Bubbles in flash pictures

[BobShaw]

Please see www.istop.com/~lycott/Canon.htm for a full description and examples of this problem. I get "balloons" or "targets"on most flash pictures with both S240 and S400 cameras which local Canon techs can not identify or solve.

[Markeau]

It's dust (or, if outside, possibly flying insects) close to the lens and out of focus. It shows up more for digital cams than film cams. Can't find it right now but there's a site where a guy shook a dusty blanket and took some flash shots and so was able to consistently duplicate the "artifacts".

http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&newwindow=1&safe=off&frame=right&th=91b764837cbd0c06&seekm=1v1H9.4293%245P3.203031%40newsfeed.slurp.net #link9

[Tom W]

I ageee - its probably dust. Have you taken any flash pictures in other locations? From what I recall, the flash reflection from airborne dust becomes more apparent when the flash is closer to the lens as it would be with smaller cameras.

[atotos]

I've noticed it happens with high ISO values. Has anyone considered that ? Just my 2 cents--- :)

[cheewooi]

I have this simpton when i shoot the picture at night with flash of low light. It happen in any ISO setting. It happens when the A70 CCD sensor is pointed to a bright light source at night with the flash on. I dun think it's a dust coz my lense are clean. And it happenes when there's reflection on the object we shoot. Untill today I still unable to find any better solution, but the onli solution is try no to shoot the object which have a very bright source behind the object or point the CCD to the light source!

Anyone have better solution? I am interested to know about it! Thanks

[juno]

you mentioned that you used two different models of cameras in those pictures with bubbles.

did you use the same CF card?? it could be the culprit.
i used to have the same problem with my A100 it only disappeared when i changed CF cards. The problem came in intermittently so the canon guys cannot figure out what was the problem. Changing CF card solved my problem.

[JonMarchant]

Looks like dust floating close to the camera to me, not on the lens itself. I took a shot of fog a while back that shows the effect:
http://www.jonmarchant.clara.net/photo/misc/misc10.html

Here's a couple of snow as well:
http://www.jonmarchant.clara.net/photo/usa2002/cat8.html
http://www.jonmarchant.clara.net/photo/usa2002/cat9.html

Jon