Spots visible in pictures and viewfinder (and it is not dirt on the lenses)

Hi all!

I got a Rebel XT last week, and found later that all pictures with light backgrounds (mostly clear skies) did show a couple dark spots. The spots appear always in the same places in all pictures. After cleaning the lenses and UV filter I use, they are still there, so I thought that maybe there was dust on the sensor.

The funny thing is that I have noticed that those spots appear also in the viewfinder!! ( I carefully checked the position of the spots in the viewfinder and later compared them to those appearing in the pictures, and they do match).

How is that possible?

Can you post some sample shots?

What lens is it? Could it be dust inside the lens?

I have uploaded a picture that shows the spots. Contrast has been increased in Photoshop to make it easy to see, because I do not have in hand the best examples (I took this picture in he evening, so the sky was not very bright). There is also a cropped section at full size showing one of the spots.

HOSTED PHOTO
please log in to view hosted photos in full size.

HOSTED PHOTO
please log in to view hosted photos in full size.

The lens is a EFS 17-85 IS UMS (also brand new like the camera). In the first pictures I took the spots did not appear, so I do not think that the problem is in the lense...

If you're seeing spots the same place on the photos and in the viewfinder, I'd suspect coincidence. Clean the sensor (start with a Giottos Rocket Blower, then escalate as needed) and see if the same thing continues.

Dust on Sensor. You'll find lots of threads on that. Get a blower if that doesn't work, you'll need some Sensor Swabs and Eclipse Fluid.

That appears to be dust on your sensor.

Thanks a lot for your responses! Of course, after cleaning the lenses, first thing that came to my mind was dust sensor. But, how can they appear both in the viewfinder and in the taken pictures? I thought that what appears on the viewfinder comes directly from the lenses, after reflecting on the mirror that covers the sensor, so unless it is a coincidence as Jon says...

I agree with the others, looks like sensor dust. Also unless the dust on the lens was bigger than a grain of rice the camera would focus past it(you wouldn't see it). I vote giottos.