Spot in pictures

This spot shows up in all my pictures. Doesn't matter which lens I use. I also can see it when looking through viewfinder. Is it sensor dust or is it on the mirror? I know I have lots of other spots but this one is starting to bother me. ISO 150 55mm F22 on a Canon Rebel XS

It's dust on the sensor. Search "cleaning your cameras sensor". There are many different methods, they all work. Some prefer one, some another. It really doesn't matter which you choose, just pick one that works for you and clean it. If your not comfortable doing it yourself, look for someone local that can do it for you or send it to Canon for a cleaning.

If he is seeing it through the viewfinder too, it's not likely dust on the sensor. Probably on the mirror?

Dust on the mirror is not going to show up on the image as the mirror is lifted out of the way when the image is exposed.

I just read the post more carefully and we have a mystery on our hands. If you see a spot in the viewfinder and the image, it has to be on part of the optical path common to both. That eliminates the sensor, mirrors, viewfinder, penta mirror, and leaves only the lens. But as this is showing up on multiple lenses, the odds of a spot being on all lenses in the same place is astronomical. There is one other area and that is the space between the rear element of the lens and the surface of the mirror. Something like a spider made a web in front of the mirror.

Thanks for all the replies. I have used the blower a couple of times and it is still there. Ordered a cleaning kit from Amazon (with solution and swabs), and will give cleaning the sensor a try because I know I have other spots. It is really easy to remove with Photos but it is just kind of annoying when getting ready to take a picture. With it showing up in viewfinder too is what really has me baffled.

JackCharlton wrote in post #19067405
Thanks for all the replies. I have used the blower a couple of times and it is still there. Ordered a cleaning kit from Amazon (with solution and swabs), and will give cleaning the sensor a try because I know I have other spots. It is really easy to remove with Photos but it is just kind of annoying when getting ready to take a picture. With it showing up in viewfinder too is what really has me baffled.

That's the baffling thing. I've been cleaning my own sensors for years and on multiple cameras. Only once have I seen spots on an image that was not due to sensor dust. They turned out to be on the rear element of a lens, but I have never seen spots on an image and being able to see it in the VF as well. That is really odd.

Our weather is supposed to clear up tomorrow and stay nice for a while so I will take test shots with my different lenses again. Cleaning kit will be here sometime Sunday or Monday and I will give that a try. I do swap lenses a lot when out on photo walks so I'm not surprised I have dirt in places it shouldn't be! Gotta love the people on POTN because they always come through with answers and advice when I have questions.

Well, after blowing and wet cleaning sensor three times the spots are still visible. Should I keep trying to wet wipe these two off? Where the spots show up in picture is not where they would be on the sensor, correct? The top left spot would be bottom left if I am thinking correctly. Maybe it is something else like dead pixels? My camera is not new, Rebel XS and I would have no idea of how many actuations. When I look into camera with mirror out of the way and using a flashlight I cannot see anything on the sensor. I still see the spot in the viewfinder as well.

Can you post a greatly zoomed in picture of the spot? It's hard to tell in the picture posted, but it looks more like dead pixels. Dust spots have soft edges as they are not in perfect focus. The spot your showing looks to have really well defined edges. Just curious, when you open up the aperture, does the spot go away?

Looks like a dead pixel cluster; but, I cannot fathom even *remotely* how that would show up in the VF...

Seems like a solid candidate to send to Canon, to me. This is definitely a weird one.

Snydremark wrote in post #19070320
Looks like a dead pixel cluster; but, I cannot fathom even *remotely* how that would show up in the VF...

Seems like a solid candidate to send to Canon, to me. This is definitely a weird one.

Yes, dead pixels will not show up in the VF and in pictures. The whole VF thing is really a mystery. I guess it's possible that there is a sensor spot and a piece of dust in exactly the same location on the focus screen, but the odds of that happening have to be astronomical.

Here is an expanded picture. It isn't very sharp. I can start to see the spot at f-5, I took the same shot all the way through f 1.8 to f 22.

So, definitely not dead pixel(s) as those would be solidly bordered. Like Gil said, this has all the visual of something stuck to the sensor; you add a complete mystery to the whole thing with being visible in the viewfinder though. Only someone looking at the internals of the camera, closely, is going to be able to ID what the heck's happening.

Just so you don't think I am crazy the dot sort of at the end of the arrow is what I see in the viewfinder. I do see the other spots in viewfinder but I don't think they show up in my pictures but that one left side closer to top does I think. Maybe I am crazy and they are not the same spots!! Thanks for everyones help.