HOLY CRAP! The dust shaker actually works!

That looks very similar to my XTi after a couple of months. I'm down to a few spots that I'm convinced are lubricant. Very tough to remove and unfortunately they are big enough to see in sky shots. versedmb, try taking a picture of the sky and running auto-levels in photoshop. You will most likely be amazed. Of course like Nicholas said, if you can't see them in your final shots, then don't worry about it.

I have a 400d and have issues with dust, although it has noticeably less dust than my 30d used at the same rate

When my XTi was only a couple months old, I mounted my 75-300 mm "dust trombone" and then used it to take about a hundred shots during a woodturning class. For those not familiar with this craft, it generates huge amounts of fine airborne dust and since green wood was used, the dust in the air was full of VOC's (stuff that can soften the lignum in wood). The "dust trombone" received a good workout that day and managed to deposit huge amounts of wet organic deposits on the sensor. The shaker was no match for this stuff since it is essentially a lignum based adhesive. It was several weeks before I got some E2 fluid and Sensor Swabs so by that time the stuff had thoroughly dried. It required about six or seven cleanings to get rid of all of the nasty boogers, but the alcohol did manage to dissolve the stuff. One thing that I did that is not recommended was to get a swab extra wet and go over the surface of the sensor several times to soften things up. I followed this step up with a normal cleaning. My reason for this abnormal step was that it became obvious that the normal cleaning was insufficient to do any more than mop the goo around on the surface. I don't advocate doing what I did.

Lesson learned:
Be careful where I use the "dust trombone". Get some different lenses with internal focusing. Take care of dust and other stuff on the sensor promptly -- if it is wet organic stuff, it can be a real headache.

Get some different lenses with internal focusing. Take care of dust and other stuff on the sensor promptly -- if it is wet organic stuff, it can be a real headache.

This is exactly the point I was trying to make, Bill. You also have to remember that for most of the US, 6 of the 12 months in a year can get both extremely humid and hot, dry and dusty (the gravel road I live on is a great example of the latter). So the incidence of moisture-laden particles as well as the polleny type is weather dependent.
I.U.N.C. (Indescribable, Unexplainable, Nebulous Crud) will probably invade everyone's chambers more so at those times of the year than right now.

I have 4 lenses of which only one telescopes slightly when zooming. This particular lens will be the last one I own that doesn't zoom and focus internally, so you have definitely learned your lessons well.

Nicholas
www.copperhillimages.c​om

1DsMK3 samples

Originally posted by versedmb:
Interesting, but so what? Its very doubtful that you would notice this in the vast majority of images/prints

Originally posted by Elizabeth Thomas:
Of course like Nicholas said, if you can't see them in your final shots, then don't worry about it.

Here are some initial shots from the 1DsMK3 w/dust shaker:
http://dc.watch.impres​s.co.jp …view/2007/10/11​/7180.html

And here is one of the full-sized harbor shots taken at f/11 (ISO 200):
http://dc.watch.impres​s.co.jp …link/113341-7180-7-1.html
It's a large file, but you should be able to see a bunch of dust without even taking it to PS. Run levels on it and I come up with 17 dust-bunnies in the sky, and this was taken at f/11!! The point here is that if the shooter were to submit this for publication, the editor might ask what those medium-gray blobs in the sky were?

Nicholas
www.copperhillimages.c​om

P.S. - Bunnies aside and some lens problems aside in these shots (left edge softness), this looks to be an incredible cam!!!!