to help yourself. If it was too harsh sounding I'm sorry, but everything I said makes perfect sense. I wasn't trying to be overly negative, but constructive criticism is a validated way to learn something.
Would you buy a 150k dollar Porsche to learn how if you couldn't drive a stick? Or a budding chef who buys a 200.00 Wustof razor sharp french chef's knife to begin learning knife skills? Perhaps a 50k dollar full off road conversion truck when you never plan to learn how to change the oil?
So the question is ... did you just ignore what I had to say because it was a bit harsh, perhaps bruising your ego a bit, even though it contained perfectly usable information to ensure your camera's long life and proper usage? Or did you take it to heart and start to read as suggested? If it is the latter, then dislike me if you will, at least you learned something.
Oh and FYI ... any "camera people" who tells you to blow into your SLR isnt a camera person, theyre a salesperson trying to get you to go away so they can shoehorn some more money from someone else into their wallets.
Lastly, so I dont come off as a total a$$hole, here are a few links to get you started ...
http://www.nikondigitalusa.com/main.html?page=d40 (click the Digitutor link at the bottom)
http://ny.webphotoschool.com/ (everything you need to know to get started with a camera, flashes, and various equipment)
Lastly, this site's search feature. The members here are very robust in their knowledge. But when you post in a public forum, always take the good with the bad, there is usually something to be learned from both.
The only way dust can show up in the image is if it is on the sensor. The dust will cast a shadow. Dust inside the lens has almost zero effect on the image in the viewfinder or the recorded image. Any dust inside the lens would be grossly out of focus, so much so as to be invisible.
If visible in the viewfinder the dust must be inside or on either the view finder optics or the pentaprism. If the view of the dust is sharp then it must be on EXACTLY the place the viewfinder focuses on. That would be on the focusing screen. Does the Canon have an interchangeable focus screen? If so take it out and clean it, if not have a camera tech do the same
Just remember that dust in the optical path that is not exactly on a plane of focus will not look like a sharp in-focus speck. Thi sgreatly limits the places it could be
If visible in the viewfinder the dust must be inside or on either the view finder optics or the pentaprism. If the view of the dust is sharp then it must be on EXACTLY the place the viewfinder focuses on. That would be on the focusing screen. Does the Canon have an interchangeable focus screen? If so take it out and clean it, if not have a camera tech do the same
Just remember that dust in the optical path that is not exactly on a plane of focus will not look like a sharp in-focus speck. Thi sgreatly limits the places it could be
Eh, there is a difference between knowing how to use and how to clean a camera. For example, would you buy that porsche if you didn't know how to change the oil and possess all of the wrenches in order to strip down the engine? Exactly. It sounds like he knows how to use the camera, just not how to clean it, and he's trying to learn. Your response was good but it did seem to come off kind of harsh. The problem is, on the itnernet you cannot see body language. Studies show you only have a 50% chance of interpreting something correctly, this is probably just a case of misinterpretation.
That said, I think I have some dust on my focusing screen. It's not on my lenses, it's not on my mirror that I can see, I think it's on the focussing screen. It doesn't bother me much, so I'll clean it later, when I learn how to do it correctly. As far as I'm concerned, if it doesn't need to be fixed right away, take the time to learn how to do it right, then make sure you've got lots of time to do it, so you aren't rushed. And good luck!
That said, I think I have some dust on my focusing screen. It's not on my lenses, it's not on my mirror that I can see, I think it's on the focussing screen. It doesn't bother me much, so I'll clean it later, when I learn how to do it correctly. As far as I'm concerned, if it doesn't need to be fixed right away, take the time to learn how to do it right, then make sure you've got lots of time to do it, so you aren't rushed. And good luck!
I would just like to add... go to ur local camera store and get a small air pump, it has saved me from insanity many times in the 3 months I've had it, all it does is just blows air (saliva free 
) into the sensor to knock off any dust (I do it every time i change lenses)
Their only like 5-10 bucks nothing special it just needs to blow air
) into the sensor to knock off any dust (I do it every time i change lenses)Their only like 5-10 bucks nothing special it just needs to blow air
I would just like to add... go to ur local camera store and get a small air pump, it has saved me from insanity many times in the 3 months I've had it, all it does is just blows air (saliva free
Their only like 5-10 bucks nothing special it just needs to blow air
is it compressed air like the canned stuff? Does it give decent pressure for a ncie cleaning?
Don't use canned air to clean the inside of your camera. There are drops of liquid propellant that come out with the "air."
There are small little round air brushes from camera stores, but some also sell pure CO2 air guns, which is used very carefully can help.
nice i should just break the top off my HPA tank and blow the hell out of it
that would be bad lol
Giotto's Rocket Air Blaster
Derrick Story has a good tip - use the blaster to blow dust off your lens BEFORE you swap it out. The idea is that a lot of the dust that eventually gets onto your sensor probably is falling off the lens, rather than being blown into the camera body while you're swapping lenses.
The standard advice is to have your camera aiming at the ground as you swap lenses; but personally I find that very hard to do.
Derrick Story has a good tip - use the blaster to blow dust off your lens BEFORE you swap it out. The idea is that a lot of the dust that eventually gets onto your sensor probably is falling off the lens, rather than being blown into the camera body while you're swapping lenses.
The standard advice is to have your camera aiming at the ground as you swap lenses; but personally I find that very hard to do.
Giotto's Rocket Air Blaster
Derrick Story has a good tip - use the blaster to blow dust off your lens BEFORE you swap it out.
The standard advice is to have your camera aiming at the ground as you swap lenses; but personally I find that very hard to do.
I agree, thats why i have it with the bottom of the camera flat on a table user blower then switch
That's not similar to the question he asked. The point is that you don't need to know how to care for a Porsche if you want to buy one. My mum doesn't know how to care for her car, and yet she spent around $30000 USD on her Volvo. People buy things all the time and never know how to care for it. Of course, they don't need to. They can take their camera into a store so that the store can help him/her get rid of the dust, or they can take their car to a mechanic, or to have it serviced for $30 so that they never need to change the oil, or know how to.
The question wasnt supposed to be analogous to the one he asked, it was stated to prove a point. As one person before you pointed out buying the Porsche without being able to tear down the engine and possessing the tools to do so. You see, this wasn't the point. Generally speaking it is logically inferred that a driver of a vehicle (regardless of type) will not do their own internal repairs/upkeep (yes yes, I understand there are exceptions to the rule) due to the complexity of it. But that person should be able to at least drive the vehicle. However, basic cleaning routines ARE something that Photographers would infer upon someone who owns a higher end camera and is willing to drop the credit card for it. It is a basic skill to owning a high end camera, or any camera for that matter. Not to mention the know-how to cleaning a camera is within the reach of the majority of people who can read and have opposable thumbs. Hence why in my original post I EXPLICITLY referred to the driving of the Porsche, and not the upkeep thereof.
As to the point at hand, there are also canned air systems that you can pump up yourself, so call "Eco Friendly" Air Duster systems. They can usually be found in computer stores and online.
I, personally, do not recommend the "bulb" type dusters. By their very design they simply move around dust, in addition to planting additional dust. Even ones with the "check valve" systems. Air is loaded with dust, unless your bulb blower includes a tiny HEPA filter on it, it is still getting dust inside. Dust that ends up on your optics when you use it.
As for canned air, if you're getting liquid propellant drops on your optics you're holding the can too close. You have to give the liquid ample time to boil to a gas. Try holding the can back a little further to insure all the liquid is converting.
Don't worry about dust in the viewfinder. I have dust in my 5Ds viewfinder. It doesn't show up in the images, and is just a minor annoyance. Using a rocket blower may dislodge it, but it also may knock it someplace else where you'd rather not have (although, I suppose the XTi is supposed to clean the sensor for you).