testing for dust

What is the best way to test for dust on the sensor? Just take a photograph of white paper, or is there a better method? Thanks!

White paper works great. I put mine on a table with a light source above.

Stop down to f22 or the smallest aperture your lens will go. Fill the frame with the paper but do not focus on the paper - I usually set the focus to infinity. Take picture, do an auto-levels in PS and there you go!

boda bing boda boom... Thanks!

perhaps before going to the trouble, if you think you really have a dust issue (i.e. you see dust in pics taken at f/11 or wider), do a few quick blows with the rocket blower, then check it out. That way you will only have to possibly check once.

stupid question, i know
laugh if you must
ive hear and read alot about focusing on infinity
but how do you do this?

I find that with white paper I see the grain of the paper too much. I take a pic of a cloudless blue sky.

Ryanisme wrote in post #2391516
stupid question, i know
laugh if you must
ive hear and read alot about focusing on infinity
but how do you do this?

Switch to manual focus and turn the focusing ring.

I open up a blank page in Microsoft Word and then shoot the computer screen out of focus at F22.

-BillP