sensor dust

Hi,

Is it normal to be able to see dust through the viewfinger? I have a 30D and I can see a few specks through it. I noticed it last night and wasn't able to actually take a photograph at F22 or above to be able to verify.

Thanks

Adam

yea its normal, just get a rocket blower and give your sensor a little cleaning and youll be fine.

it might be dust on the focusing screen. if the dust is on the sensor, you wont be seeing it on the viewfinder.

You can't see sensor dust in the viewfinder, it's hidden by the mirror. You may have dust on the focusing screen or in the viewfinder. Use a Rocket Blower or similiar blower and see if it goes away. No canned air!

that focusing screen dust can be stubborn. air is your friend.

I have the same problem 2 days ago in the focusing screen and I cleaned it w/blower and the dust go a way

I've taken the lens off and used a rocket blower. Maybe this is a dumb question, but where exactly is the focusing screen? Thanks for your help.

Adam

if you were to look at the front of your camera (without lens attached), the focusing screen is going to be above the mirror. it you look closely, you will be able to see the focus points on the screen.

what size giottos rocket blower is the best? they have small, medium & large ones. i have 5d and 1dmk2n and xti.

Get the small one for the xti, the medium one for the 5d and the large one for the 1d. (JK)

Might as well get the biggest for the maximum air movement.. unless space in your bag is scarce (with a 5d, 1dmk2n and xti, thats a lot of camera!)

sjafari wrote in post #2333542
if you were to look at the front of your camera (without lens attached), the focusing screen is going to be above the mirror. it you look closely, you will be able to see the focus points on the screen.

thanks, So I wouldn't lock up the mirror (Like if I was cleaning the sensor) to clean this?

thanks

Adam

KCMO Al wrote in post #2333604
Get the small one for the xti, the medium one for the 5d and the large one for the 1d. (JK)

LOL, Now that one I liked.

Seriously, The medium one or the large works fine with all Canon DSLRs. The small one doesn't push enough air in my opinion. I have the medium because it was the largest I found when I was looking and though it was the large. It works fine.

adammazza wrote in post #2333901
thanks, So I wouldn't lock up the mirror (Like if I was cleaning the sensor) to clean this?

Nope, the mirror stays down to clean the focusing screen. If you lock the mirror up, the mirror will block the focusing screen.

I'm going to be a little contrarian on this - I *used* to use blowers, now I never do anymore.

Unless you are in a dust proof environment, at some point you are blowing in dust as much as you get out. I also have found that I have been able to blow dust up into the viewfinder - which upon thinking about it, makes sense since the velocity of the air coming out of the blower is really quite high.

So, I now use the visible dust arctic butterfly method of cleaning sensors (there is also a DIY brush that is much cheaper) with much, much better success. I suppose that could also be used on focusing screens as well. Popping the focusing screens out and replacing them is no big deal. So, if that dust really bothers you, I'd do that and clean it in that method.

J.