What is this thing appearing on my pictures?

[e-berlin.org]

Hi, I have the Sony ?230 DSLR and I was a very satisfied Sony customer until today in the park. I took few pictures of our friends, then I got back home and while viewing them later on my computer screen, I noticed this:

[ click to enlarge ]

[ click to enlarge ]

I cleaned the lens, took another shot of my white wall and it was still there. Then I changed the lens kit... STILL THERE. Is this a dying matrix? What should I do? Should I try to clean the reflecting mirror inside? What about the sensor above it? Do you know a safe way to clean these parts?

[Elliot B.]

Hi, I have the Sony ?230 DSLR and I was a very satisfied Sony customer until today in the park. I took few pictures of our friends, then I got back home and while viewing them later on my computer screen, I noticed this:

[ click to enlarge ]

[ click to enlarge ]

I cleaned the lens, took another shot of my white wall and it was still there. Then I changed the lens kit... STILL THERE. Is this a dying matrix? What should I do? Should I try to clean the reflecting mirror inside? What about the sensor above it? Do you know a safe way to clean these parts?

It's dust or something similar on the sensor/lens. Can be very difficult to repair.

[e-berlin.org]

It's dust or something similar on the sensor/lens. Can be very difficult to repair.

Really? :cry: How difficult?

[Elliot B.]

Really? :cry: How difficult?

Not sure to be fair. I had the same issue on my Fujifilm FinePix F40fd compact two years ago. I checked how much it would cost to repair - ?150. The camera was ?200 new when I bought it!

[Bamsebjørn]

Definitely a UFO... *puts on tin foil hat* :alien:

[JTaylor69]

Definitely a UFO... *puts on tin foil hat* :alien:

As he has seen it on a white wall too, it means his camera has been invaded.

Place the tin foil hat on the camera :alien: :D

[Scorbing]

Hi, I have the Sony ?230 DSLR and I was a very satisfied Sony customer until today in the park. I took few pictures of our friends, then I got back home and while viewing them later on my computer screen, I noticed this:

[ click to enlarge ]

[ click to enlarge ]

I cleaned the lens, took another shot of my white wall and it was still there. Then I changed the lens kit... STILL THERE. Is this a dying matrix? What should I do? Should I try to clean the reflecting mirror inside? What about the sensor above it? Do you know a safe way to clean these parts?

OH my God its a cloaked UFO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just kidding dude....Seriously, looks like dirt or a finger smudge. It could be outside the lens or inside.

[raid0]

There's still Photoshop to fix it after it's taken till you buy new camera. But yes it can be quite frustrating having this in pics

[Elliot B.]

There's still Photoshop to fix it after it's taken till you buy new camera. But yes it can be quite frustrating having this in pics

Content-Aware Fill is useful for this kind of thing sometimes but the camera will need to be fixed asap, still.

[RiverCampher]

Hi, I have the Sony ?230 DSLR and I was a very satisfied Sony customer until today in the park. I took few pictures of our friends, then I got back home and while viewing them later on my computer screen, I noticed this:

[ click to enlarge ]

[ click to enlarge ]

I cleaned the lens, took another shot of my white wall and it was still there. Then I changed the lens kit... STILL THERE. Is this a dying matrix? What should I do? Should I try to clean the reflecting mirror inside? What about the sensor above it? Do you know a safe way to clean these parts?

Have you tried using the cleaning option, I believe it should be buried in the menu options of your camera somewhere?

[e-berlin.org]

Thank you for your help and for being so mature.

People with my problem, see these:

http://www.cleaningdigitalcameras.com/methods.html

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=9606D73E7FD66A0D

It seems to be another case of dust bunnies.

If you're not confident about cleaning your DSLR yourself, the cleaning costs about 10 EUR / 15 USD.

[SYBINX]

Thank you for your help and for being so mature.

People with my problem, see these:

http://www.cleaningdigitalcameras.com/methods.html

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=9606D73E7FD66A0D

It seems to be the case of the dust bunnies.

I was going to say the same as everybody else... smudge on the lens.

Good website for tips on cleaning, adding this to my favourites.

[e-berlin.org]

I was going to say the same as everybody else... smudge on the lens.

It's not the lens (I tried taking pictures with different lens and it's the same), it's on the mirror or on the sensor (I hope not there).

[deactivated_]

I agree at this point it's probably dust on the sensor. I love all the people that keep saying it's the lens.... did they actually read the words you wrote? lol Buried deep in the menus you may be able to 'clean' the sensor. Which actually just tells it not to use the bit that has the dust on it, actually, as funny as it sounds. Since of course there is no internal mechanism that physically 'cleans' the sensor.

[Argote]

It definitely looks like dust on the sensor (since you mention it appears with at least two different lenses); if it were on the mirror you'd see it in the viewfinder but NOT on the actual photos. You can try looking for a sensor clean function (my A200 does have a "cleaning mode" in the menu), use something to blow air on it to clear out the dust (if you're confident on what you are doing, research online) or take it to a shop, cleaning the sensor should not be very expensive.

[e-berlin.org]

It definitely looks like dust on the sensor (since you mention it appears with at least two different lenses); if it were on the mirror you'd see it in the viewfinder but NOT on the actual photos. You can try looking for a sensor clean function (my A200 does have a "cleaning mode" in the menu), use something to blow air on it to clear out the dust (if you're confident on what you are doing, research online) or take it to a shop, cleaning the sensor should not be very expensive.

Thank you for staying on-topic and for the advice. I'll consider it and I'm going to try to obtain the tools needed and clean it myself tomorrow.

[Argote]

Did you try the sensor cleaning mode?

[Guest]

I assume your lens is removable? If so, it'll probably not be to hard to fix at all.

I ususally just blow air with one of these

Your camera should have an option for a cleaning mode to allow the mirror to lower. If not, simply set it to manual bulb or 30 second exposure.

Blow air into the camera on the sensor with the sensor facing the direction of the ground, otherwise, you'll be blowing dust around rather than removing it.

Failing that, you should be able to get it sorted at any decent camera shop for about ?10-30

The usually ultra sonic sensor cleaning modes in most cameras is initiated as you switch it on/off. It works best for smaller particles but it appears the one you have hear is pretty chunky.

Worst case would be that this spec is actually in the barrel of the lens which would be an expensive fix, you'd be better off buying a replacement lens imo. Just saw that this issue happens with another lens.

Just to clarify some things also about what you said. The mirror just reflects light from the lens to the viewfinder. That thing you think is the sensor is a prism, turning the upside down image from the lens, the right way up and projecting it into the viewfinder.

The sensor is actually behind the mirror and that clunk you hear when you take a photo is the mirror lowing and raising back up again and the shutter opening and closing. So like I said, to access the sensor, you need to either put your camera into sensor cleaning mode or just set it to manual and do a long exposure or set it to bulb and manually hold the shutter as long as you need.

[e-berlin.org]

Thanks _DP, I'll do that.

[Seizure1990]

Someone said it's impossible for a self-cleaning mechanism, but just FTR, the Canon Digital Rebel cleans the sensor automatically whenever you shut it down by vibrating it rapidly to shake off any dust that may have gotten in.

Sorry, I know that's a bit off topic.

[e-berlin.org]

Someone said it's impossible for a self-cleaning mechanism, but just FTR, the Canon Digital Rebel cleans the sensor automatically whenever you shut it down by vibrating it rapidly to shake off any dust that may have gotten in. Sorry, I know that's a bit off topic.

My Alpha also has this feature,

Anti-Dust Technology

Anti-Dust Technology helps keep the CCD imager clean,
resulting in consistently better pictures, by utilizing a
static-free anti-dust coating on the CCD filter, as well as
an anti-dust vibration that automatically shakes the CCD
to help dislodge dust each time the camera is shut off.

but I guess it's not so effective when you do a lot "off-road" like me and change lens in the open. Anyway, I cleaned it finally using this thingy and I'm definitely going to be more careful from now on when switching lens. Thanks you all for your help.