One of the most frequently asked questions that I get from our readers, is what to do with dust inside a lens and whether it is something to worry about. I decided to write an article on this subject, because lens dust and flecks are a very common issue not only for camera sensors, but also for lenses. When I first discovered dust inside my brand new lens that I only used for a couple of days, I was very disappointed and I remember how I started searching for a solution online in panic mode. If you are frustrated with a similar issue and do not know what to do, keep on reading.
1) How to Inspect Lens for Dust
So, how can you find out if you have dust inside your lens? Actually, let me rephrase this question – how can you find out how much dust you have inside your lens? Because even brand new lenses normally do have some foreign particles in between lens elements. A quick visual inspection of the lens front will often reveal large dust particles behind the first lens element, if there are any. Just make sure that the front is thoroughly cleaned beforehand and any protective filters are removed. Look straight and then inspect the lens at an angle and you might see some dust behind the front glass element. Now if you really want to see dust, and I promise you will, here is the best way to do it. First, find a very bright LED flashlight. You can find those pretty much anywhere nowadays, even in a grocery store. Next, you will need to open up the lens aperture (the lens obviously needs to be dismounted from the camera, rear lens cap should be removed). If you have an older lens with an aperture ring, you just need to set the aperture ring to the smallest value (which is the largest aperture) like f/1.4 or f/2.8 and you are ready to go. If you have a modern lens like Nikon “G” type AF-S lenses, then you will need to push up a small metal lever to open the lens aperture as seen below. To keep the lens aperture open, you will need to keep pushing it with one finger:
Once the lens aperture is fully open, turn on the flashlight and point it towards the rear of the lens with the front lens cap off. Do this in a dim indoor environment with lights turned off. Look at the front element of the lens at an angle and see how much dust you have inside the lens. If you have never seen any dust, you will certainly see it now. Better yet, now you can see dust in between pretty much every lens element, because it will be visible when a bright source of light goes through the lens. Now here is a word of warning – as I have pointed before, don’t be surprised to see dust even if you have just bought your lens. Some of those particles might be dust, others might be small bubbles and other glass imperfections. Why? You guessed it right, no lens is perfect! But don’t panic, every lens I own has dust in it, even the brand new Nikon 35mm f/1.4G prime that I have recently received from B&H. Take a look at how much dust my Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G accumulated over the years of abuse:
And here is how the Nikon 50mm f/1.4G looks:
Looks scary, doesn’t it? But I don’t really care, because both lenses produce excellent results and I am sure will continue to do so for many more years.
2) How and Why Lenses Get Dust
You might be wondering how and why lenses get dust inside. Let me explain a couple of things about lenses. Every time a lens focuses or it is zoomed in and out, it “breathes”. And no, I am not talking about the effect of lens “breathing”, when an image appears smaller or bigger when focus is adjusted – I am talking about the process of inhaling and exhaling. Lenses have to breathe, due to lens elements constantly moving inside them when focus is adjusted and/or when zooming takes place. Remember what happens with pressure inside a closed plastic container? If you try to reduce the container size, the pressure inside the container will only let you reduce it to a certain level before it pushes back. A simple concept of air pressure in physics. Now take the same concept and apply it to lenses. What would happen if lenses were completely sealed from all sides? You would only be able to zoom in a little before the lens would force you back to its original state due to pressure, especially on lenses that extend in size. A similar thing would happen with lens focus. Hence, there was no other way for camera manufacturers to design lenses – lenses with moving lens elements must inhale and exhale air. Some lenses are better than others in managing the air flow. While some expensive lenses are sealed against dust (which does not fully stop dust from entering the lens) and will only suck the air in and out of the camera chamber, cheaper consumer zoom lenses are the worst in this regard – they might suck the outside air and blow it out right into the camera chamber. Let’s take a look at which lenses are worse than others in handling dust.
3) Lenses Prone to Dust
As I have explained above, some lenses are more prone to dust than others. Here is the list of lens types that are more prone to dust than others, in the order of “worst to best”:
- Consumer zoom lenses with extending barrels – examples: Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR DX, Canon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS. Most cheap plastic consumer lenses have no weather sealing of any kind, including rubber gaskets that wrap around the camera mount. In very dusty environments, they will suck the outside air into the lens and then into the camera chamber.
- Professional zoom lenses with extending barrels – examples: Nikon 24-120mm f/4 VR, Canon 24-105mm f/4L IS. Cheaper pro-level lenses with Red (Canon) and Gold (Nikon) rings often have similar weather protection as expensive pro-level zooms, but are generally more prone to dust due to significant changes in lens barrel length. Most come with rubber gaskets on the lens mount to prevent dust from entering the camera chamber through the lens mount.
- Expensive/top-of-the-line professional zoom lenses with extending barrels – examples: Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G, Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L. Top-of-the-line professional zoom lenses typically have better weather sealing all around the lens. Rubber gaskets are always included and other rubber seals are present in other parts of the lens such as zoom ring, focus ring, switches, etc.
- Professional zoom lenses with fixed barrels – examples: Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G VR II, Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS. Lenses that do not change in barrel size are generally better against dust and moisture. Since nothing moves, there are fewer places where dust can accumulate and then make into the lens. Rubber gaskets and other rubber seals are also present in all areas where dust can potentially enter the lens.
- Prime lenses with extending front element – examples: Nikon 50mm f/1.4D, Canon 50mm f/1.4 USM. Prime lenses are generally less prone to dust than zoom lenses, because fewer parts move inside them. Prime lenses with moving front element that changes in length as you focus are generally better than zoom lenses, but dust can still make it into the lens through the front. Rubber gasket on the mount is sometimes absent (especially on older models), which can also contribute to dust making it into the camera chamber and the lens.
- Prime lenses with fixed barrels – examples: Nikon 35mm f/1.8G, Nikon 24mm f/1.4G, Canon 24mm f/1.4L II. Prime lenses with non-extending barrels are typically protected best against dust. Some of the prime lenses with rear focus feature (such as Nikon 24mm f/1.4G and Nikon 35mm f/1.4G) might have a moving rear lens element as you focus, while others have a fixed glass element that never moves. The latter is typically better than the former. Many of the modern prime models are designed with rubber gaskets around the lens mount and high-end models have additional weather sealing in other parts of the lens.
As you can see, prime lenses are generally better protected against dust than zoom lenses. However, there are exceptions, where some primes are worse than some of the zooms in terms of handling dust and moisture.
4) What to do with lens dust
Once you spot lens dust, what should you do with it? The answer is – nothing. Don’t worry about it and just keep on shooting, concentrating on creating great images. As I have explained above, lens dust is a normal fact of life, just like dust on your camera sensor. Even if you take a good care of your gear on a daily basis, you will eventually end up with dust in your lenses and cameras, guaranteed. You can certainly minimize the amount of dust getting into your gear by storing it properly and performing regular cleaning and maintenance (which I will cover in an upcoming video tutorial), but you cannot fully prevent it from happening. Dust is inevitable and it does get into camera gear one way or another, so you should not be sweating over it if you have it. Try an experiment – come close to a dirty window in your house and look outside. When your eyes focus on the outside, can you see the dust or dirt on your window with your eyes? No, unless the dirt particles are huge. The same thing happens inside the lens, if there are small dust particles, it is not a big deal. So take a deep breath, chillax and stop worrying about dust.
The only case where you might need to call your lens manufacturer, is if you spot an abnormally large spec of dust more than several millimeters in size that moves when you rotate the lens. There are cases, when particles break off inside lenses, typically after lenses are dropped/damaged.
If you are a very brave soul, you can try removing dust from your lenses by doing something like this. However, there is a high risk of potential damage, so do it at your own risk!
5) How to remove lens dust
Never, under any circumstances try to remove dust from inside lenses yourself. Disassembling your lens will not only void the warranty, but I can almost guarantee that you will not be able to assemble it back the way it was yourself. If large amounts of dust are heavily affecting your images and you have a very low level of contrast, call the lens manufacturer and find out if they can clean the lens interior and how much it will cost. Your normal lens warranty will NOT include disassembling the lens and cleaning its interior, so you will have to pay a hefty sum for that kind of service. In many cases, you are better off buying a new lens than trying to get an old one fixed. So, once again, never attempt to do this yourself and certainly never let a non-professional attempt to do it for you.
6) Minimizing dust and fungus
Shooting in relatively clean environments, properly storing your gear in a cool, dry place and taking care of it by performing regular cleanup and maintenance is a good way to eliminate fungus and minimize the amount of dust that ends up on and in your gear.
Recently I found a dust speck under the front lens element of my Sigma prime lens. Hell knows how it got in there. I’m sure that it will not affect the image quality but it’s really disturbing my obsessive-compulsive brain =)
Another “never ever clean this yourself” topic is the mirror.
Muzaffar, I have a piece of hair in one of my lenses and I wonder how it got there myself :) Don’t worry about it! I know it is annoying, but things like that will happen, no matter what brand lens you use…
As for cleaning the mirror – I clean mine all the time with a soft brush and I have not had any problems with it. Never try to wet-clean the mirror for sure :)
haha =)))
I breathed on the mirror and cleaned it with a tissue =)) Who knew that it differs from the ground mirror in my bathroom and is very sensitive to scratches =))
Sorry to hear about that :) At least you did not use some nasty chemical with a tissue. Back when CDs just became available, I remember how I put some perfume on a piece of paper and tried to wipe it. That CD was obviously toast and I learned my lesson! It all comes with experience, LOL!
“Every time a lens focuses or it is zoomed in and out, it “breathes”. ”
Is this so-called ‘piston effect’?
Sam, yes, that’s another good way to describe the process! :)
Thanks Nasim. Your articles are very informative and I have leanrt a lot from you.
You are most welcome Sam!
I take mostly pet photos and recently got a small hair right in the middle of the inside of my front element of my 18-200. This “breathing” affect gave me an idea. Since it probably got sucked in through the “piston effect”, I could probably fix it the same way. I took the front lens off the camera, removing the front cap and rear body cap off and rapidly zoomed the lens in and out. Although it didn’t remove the hair completely, it did manage to move it to the edge.
Very interesting article for encouraging a healthy mental attitude about imperfections (dust).
You have helped me avoid any angst, because I will NEVER try to find dust in my lenses since I can’t do anything about it. Why go looking for trouble?
Peter, I agree – it is better not to look at all :)
Good point Peter, It is unfortunate that I did not read this artical 1st. For the last 6 yrs I have been frustrated when a spot would show up on an award winning photo and even with editing I could still see it. I felt it was a lack of care that lead me to the imperfections. So, being and engineer I saw the problem inside the lens and figured the visible screw were there for a reason. Just like changing the lifters in my 1st car at 16, when I began taking things off strange noises of something was dropping into places I was not going to go. I got the lens apart found I was not going to get into the area where the dust was and I have not got it back together yet. I will not quit! No matter how much time it takes. But, to your point, DON’T ATTEMPT TO CLEAN IT OUT!!!
I have no idea what this streak is on my pictures could you give me an idea? I bought a new lens, because there was a small scratch on my old one. However, the same streak appears in the exact same place. It is a line about 1 inch on the top right of my pics. Usually seen when shooting skylines, clouds. etc.
Ken, that streak is a piece of hair on your sensor. See my “how to clean camera sensor” article about cleaning your DSLR sensor.
What do you do when there are particles stuck on an interior optical element (perhaps second closest toward the rear of a micro lens)? These particles appear blurred out or largely absent at 5.6 or larger apertures. However, they become very prominent at f/11-22 and smaller. Because I shoot macro, I need as much DOF as possible (f/16-32). Mild softness due to diffraction is tolerable with a good macro lens, but these particles really ruin the shots. Removing the spots in Lightroom can be cumbersome, reference dust-off images even more cumbersome.
Thanks for your pro advice!
I too had this question. I JUST got my 105mm 2.8 lens cleaned by Nikon and by the second time I’m using it IN THE HOUSE (relatively low dust environment), it’s already got specs inside. There’s got to be a way to manage these specs at narrow apertures…
I was wondering what to do with my Canon nifty fifty with dust on the lens and after reading your article, realize that the dust affected me more then the outcome of the pictures. Thanks for the advice.
A very timely article… I was just inspecting a Sigma 10-20mm lens which I was in the process of selling, and found several borderline-microscopic scratches on the front element (only visible when they catch the light) and – looking through the lens – what looks like an ENTIRE hair. Such fun! I think I’ll just keep the lens for myself :)
Great article. People generally fret about their lens (front element) dust and how it’s going to affect their images. I am one of them as well.
But then I chanced upon this article and I never bother too much about it.
http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2008/10/front-element-scratches
Thanks for posting this great article and it is enlightening to hear that everyone (people who are particular about the small stuffs:o) faces and got bothered by the dust thingy inside the lens and fustrated when you cant do anything with it. Even if we go servicing the lens and get it clean, the fungus can be gone but new dust will still comes through. So the near perfect lens condition with only happen in vaccum condition but that is provided you never going to use that camera. You are right, understand the fact and just get over it and focus on the shooting:)
sorry for the rage, I traded a camera bag for a 18-55mm kit lens to try to sell it with another body to make more money. the lens was filled with dust, but I did not know this until I sprayed the front and the whole front lens was coated with dust flakes… only worth a $30 exchange but still maddening nonetheless
Alex, no problem – the point of this article is to let people know that dust is normal in lenses. You definitely do not want to try to remove the dust yourself, because you could potentially damage it…
Thanks for that info. It was extremely useful. Just returned from African safari. Very dusty indeed. First thing I did on return was get my camera professionally cleaned. You’ve reinforced exactly what the the service centre told me. Great advice.
I suddenly noticed many spots on the inside of my Tamron 17-50mm front element. I suspect these developed after shooting in a light rain, then placing the camera back into the bag.
Can something be done?
Thank you for your help!
My problem is that the dust particle is showing up in my pictures and I can’t always fix the picture. Hence, some of my subjects end up with funny blotches on the forehead or nose. I guess, from reading your article, I will have to get a new lens. Bummer. Thanks though, I found the article very infomative! Kathy
Great article…trying to chillax more after reading it. Thanks.
I always appreciate the opinions of the pros, thank you for addressing the dust issue. I wish I was more relaxed about it when I started, but it’s definitely a learning curve. Thanks again!
It is good advice to relax about dust.
Getting a “professional” repair often introduce a hefty bill that makes this option out of range. When this is the case your advice about just buying a new lens instead of trying to fix the old one is rediculous!
Dear Mr. Mansurov,
I currently own a Nikon D5100 with its kit lens, and I am planning to upgrade to a D600 body and a higher quality Nikon lens. In addition to the usual family photos, I mostly like to shoot landscape in different environments, interiors (museums, historical buildings), and occasionally macro subjects. I haven’t decided about the lens yet, but after reading many online resources, and especially your reviews, it seemed that the Nikon 24-120 f/4 would be the best option in terms of versatility and image quality. However, things changed a bit when I read you article:
https://photographylife.com/what-to-do-with-dust-inside-lens
My understanding had always been that dust could only get inside DSLRs during a lens change. Thus, if you never change lenses, you will never get dust, so I thought, and that is why I preferred mid-range, all-purpose zooms. But to my surprise and dismay, now I can see that dust can get inside the lens during normal use, sucked in through gaps in barrels and rings. And to make things even worse, the lens, notably zooms, can also blow the sucked-in dust onto the mirror and sensor. Your revealing article provides excellent guidance and reassuring words about this dust issue, yet I am still a bit worried, so I would like to make you these few questions:
1) With regard to sealing against in-lens and in-camera dust:
1.1) Is the Nikon 24-70 f/2.8 significantly better than the 24-120 f/4 ?
1.2) How about the new 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G VR ? Is it significantly less protected than the 24-120 f/4 ?
2) Does Nikon provide technical data about the sealing of their lenses ? For example, does Nikon inform about which and where sealings are applied ?
Congratulations for your extremely useful website!
Thanks for this great article. I was getting a bit worried about dust in my lenses. The issue being, I fly my cameras using a radio-controlled octocopter and, when taking off in a dusty environment, I get a lot of wash from the propellers that blows dust around. As a result there is fine dust inside my 18-55 lens already. It doesn’t seem to affect the photos though. I was starting to panic a bit but your article is very reassuring! :)
As I don’t adjust focus or zoom during flight, I made a little sleeve from lint free cloth to surround the outside of the lens in flight.
All the best
Elliott, HexCam
Hello can anyone help, I’m travelling for 4 months and bought a fuji hs25exr for the trip nothing flash by any means, theres a dust fibre right smack bang in the middle of the lens and can be seen in photos I’m taking, feel like throwing the camera off the wall! Can I take the lens off this camera? What can I do??? Tom
okay, so I’m extremely Anal retentive about my lenses and I recently discovered two annoying little specs that I suspect are dust on the inside of my front element. I can deal with them, except when I’m shooting high key exposures. do you know of any good lens cleaning professionals who are able to work their magic for a relatively good price? I’d rather spend a little money to avoid spending more seat time editing out these annoyances in my image editors.
Thank you for sharing this! I certainly agree that it is very risky to open your lenses by yourself. Only the one assembling the lens knows exactly how to return it back to its perfect positions. Now, this article is very informative and I have learned many things from this! Keep posting! :)
Hi Nasim,
I have a Canon EF-S 18-55mm kit lens which i got with EOS 1000D. The inner element has caught up fungus . I has given it to Canon service center and they say that fungus cant be removed for inner element for this particular lens since the outer element is sealed. What are your thoughts on this? Any info would be of great help.
Thanks,
Sandeep
I simply write here to say that I LOVE your articles.
Your tips and advice… Simply GREAT!!!
Thanks a lot for your work here and for your help.
Greetings from Germany.
So glad I found this article.I was just removing my polarizing filter and checking out my lens when I found a hair between the front elements. I went back and looked at my most recent photos and it doesn’t appear to be a problem. So for now I will not stress. But I will keep and eye on it to make sure things don’t change.
Great information here. I too recently found a big black speck in between the glass elements of my Nikon 18-200 mm zoom. Looked a paint chip. Luckily the lens was still under it’s 5 year warranty and Nikon cleaned it at no charge.
I’m still a relatively new photographer and shoot more as a hobby at the moment than professionally, I still have only my kit lens and EF zoom lens.. The Kit lens has some really big dust or dirt specks on it and I was worried about it.. But this pretty much eases my mind a bit.. :) Thanks for posting this up! ;)
I came to this site to learn wha to do about dust in my lens.
After a lot of words, none of which tells me what do, i learned this : buy a new lens.
Nasim,
Thanks for this very useful post!
great advice to just ignore the dust. i was worried & yet i’ve often taken great photo shoots with a dirty lens. i often take shots at the beach where the lens gets covered in salty sea mist & still the pictures are great. i can just imagine paying someone more than the camera is worth to get dust removed, only to find more dust a few days later
Good advice thanks.
I have a Lumix DMC-FS35 second camera and found that suddenly some pics had a fuzzy mark which turned out to be a large dust speck inside lens.
As all cameras are now digital and therefore solid state so to speak, I thought a firm thump in the palm of my hand might at least move the blighter.
So after several thumps it moved out of sight !.
There is also the thought that as dust is prone to static, maybe passing a magnet or magnetic material past the lens might do the same thing.
The dust behind the lens on my Canon Power Shot sx130 reflects light both in Video and photo , as little specks seen in the video. To say it dies not matter to me it does.
Great article. Thank you
Does anyone know if static electricity can cause dust to move around in a lens? I’ve got a lens that I thoroughly inspected and it was immaculate, and out on it’s first job, I had to swap lenses in an apartment that had thick carpeting, and a lot of upholstered furniture. This lens is a AF-S Nikkor-Zoom 80-200mm F2.8 ED-IF The dust is more like a flake, larger than most dust particles and it’s standing on it’s edge, inside the front element. I know it’s not likely to effect anything, but it is very annoying.
I’m wondering if the static electricity from the thick carpeting could have moved the piece from the side, to near center of the front element. If this is the cause, how can I deal with static electricity in customers houses? I appreciate any advice at all.
I wonder if you placed your lens on an insulated tray and charged it up with 300,000 volts (or more) using a Van Der Graaf Generator..?. Would the high voltage cause the dust to be attracted to metal parts inside the lens tube?
If you have ever seen the high-voltage parts in an old CRT (glass picture tube) TV set, you know that high voltage attracts dust like crazy..
Very hard to clean up, because somehow the dust bonds to the HV parts..
I know that amateur astronomers sometime take their SCT scopes apart to remove dust.. But, most of those scopes are made to be taken apart and put back together. :)
http://www.nexstarsite.com/OddsNEnds/SCTCorrectorRemoval.htm
Im interested in buying a second hand lens but the previous owner has said something about dust on it so im not too sure :(
hi nasmin i m using nikon from a 2years and i got 3 basic lens that are 18-55, 55-200 and 35mm but since the last 6 7 months i came up with a problem with my 18-55 that its producing a whitish pic with a lot of offset in it the contrast is very very low i have to add about 35 40 contrast sometimes more in photoshop after i click it with my 18-55… so for this reasons i tuned into google because 18-55 is one of my favs and i found your article when i saw how to find dust inside your lens part i did the same but the pic is different there are dust but the whole lens from the inside is a spider web not a single one but a tangle of lots lots of spider web woa i got scared please help please please need your help what should i do now please help :( !!! what should i do now please help sir !!!
The Nikon 18-55mm is a starter lens, and as such, they always cost the least of All camera maker’s lenses. It most probably wouldn’t even be worth the cost of cleaning it. If it is still under warrantee and the dust is clearly inside, they may just replace it for you. I assume that you would remember adding the additional insurance, but since many dealers depend on it for profit, it is a possibility.
This goes for your 55-200mm as well. They are worth a few percent more if they are VR lenses, But since these were just Kit Lenses to get you started, it’s time to start building a collection of quality optics, be careful though, of the “sticker shock” because lenses can add up real fast. You can easily spend $500.00 on a decent Prime lens, like a 35mm or 50mm F1.4 You can, of course turn it into an expensive “Point & Shoot” with an 18-200mm, or a 28-250mm, but be aware that this is not much better than the kit lenses. It is much better to choose your optics carefully, as they are the real expense. You will find that bodies come and go, but lenses can last a lifetime. That is one reason that most of us pick high quality, whether Third Party or OEM, the prices are not much different.
I do have this problem too, but in my case it is affecting my pictures, here’s an example: http://i1295.photobucket.com/albums/b633/alejv98/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_8772_zpsb51ded4a.jpg
That is the result of dust on sensor, not inside lens. Try shooting a blue sky with small aperture (f/22) and if the specks become smaller and sharper, then it is dust on sensor.
A very informative article
Hi! I recently bought a second hand Nikon 85mm 1.4D. Om happy with the lens, but I have discovered a quite amount of very fine dust inside the rear element. I haven’t noticed it on the pictures, but I find that the lens has low contrast compared thith my 50mm 1.4G. I noticed this after a portraiture shoot when I was shooting “the same picture” with both lenses. They look very different, the 85mm seems to over exposure slightly and has less contrast than the 50mm. Any ideas?
Thank you so much. i was so much panic about my lens nikon 18-105 mm as it is showing a particle inside the lens. i went to service center to remove it as my camera is in warranty and lens too but they said that i have to pay to remove that particle even after that my camera is in under warrranty and the dissappointement is that i bought camera 3 months back. i was worried and finally i searched about it and got your review and after reading it now i am feeling normal.
Thank you so much
I got my Canon 50mm 1.8 a few months back. I don’t recall ever dropping it or even having it hit anything, but today I noticed some flecks (I think) inside the lens.
Does this normally happen with cheap lenses?
I really want as i am experienced in this domain. Its either micro particles or simply fungus. In either cases, you can look for a detailed explanation on the net on how to dismantle it and clean it. But my friend let me tell you, once opened, this lens is going to always have some dust particles inside and if you look at it through a led it will be OBVIOUSLY visible. I myself currently decided whether to buy a new canon 50mm 1.8 or send the current one i have to canon. I had a dust problem which is now solved. The only thing is that my lens needs a new recallibration to be able to better exploit its 1.8 aptitude.
Thanks for your idea!
But unfortunately, after an inspection I was told that some particle had gotten inside the lens and scratched it. Nothing to be done.
Luckily though, it doesn’t seem to show up on photos! :D
Thank you very much for this information. I feel chillax now
Great article! Would love you opinion: I just discovered that my Sony Cybershot DSC-HX300 w/50X Optical Zoom has a hair that’s about an inch long, in a loop under the lens! Can anything be done about this?
Hi,
I have a question. If the lens elements are removed from the assembly, shall the aperture works??
Regards,
Amol Patwardhan
Telling people to just buy a new lens and throw away the lens with dust is utterly useless advice. If the alternative is buying a new lens anyway, what is one to lose by attempting to clean it themselves?
Hey, I have a Nikon D40 with a nikkor 18-70mm 1:3.5-4.5 ED DX lens. It is my first camera and I got it for $150.00. Unfortunately I lost the lens cap and the lens got dirty beyond anything I can clean, I’m really disappointed, but such is life I guess. Can you recommend another lens for a beginner who is also trying to finance a trip to Europe? Any help is greatly appreciated!
I had things put into perspective when my Nikon DSLR had a black flake in the viewfinder, so I thought not a problem I will whip out the focusing screen and give it a quick blow and pop it back in.
This led to a downward spiral of dust and flakes becoming worse and worse, the bottom of the pentaprism was full of static and impossible to remove the whole viewfinder was full of specks and flakes. I gave up, put the camera back together and started to use it again.
My long winded point is I started to enjoy using the camera more as I worried less about dust, damage, etc and being overprotective about keeping it in pristine condition, yes the specks can be annoying but I focus more on the photo which it should have been from the very beginning.
Hi.
Great article thanks. I was asked a few weeks ago to film some rally cars driving around a forest track. I had no idea the amount of problems the dust would cause. It’s in my DSLRs and Inspire cameras.
Thanks for the advice.
No dust in my 300mm Schneider Kreuznach view camera lens! ; )
Not so lucky with my Canon zoom…
I noticed the same problem even with my 7 year-old Canon SD1000 (Ixus 70) which is not DSLR but a compact digital camera. Directing a led torch light immediately reveals how much dust is present between sensor and the lens, inside the lens.
The problem, what i noticed, take a photo with flash on a dark area, you’ll notice some specks/dots caused by those unwanted dirt spots under lens IF YOU LOOK AT the image CAREFULLY by zooming-in using a photo viewer on computer.
What should i do? The dots are present on certain point but not easily notable.
By the way, this is a great article, dust is everywhere and we’re desperate to avoid them.
If it’s that bad, take the spots out in Post, with PS, or LR. There is a certain amount of dust that the manufacturers consider perfectly normal. If there is no dust in a lens when you buy it, chances are you’ll gather some dust just through normal use. Don’t worry about it too much!
Can you elaborate a bit? PS (Photoshop) and LR (Lightroom) ? You mean digital post-processing can cure it, i agree but i’m dealing with non-RAW images such as images.
And could you please look at the image below? I’ve taken it with my SD1000 camera and “every” image has a white spot on X:104-Y:471 pixel coordinate (same location on every image) which is visible when closely zoom. I had dropped camera a few times, maybe that was the reason?
Here is original image:
http://i.imgur.com/Nd87nUG.jpg
And the spot is highlighed here with %600 zoom on 104/471 XY coordinate location:
http://i.imgur.com/tREzEJT.jpg
I’m suspecting that the sensor may have defected pixel (stuck or damaged) rather than dust underneath the lens.
And finally, it’s recommended that the cleaning must be done using rocket blower like in this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RefeiMAC4c0
But almost all the compact cameras has no chance to let us dismount lens unit and reach sensor, or just the lens itself. They’re a whole.
What do you think based on my screenshots and for the last question?
Any comment is appreciated, have a nice week :)
Onur, that’s not dust. See this article: https://photographylife.com/dead-vs-stuck-vs-hot-pixels
Hi Nasim,
Thanks for your direct response. Again, this is one of the most explanatory article on the net, many thanks. I had read your article already about dead/stuch/hot pixels before reading your last comment. Though having many dust underneath the lens, i first presumed that the foreign dots were because of dust. However after reading your corresponding article, i’m now suspecting that my camera has pixel defect on sensor.
A few minutes ago, i went to bedroom (a completely close area) and shut down all the lights, and took a complete-black image. Guess what i noticed. I also have some red spots on the black image, other than white spots that i’ve mentioned previously.
Here is the black image (ISO 200/Auto, Exposure 1/8, F2.8) and the pixel coordinates:
X: 621-Y:1769
X: 815-Y:265
Image link here:
http://i.imgur.com/ETLGSyy.jpg
And highlihted version here for X: 815-Y:865 with %500 zoom in viewer:
http://i.imgur.com/yc5M46H.jpg
…and there are a few more white and red spots like this WITH EVERY ISO SETTING ON EVERY IMAGE.
I came across some free and small tools to remove those hot/stuck pixels except paid Photoshop or Lightroom:
http://www.mediachance.com/digicam/hotpixels.htm
http://www.mediachance.com/digicam/blackframe.htm
…but they’re for RAW images, and my camera only shoots JPEGs…
So i’m lost. Which advise can you give?
And what are the most significant cause(s) of those damaged pixels here? Hardware (sensor) failure as my camera is very aged and very worn.
Thanks for the help.
Best regards,
Onur
*Updated that line in my previous post:
And highlihted version here for X: 815-Y:265 with %500 zoom in viewer:
http://i.imgur.com/yc5M46H.jpg
Note: The white or red spots are always on the SAME location on the following photos using same shooting resolution. And white spots are permanent, they’re not disappearing eventhough you try shooting using different shooting settings (such as lower ISOs, exposure, F-values etc) – won’t prevent them from happening.
I’m very disappointed.
Hi Nasim,
I’ve got a Canon EOS 500D with a Tamron AF 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC LD Aspherical and a Canon EOS 7D with a Tamron 18-270/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD.
I’ve got several other lenses too.
Last week I had to clean the sensors of both cameras because they had some particles on them and they are clean now.
The problem is that I made a quick cleaning of the lenses with Eclipse solution and some PEC PAD tissues and this is what I found today while taking pictures:
Canon EOS500D + Tamron AF 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC LD Aspherical
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B34ok3wh5PjTcGdsNW9fT1VSYU0/view?usp=sharing
Canon EOS7D with a Tamron 18-270/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B34ok3wh5PjTbmJLcnAtTDRNR1E/view?usp=sharing
When I use any of my other lenses (a Rokinon 8mm Ultra Wide Angle f/3.5 Fisheye Lens or a Sigma 105 1:2.8 DG MACRO HSM) with any of the two cameras the spots disappear. Moreover, when I switch the two Tamron lenses between cameras the pattern remains the same for each lens, so the dust in the sensor is ruled out.
I have cleaned the rear part of both lenses, but they seem to be clean, but a few particles are sitting in the interior of the back part of both lenses. Is there any way of getting rid of them or should I think of getting new lenses?
Thank you very much,
Best,
Oswaldo
Thank you for this Article. I recently brought Nikon 200-500mm f5.6 lens. I had lots of dust inside it ( internal dust ). I always saw dust particles when I saw from view finder. I cross checked the camera and cleaned sensor/mirror and all.
Finally when I saw this article I understood the issue. Quickly followed all the steps and found that the lens has internal dust. As I just brought this lens from B&H I ordered a replacement.
Hopefully I should get a new one which does not have this issue.
I purchased Fujifilm HS30EXR last 2012,but yesterday I noticed some dust or fleck at the middle inside my lens. Although it is not easily recognizable, I still felt I am loosing my digital camera. Since the lens (24-720mm) was built-in, I am hopeless to remove it. By the way, great article.
Here’s what you do;
Hold a Toothpick Vertically, against the front rim of the lens as you take a picture (Focusing, and composing as normal) then, after you process and print the image as normal, see if you can tell where the toothpick is, and how much of it actually shows. I think you will be amazed at the results. …Let us know.
Btw, it was a nice camera back in it’s time, but there have been several newer models since then. You might want to think about an HS50EXR …Also not the latest technology, but it is a very fine Super Zoom camera. When I can’t (or don’t want to) carry a DSLR rig, the Super Zoom camera is a very nice alternative, and Fujifilm continues to support, even their older cameras with Firmware Updates!
… Joe Prete
very interesting article my advice is you should try to avoid changing lenses while you are in danger place, and by that I mean places like the beach, the high places where there is much breeze, very dusty sites or near water. It is preferable to choose a lens before going to these sites and try not to change the lens unless strictly necessary and worth the risk having dust on the sensor.
Thank you for this post which is very reassuring!
I’ve just invested £3500 in the Sony A7Rii and 23-70mm Zeiss FE lens but, after a month, had to exchange both the body and lens because of persistent marks on my images, especially in cloud scenes (that I love to capture).
Although I was looked after well as a customer, I still have concerns over the sensitivity of my lens to dust/moisture.
Is it really normal to open a brand new lens and see specks of dust on the inside?
If that’s the case then I guess my situation is normal but I even had someone recommend to me yesterday that all I need to do is edit out any mark in the editing stage. But I havne’t invested thousands of pounds in a camera and lens to do that!
Do you know if this lens is particualrly prone to particle/dust problems?
Many thanks, again
Nick Franks
Although a certain amount of dust is considered normal, a Zoom lens is more prone to gathering dust, due to the additional movement of the elements. Yours is a short Zoom, so it shouldn’t be that bad, but if you just bought it, you should exchange it for another copy. Considering the cost of your lens, you should be concerned. Bring your images with you, when you go back to the Camera Shop, but this time inspect the lens at the Camera Shop! … Joe
Thanks for your time with this (above)
Nasin, I’ve noticed, alongside the dust, a “bubble”. So tinny I can’t shoot it and link a picture. I’m talk about a 35mm f2. Looking straight at it, it’s covered by the apperture blades by f3.2 or f3.5. At f4 it’s completely “covered” meaning no light hit it.
Great big question: should I worry about it?
Remember the saying: prevention is better than cure. So you’d better try not to dirty our goals, and not have to clean them . Note that many of the objectives of the market have in their resin crystals and dust or anti – reflective materials are reduced whenever so clean, we play the less the better.
If however, there are times that it is totally unavoidable inadvertently touch the glass or end soiling because of the environment in which we are working. In these cases, we clean the glass lens. But andate very eye : if you are not extremely careful with cleaning you can end up grating irreversibly glass of your target so if you’re not sure what you’ll do better with the camera to a specialist for clean it.
How to clean the glass of a target?
The first thing you have to do is purchase a cleaning kit . Or, in other words, make a microfiber cloth , a little cleaning fluid (not just any cleaner, a lot can potentially damage your glass if you use depending on which fluid) and a brush bristles symmetrical .
With the brush clean the remains of larger dust. Then check some liquid on the cloth (do not do it directly on the glass) and clean making circles from the center to the outside of the glass. Dry it well and, if necessary, review the corners with the brush. Any doubts yet? In this article you will be resolved .
Hello , there is a problem in my lens and I don’t know what to call this actually there is tree’s branches like structure inside my lens please tell me what to do please …….
I can only imagine that you are describing “Growth”, which would be a kind of Fungus. Check Google “images” for “lens Fungus”, or “lens Growth”, but in the meantime, do not touch that glass. Put it into a “Zip Lock” Bag, and keep it away from your other gear. There is a lot of confusion about these situations, but since I have a large investment in Nikon Lenses, I keep that early Sigma (early 90’s) far away from my lenses.
Believe it or not, you may have little trouble selling this lens, as there are those that do not fear it, or believe that it can effect other lenses. (I am not one of those people, I’d rather be safe than sorry!) If you do try to sell it, explain it fully, so they understand what they are getting. It was listed here under “Dust” so I don’t know what responses you’ll get, but if the images lead you to believe it is a Growth, decide which side of the camp you are on. Some people still use those lenses, and some believe it can be fixed. (I just put mine into the Garbage). Let us know what it turns out to be. Good Luck. … Joe
haha funny article. you dont know what you’re talking about. yes you can clean your lenses internally very easily. gone are the days of precision aligned elements held together in a tube with screws. it’s nearly always the front elements which are coated in dust and it’s easy to clean them. just unscrew the name plate, it’s held in just like a filter by the threads. then unscrew the element holder, again, just like before, there will even be notches in it. I use internal calipers to grip them. then all the elements will just fall out with the spacers. clean them with microfiber pads and reassemble.
I guess if you are stupid enough to do this at the beach or ontop of a pile of sandpaper then yes you will ruin your lens.
Sir in my canon lens 55-250mm there is white dust particle clearly visible from front side of lens.
Will it affect in future?
Its sticked on the first glass of the lens clearly visible that it is inside it.
Please, Read on, if not you, this may fall on waiting ears, someone besides you that really wants to learn!
Yes, it will affect your image. But only if it has all the makings of an award winning Photograph. Is this still one of Canon’s lower price lenses?
If you listed the 101 things keeping you from getting your images noticed, this wouldn’t even make the list!
I urge you to read, read read, and follow that with practice, practice, practice. …fOLLOW THAT WITH MORE PRACTICE!
Also, when you are at the Doctor or Dentist, make use of the magazines laying around regardless of their age (if there’s one you like, they might just give it to you (THEY GET THEM FOR FREE!) There’s a lot of Great information in there, just look carefully at the images.
Look at as many images as you can. Ask yourself, what makes each image good, and what makes them bad. If you do this with all your spare time, it still wouldn’t be enough. When an image captures your attention, make a list of the reasons, and cut it out if you have to. Study it, even try to reproduce it (as close to it as you can). Remember, that a Good picture is often worth a Thousand words! You want your images to speak volumes!
In time, you will learn that even the most expensive lenses, have some dust inside, but it rarely affiects the image. Older Push-Pull Zooms seem to pull dust out of the air, and into your lens; even worse, your SENSOR! If you use the camera often, and it has a Auto “Dust off” feature, you may want to start using it. Also, you will learn to change lenses with the body facing down, in a Dust free environment. And, while changing lenses, with the rear cover off, turn the lend to it’s side, even then, keep the cap off for the shortest time period as possible. keep the lens caps facing down, in a area like the open pages of a book or magazine, because it will be cleaner. We have a bad habit of storing lens caps in out pockets~ a good place to pick up lint
When you fist started reading my reply, you said this guy is a wise guy, NOT TRUE, I’ve just answered this question about a Gazillion times, as my fellow members here have. (Many, who have ducked the question) But understand this, wether you become a Point & Shooter that communicate on one of the many sites like instagram, Twitter, Facebook, (or one of the others, that are added on a Daily basis, or if you become the best known Portrait Photographer, read all you can, and read it again if you didn’t retain it. Use a site like this, so you get the Correct Facts, and add other well known sites as you go along, like http://www.dpreview that’s owned by Google, but someone has to pay the bills. How much interest you get on your images, has a Direct effect on how far you go into this Hobby or Business. If each picture tells a story, you will become popular, but if you have to explain your images, (like you really had too be there) , then your headed to a life of snapshots (NOT THAT THAT CAN’T BE CHANGED!)
The point is, how you progress, greatly determines where you are going in this field. If you’re still with me, maybe you do have it within you to go on, and become a winner. …I teach, so I don’t have much time, or interest in “Throw back Thursday”, but wherever you belong, you will find your place yourself. (I can understand if you’ve just bought your kid a lens that has dust specs inside, and if it was new, they’ll replace it for you, just be fore- warned, the new lens may have the same amount of dust, hiding behind the aperture blades, to come out at the worst possible time. Shoot something basic, well lit, and see if it shows up, but don’t lose any sleep over it. Btw, Paying to learn (except College) is one of the worst ways to get started.
If you, or your kid is a learner, contact one of us, to steer you in the right direction (For Free). You chose a Good site, Nasim is all about Photography, and like me, he loves to teach. He’s a Great Guy! ** Good luck to you, and please, just don’t reply like “I was just wondering”**, because this post may have reached someone else who is interested, but was too shy to ask! Good Luck to you, … Joe Prete