Unfreaking Believeable

[DVC Jen]

OK I took the camera back in - they cleaned the sensor again (wet clean not a blower) and vacuumed out the inside -which took some of the dust from the eye piece but not all.

I am more concerned about the sensor. I brought the camera home.. took 4 shots. One at f/32 and the others at f/22, f/11 and f/5.6. The spots are still there.

They were super nice, but I just had a feeling.

The guy said that my sensor could be damaged and it might not be dust - but from every image I have seen with dust it looks just like what I am seeing with my camera.

And if there was a damaged sensor wouldn't the damage show up in every photo equally and not just at a lower aperature?

So I am loading the images onto the laptop and I am taking the camera an additional lens and the laptop up to "chat".

 

[Gdad]

Good luck- I agree with you though- I think a damaged sensor would demonstrate a consistent spot irregardless of f-stop setting, which is the lens. I know I said it before but I keep thinking it is in your lens. Why else would the spots become more visible at a greater depth of field and disapear at a shallow one?

Have you tried focusing the lens from close to infiniti and seeing how that affects things? My guess would be more visible at close focus, even at f5.6

 

[jann1033]

OK I took the camera back in - they cleaned the sensor again (wet clean not a blower) and vacuumed out the inside -which took some of the dust from the eye piece but not all.

I am more concerned about the sensor. I brought the camera home.. took 4 shots. One at f/32 and the others at f/22, f/11 and f/5.6. The spots are still there.

They were super nice, but I just had a feeling.

The guy said that my sensor could be damaged and it might not be dust - but from every image I have seen with dust it looks just like what I am seeing with my camera.

And if there was a damaged sensor wouldn't the damage show up in every photo equally and not just at a lower aperature?

So I am loading the images onto the laptop and I am taking the camera an additional lens and the laptop up to "chat".

Jen, didn't you get your camera last summer? if so it should be under warranty or you could at least call tech support and find out if it sounds like a sensor or not...and considering you didn't attempt to clean it or anything what would have damaged it? same with any lenses.they should be able to tell if something is wrong or not...but if they are consistant lens to lens what would be the chances the same thing happened to all your lenses???

 

[mabas9395]

And if there was a damaged sensor wouldn't the damage show up in every photo equally and not just at a lower aperature?

I don't know for sure about sensor damage, but when I look for dust on my sensor, you are supposed to set it to the lowest aperture because it makes the dust easier to see. So in that way I can see how sensor damage might be more or less visible depending on the aperture.

 

[photo_chick]

Jen, didn't you get your camera last summer? if so it should be under warranty or you could at least call tech support and find out if it sounds like a sensor or not...and considering you didn't attempt to clean it or anything what would have damaged it? same with any lenses.they should be able to tell if something is wrong or not...but if they are consistant lens to lens what would be the chances the same thing happened to all your lenses???

If it was cleaned or serviced by a non factory authorized service center that would probably void the warranty.

 

[DVC Jen]

OK - I took the laptop and the camera back. The technician came out to talk to me - I couldn't understand a word he was saying. He spoke with an extremely thick asian accent. The two ladies who work with him could also not understand him. When he saw the spots on the photo he insisted that ANY camera even a new one would have spots if you take a photo of the sky - which is what I did. I told him that was not true because when I first got this camera I wasn't having this issue. It has only been in the past 8 weeks or so that they have appeared.

To that he waved his hand towards the new cameras and said (I think) would you like to try taking a picture of the sky with a new camera so I can prove to you I am right. I said "sure". He then shook his head and walked away.

A few minutes later as I was talking to the ladies at the counter he came back and asked me why I was so worried about it anyway - the spots won't show up in a portrait. I couldn't believe it.

At that point I was furious with him and told them they had one of three choices - they could fix my camera and get rid of the dust they had deposited in the eye piece as well. Or they could refund the $195.00 +tax to my credit card or give me 195.00 = tax worth of store credit.

The ladies said they could not make that decision it had to be done by the store owner and he was out for the day. They also reassured me that they had a 90 day warranty and they would do everything they could to fix the issue. And please bring the camera back when the owner was there.

The ladies were extremely nice - they totally understood why I am so frustrated and angry and they could also clearly see the spots on the photos and made an attempt to point them out to the technician who wanted nothing to do with me.

The owner will be in tomorrow, but my youngest has a dance competition so I won't be able to go back until Monday afternoon.

Jeff - I took photos with two different lenses wondering if it were a lens issues as well. I took the photos with 2 lenses and 3 different aperature settings.

Jann - I got my camera on December 7th of 2006. Yes it is still under warranty and if they can not clean it - I will be sending it back to be worked on by canon.

Mabas - I did a search for dust on DSLR sensor and this is what I found.

Dealing with Dust on DSLR Sensors
Have you ever noticed small darkish patches in areas of blue sky in landscape photos taken with your digital SLR? They're probably produced by dust on the image sensor. In most cases, it's not on the sensor itself but on the filter or protective glass that covers it; but the result is the same; it shows up on digital photos. Not all of them, though; in most cases, dust is only visible in shots with large areas that have minimal detail when the shot was taken with a small lens aperture.

The smaller the aperature the more noticable it is on my camera - that is why I am really sure it is dust and not a sensor issue. And it does show up on other photos and not just ones of the sky - it is merely MORE noticable in the sky than on "busier" areas of a photo.

I am going to try to take these photos of my co-workers kids tonight and enjoy my weekend - not trying to dwell on this. But I really have had it - especially with that technician. I so do not want him ever touching my camera again.

 

[DVC Jen]

If it was cleaned or serviced by a non factory authorized service center that would probably void the warranty.

This is posted right on their website

Garland Camera has kept service as their main focus. "We still do repairs," Jim noted. "At one time, we were the only store with in-house repairs. Today we are certified to do warranty repairs for Canon, Minolta, Fuji and Bronica." In addition to sales of Nikon, Canon, Minolta, Pentax, Yashica and Fuji, Garland Camera offers darkroom equipment and a processing lab for amateur and professional photographers.

 

[Anewman]

Do you have images with the dust PRIOR to having them "clean" the sensor.

I would be willing to bet that the spots have moved, hence proving that it is dust and not a faulty sensor.

And yes brand new cameras taken out of the box have been known to have dust already on the sensor, lets remember they are not assembled or packaged in a clean room enviroment.

 

[DVC Jen]

Do you have images with the dust PRIOR to having them "clean" the sensor.

I would be willing to bet that the spots have moved, hence proving that it is dust and not a faulty sensor.

And yes brand new cameras taken out of the box have been known to have dust already on the sensor, lets remember they are not assembled or packaged in a clean room enviroment.

I just went back and pulled up a photo from when I first noticed the dust. it was on March 6th. I had taken photos of the towns tornado sirens for the citys RACES website - and siren testing information.

I compared the dust on those to what I am seeing from today and the dust is different and there is much more of it today than that day. The specks for the most part look the same - but are not in the exact same places.

Here is a photo taken on March 6th

and one from when we got back from my second "cleaning"

 

[LPZ_Stitch!]

Well, that ought to shut him down on the "sensor damage" ... never heard of sensor damage moving around, or spontaneously fixing itself in a particular spot for that matter!

I have a suspicion that their "cleaning" service was nothing more than shooting a blast of compressed air into your camera....

Sorry you have to deal with this crap instead of getting out there and taking your "DIS Photo Assignment -- Spring" pics!

 

[tinksdad]

OMG!! I take it all back. What a bone head!!!

Except for the "that's why I do mine myself"

While everyone admits that $200 is a chunk, you're paying for their knowledge and ability more than just the time it takes to do the work. But then, that's why I do mine myself. I'm curious of how they clean the entire camera. Do they take some parts off, or just vacuum from the lens hole. I imagine the former, but don't don't know for sure.

So sorry for your frustration!! It'll be fine in the long run, have faith!!

 

[DVC Jen]

I was told they swab the sensor and vacuum.

I personally would like to know what he swabbed the sensor with - or maybe I don't.

 

[jann1033]

i wonder if it's possible they reuse the swab, and deposit more gunk in the process...haven't done it but i thought you were supposed to only do one pass( could totally be wrong) Jen, you with the camera, me with the lens...together we have one working kit

 

[ktulu]

Did they saw swab or "swab" meaning the tech's finger, and "cleaning fluid" which is him licking the "swab"...

Garland Camera, I'll have to avoid them

 

[Groucho]

This is posted right on their website

Garland Camera has kept service as their main focus. "We still do repairs," Jim noted. "At one time, we were the only store with in-house repairs. Today we are certified to do warranty repairs for Canon, Minolta, Fuji and Bronica." In addition to sales of Nikon, Canon, Minolta, Pentax, Yashica and Fuji, Garland Camera offers darkroom equipment and a processing lab for amateur and professional photographers.

Hmm... when was their site updated? Yashica and Bronica stopped selling cameras in 2005 and Minolta stopped in early 2006........!

Sorry you've had to go through this ordeal. There's nothing worse than having to fight with some place that has given you poor service. (OK, a getting your arm cut off with a chainsaw is worse, but fighting over service is still lousy!)

 

[DVC Jen]

Hmm... when was their site updated? Yashica and Bronica stopped selling cameras in 2005 and Minolta stopped in early 2006........!

Sorry you've had to go through this ordeal. There's nothing worse than having to fight with some place that has given you poor service. (OK, a getting your arm cut off with a chainsaw is worse, but fighting over service is still lousy!)

Groucho - thank you. I really really needed that laugh today.

This camera issue is just one of so many things that has been really dragging me down. For the past month we have had so many things go wrong and had to fight to get them corrected. Those things on top of an insanely busy calendar (primarily dance stuff with our youngest), trying to get the house ready for the onslaught of family for our oldest daughters graduation and end of the year stuff with the class that I teach and I honestly feel like I am at the end of my rope.

Your timing was perfect.

BTW - we were out of the house by 6:30 this morning. Emily had to be at her competition by 8 in full costume and make-up. We just got home.

SHE GOT GOLD!

 

[Groucho]

Hey, I try. Hopefully you'll have a positive resolution to all this.

One thing I do when I've overwhelmed with deadlines is remember that in a little while (depending on how far away the deadlines are!), this will all be just a memory. This also works when in the dentist's chair...

 

[Dan Murphy]

A bummer for sure. Hope it gets resolved.

Is it unfreaking believable, or freaking unbelievable.

 

[Geoff_M]

In most cases, it's not on the sensor itself but on the filter or protective glass that covers it; but the result is the same; it shows up on digital photos.

There usually are several filters mounted on top of the sensor. Common ones include UV and "anti-aliasing" filters. On occasion dust/dirt can work its way in between the filter layers so that swabbing the front of the top filter will have little or no effect. This is one of the reasons that high pressure "canned air" is not recommended for cleaning sensors as it can drive dirt/dust beyond the reach of a swab.

From all of the samples you've posted I can say this is a dust/dirt issue and not a "damaged" sensor. Either it wasn't probably cleaned, or you have dust embedded under the top filter.