Dust!

I have a Canon Digital Rebel XTi (EOS 400D). There's dust clearly
visible through the viewfinder, even with the lens off. I've cleaned
the mirror, but the dust is still there.

How do I clean it off? I don't have any compressed air, and wasn't sure
anyway whether that's safe to blow into my camera's innards anyway.

Thanks for any help.

jmc

"jmc" wrote in message
...

I have a Canon Digital Rebel XTi (EOS 400D). There's dust clearly visible
through the viewfinder, even with the lens off. I've cleaned the mirror,
but the dust is still there.

The dust will be on the focussing screen (just above the mirror, facing
downwards)

Cheers adrian www.boliston.co.uk

Suddenly, without warning, Adrian Boliston exclaimed (7/22/2007 8:44 PM):
"jmc" wrote in message
...

I have a Canon Digital Rebel XTi (EOS 400D). There's dust clearly visible
through the viewfinder, even with the lens off. I've cleaned the mirror,
but the dust is still there.

The dust will be on the focussing screen (just above the mirror, facing
downwards)

Cheers adrian www.boliston.co.uk



Thank you. I feel like a victim in a thriller: "look UP!"

Is canned air the best way to clean the innards? It was really hard,
even with my small hands, to clear the dust off of that screen.

jmc

"jmc" wrote in message
...
I have a Canon Digital Rebel XTi (EOS 400D). There's dust clearly visible
through the viewfinder, even with the lens off. I've cleaned the mirror,
but the dust is still there.

How do I clean it off? I don't have any compressed air, and wasn't sure
anyway whether that's safe to blow into my camera's innards anyway.

Thanks for any help.

jmc

Hi.

As I said in a slightly earlier thread, Mirror cleaning is something which
should only ever be done once or twice in a lifetime (yours not the
camera's).

These Mirrors are surface silvered, and the least thing can cause permanent
scratches.

If the dust is moderate, and does not obstruct your VF view of the Image,
and does not appear on the Image itself, just ignore it.

If great black lumps show in the VF, and a quick rub with a CLEAN lens brush
or wipe on the underside of the Fresnel Screen, (above the mirror), does not
get rid of them, then they are inside the VF optics and that will require a
visit to the Service Centre.

Roy G

"jmc" wrote in message
...

Is canned air the best way to clean the innards? It was really hard, even
with my small hands, to clear the dust off of that screen.

I get the odd annoying bit of dust on the focussing screen, but have used a
small microfibre lens cloth to shift it, but it does not seem to get rid of
the very tiny specks, but they don't worry me too much. I usually carry a
giotto rocket blower which shifts larger bits of dust before resorting to a
cloth. With canned air I would worry about blowing propellant onto the
screen, but some canned airs are better than others I understand.

On Jul 22, 7:40 am, jmc wrote:
Suddenly, without warning, Adrian Boliston exclaimed (7/22/2007 8:44 PM):

"jmc" wrote in message
...

I have a Canon Digital Rebel XTi (EOS 400D). There's dust clearly visible
through the viewfinder, even with the lens off. I've cleaned the mirror,
but the dust is still there.

The dust will be on the focussing screen (just above the mirror, facing
downwards)

Cheers adrianwww.boliston.co.uk

Thank you. I feel like a victim in a thriller: "look UP!"

Is canned air the best way to clean the innards? It was really hard,
even with my small hands, to clear the dust off of that screen.

jmc


Never use canned air, the propellant is nasty and difficult to remove,
the mirror should not be touched with anything, very delicate. Use a
Rocket Blower or an ear syringe from the drugstore, the disadvantage
of the latter is the inhale the dust, and after a while you are
blowing dust around. Dust in the viewfinder is more annoying than a
true problem. But if you have dust there shoot a few pics of the sky
at f16, see if you have dust on the AA filter that covers the sensor.

Tom

On Jul 22, 7:40 am, jmc wrote:
Suddenly, without warning, Adrian Boliston exclaimed (7/22/2007 8:44 PM):

"jmc" wrote in message
...

I have a Canon Digital Rebel XTi (EOS 400D). There's dust clearly visible
through the viewfinder, even with the lens off. I've cleaned the mirror,
but the dust is still there.

The dust will be on the focussing screen (just above the mirror, facing
downwards)

Cheers adrianwww.boliston.co.uk

Thank you. I feel like a victim in a thriller: "look UP!"

Is canned air the best way to clean the innards? It was really hard,
even with my small hands, to clear the dust off of that screen.

jmc


Never use canned air, the propellant is nasty and difficult to remove,
the mirror should not be touched with anything, very delicate. Use a
Rocket Blower or an ear syringe from the drugstore, the disadvantage
of the latter is the inhale the dust, and after a while you are
blowing dust around. Dust in the viewfinder is more annoying than a
true problem. But if you have dust there shoot a few pics of the sky
at f16, see if you have dust on the AA filter that covers the sensor.

Tom

jmc wrote:
I have a Canon Digital Rebel XTi (EOS 400D). There's dust clearly
visible through the viewfinder, even with the lens off. I've cleaned
the mirror, but the dust is still there.

How do I clean it off? I don't have any compressed air, and wasn't sure
anyway whether that's safe to blow into my camera's innards anyway.

Thanks for any help.

jmc
Do not concern yourself with dust that is visible through the
viewfinder. Under NO circumstances use canned compressed air inside the
mirror chamber. Only use a squeeze bulb type blower such as a Giotto
Rocket or dedicated chamber brushes.

Your major problem will be dust on the low pass filter protecting the
sensor (the sensor itself is never directly exposed to dust.) This you
will discover when you find dust spots in large fields of color such as
sky. These spots can be fixed in post processing with PhotoShop, but can
become a real pain and all you can do is clean the low pass filter. Here
go to your camera manual and follow instructions to lock the mirror up
and expose the sensor. usually a sensor brush will solve the problem.
(never use the same brush you use for cleaning the chamber, and always
blow the brush off with a blower or compressed air first. NEVER TOUCH
the bristles with fingers to leave grease.) Take care not to move
shutter grease onto the low pass filter.

Sometimes dust on the low pass filter (the protective glass in front of
the sensor) is fixed and cannot be moved with a brush. Here is when you
will have to resort to a wet cleaning technique. Just use the right
tools. Even so you might have to repeat several times to remove really
persistent spots.
You might need to check and clean your lenses and any filters you might
be using for spots.

Anyway here are a few URLs for cleaning tools and information.


http://www.cleaningdigitalcameras.com/
http://www.photosol.com/
http://www.kinetronics.com/
http://www.2filter.com/prices/products/eclipse.html
https://www.micro-tools.com/store/home.aspx
http://www.visibledust.com/products.php

Good luck,
'Duck

X-Man wrote:


Wiping a tear of laughter from my eye..... You DSLR fans are a HOOT!!!

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

… and you are a great problem solver.

Some of us have chosen to have the flexibility and lens options the
DSLR provides us. For the most part dust is not a problem (certainly if
it is only visible in the view finder.)
Taking care when changing lenses is the best prevenative.

Once sensor dust is detected those of us who have the skills will clean
that low pass filter ourselves or fix images with PS.

For the most part P&S digitals do a good job within their limitations
and your demands are probably adequately filled with your dust free P&S.
I would say your noise problems with high ISO shots due to small sensor
size, especially with a high MP P&S are a bigger problem than dust will
ever be to a quality DSLR of any make.

The OP had a problem and helpful posters tried to help, some did, you
did not.

Suddenly, without warning, Adrian Boliston exclaimed (7/22/2007 10:41 PM):
"jmc" wrote in message
...

Is canned air the best way to clean the innards? It was really hard, even
with my small hands, to clear the dust off of that screen.

I get the odd annoying bit of dust on the focussing screen, but have used a
small microfibre lens cloth to shift it, but it does not seem to get rid of
the very tiny specks, but they don't worry me too much. I usually carry a
giotto rocket blower which shifts larger bits of dust before resorting to a
cloth. With canned air I would worry about blowing propellant onto the
screen, but some canned airs are better than others I understand.



Good point. I forgot about those little "manual" blowers. I'll drop by
the photo shop tomorrow and see if they carry them.

jmc