Seeing spots
 

I was just taking a picture of this to check it on my monitor before I finish it and there are spots all over it, like the lense is dirty. I cleaned the lense several times and to my naked eye the lens looks clean. When I look through the view finder I can see the spots and try to wipe them off from that direction and nothing happens. Does anyone have any thoughts on what the problem is? I have never seen this camera do this before.

Look at the dot over her (our left) right eye, then over on the right side of the paper, those are the most obvious then upon closer inspection there are many more small ones.

Hi Mary,

You must be using an SLR with a removable lens? You probably have some dust on the inner glass of your lens or on the mirror inside the camera. You can take it to a camera shop to clean it, or you can use a blower to blow the dust off the mirror, but it's extremely fragile, so I wouldn't do it if you're not sure about it. Or do you have a filter (daylight or other) on your lens? You could have some dust between that and the lens. I like to keep a daylight filter (essentially another piece of glass) screwed on the lens to protect it, particularly when it's used outside.

Holly

Holly, no, it doesn't have a removable lens.

Is it a digital camera? You might have some dead pixels, although from your image it looks like dust. Try taking a photo with the lens cap on (all dark), and zoom in to the bad areas on your image, and see if it looks like squares (or pixels) are a different color than the surrounding area..

Hi Holly, sorry it has taken a few days to get back to you.

I tried what you said, it made sense to me, but got a perfectly black screen...so I don't think it is that.

I then took a picture of my kids and didn't see the spots anymore so thought maybe it was gone. Unfortunately, I think the reason I didn't see it was because so much was going on in the picture. I again tried to take a picture of a WIP and the spots are there again. I can see them through the lense, I tried to clean the lense while looking through the viewfinder, I can see the spots, but the lense rag didn't move anything, it is almost like whatever it is is on the inside of the lense.

When I really stare at the lense in different light, I see a couple of places that possibly look like tiny scratches, the only thing that seems wierd to me is that they are small lines, not perfect circles like what is showing up on the pictures and in my view finder.

Yes, it is a digital camera. Im very frustrated, and worried that this is not a problem that can be fixed...or at the very least fixed for cheap.

Mary,

Don't you have the Canon Digital Rebel? That lens is removable.

Keep us posted with what the problem is. I will watch closely because I have the same camera.

No Janel, I have a fuji s602. But I am looking at the rebel, do you like it? Anything you don't like?

Mary,

I doubt that your camera is ruined. Check with your retail store for the nearest repair shop. All these stores must have a connection to repair shops. It probably just needs to be blown out from the inside.

Even if you get a new camera I would have this one repaired to use as a backup. If you plan to sell it you will probably be better served if it is repaired.

Mike, I took the camera into the shop today. I live in a podunk town and it is amazing we have a camera shop at all.

He looked at it and said he didn't have a clue what the spots were. That I would need to send it off to fuji and it would take weeks and he had no clue what it would cost but doubted it would be less than 100 dollars. Well, I don't have several weeks to be without a camera. This camera also has two different options for media storage, one for a smart media card and one for a flash drive? I think that is what it is called, well, something is wrong with the flash drive as well. I just don't think it will be worth the time and effort. I bought the camera used, it served me very well for a year and a half, so I don't feel TOO slighted. But this is still making me angry, I was getting ready to order that full set of Great Americans..now I think the camera might take priority.

The camera shop is a canon dealer and is very much pushing that Rebel on me. But from everything I have read at dpreview, the d70 sounds nicer. However, I have to wonder, do I really need that much camera?

Also, your suggestion to keep this camera for backup is a good idea. I doubt I could get much more than $100 for it "as is". It still takes good pictures....that is plus a few spots. But in a pinch it would do, even if it is nothing more than for birthday parties. There is so much going at those things, I doubt the spots would be noticed! ;)

Mary,

What are you finding the difference in price to be between the D70 kit that includes the lens (I paid $1299 I think) and the Rebel with the lens?

Quite a bit..to me anyway. I have found the rebel with a lense for anywhere between 700-900 and the d70 is consistently over a thousand, ususally in the range you paid.

Any camera can go belly up at the worst possible time. The last two cameras I've owned, prior to the D70, I dropped on the concrete within two weeks of purchase.

In a pinch those spots could easily be knocked out in photoshop.

Mike, I am really leaning toward becoming a Nikon convert, I don't have any logical reason, especially since the camera shop in town is a Canon dealer..that would be easier. However after everything I have read and a ridiculous amount of hours spent on dpreview yesterday, I just fell the pull..

While the Nikon guru's have surely had nothing but rave reviews over the d70, after listening to me, and realizing Im a bit camera dumb, they think that a coolpix 8700 or 8800 might be all I need and suit me better. Have you looked at either of these?

Just know that if I end up with the d70, Im liable to drive you absolutely nuts...(actually, I think you are already there ;) )so here is your chance to talk me into another camera.

What does the person that made that determination know about what you need?

What you need is the best photo reference you can possibly get.

If money is the consideration (and I don't sneeze at a $500 difference) then I would go with the Canon Digital Rebel SLR. That is a bunch of camera for the money.

I would be willing to bet that the difference in user friendliness between these point and shoots and either the Canon or Nikon SLR's is non existent. I took my camera out of the box and shot up a storm before I ever cracked the book.

Check out this link, "all pixels are not created equal":

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/es...ounting1.shtml

For me the SLR is far and away better in those areas that matter most to me -- low light, and image quality.

Mary,

I agree with Mike 100%.

Prior to buying my Rebel (which I love) I was very inexperienced with a camera. Literally one hour after getting home from the camera shop I was taking pictures that I was proud of.

I would also like to add that in that hour I made supper, had a nice meal with my family and cleaned the kitchen.

It was that easy to get started............taking quality pictures that is.

What I am trying to say is don't sell yourself short. You WILL be able to get it. The Rebel is so user friendly for the beginner, yet it is great when you start to understand things and want to try to be more creative. Though I can't speak for the D70, I would venture to guess it is the same story.

One other note. The biggest bonus, for me anyway, with the SLR was not having a delayed reaction when I snap the picture. I can get sharp images of my son William (AKA Perpetual Motion) Prior to the Rebel my digital camera (a $300.00 one 2 years ago) couldn't capture a clear image of a moving target. I was told that the only way to get away from that problem is to get into the SLRs.

For photographing children this feature is priceless!!

On yet another note, although I love my Rebel if I had to do it over again I would probably go with the D70. Don't ask me why just yet, because I don't really know myself.

Good luck!

Dust will eventually find it's way onto the CCD of every digital camera. The D70 has a feature where you can shoot a reference photo of a white card and the camera will eradicate those black dots on your picture by interpolating surrounding data over them.

Also if you follow the proper procedures for changing lenses you can eliminate much of the potential for problems. It's also much easier for a technician to clean a camera with a removable lens.

The D70 will give you great pictures out of the box on the auto setting. As you familiarize yourself with the camera you will discover how you can further maximize your results if you so choose.

The kit lens on the D70 is a much better quality lens that the one that comes with the Canon. A better lens gives you superior images all things being equal. The Cannon Eos is a stripped down version of it's more expensive predecessor the 10D while the D70 is a slightly improved version of it's more expensive predecessor the D100. Both have lighter non metal bodies.

Many people feel that the D70 matches up well to the new 8 megapixel Canon D20 which is far more costly.

The lenses are a one time investment. When the time comes to move up to your next camera you will already have lenses that will work as long as you stay within the same company.

I'm continually impressed by the quality of my D70's images. It's my second favorite piece of technology, next to my new iPod of course.