I've owned my D50 since 2007, taken pretty good care of it.

In the past 4 months I've noticed ALOT more dust spots on my images and an increase in dirt on the sensor. I usually end up cleaning the sensor and mirror with pec pads/solution.

I do a fair amount of shooting outside, and never really had this problem with contamination in the past.

Anybody else have this issue?

Paul

"I'd rather try and fail, than fail to try."

I just bought a sensor clean kit to clean my D40 in the last week. It was the first clean and the camera has done about 10000 shots. It really was quite bad. I put it down to buying a few more lenses in the last 12 months so I am changing lenses a lot more. Also a 4 week caravan trip into our Aussie outback last year did not help as red dust gets everywhere.

I am not sure if that helps you though!

I think you probably have a build up of dust floating around in the body so maybe you need to vacuum it out. This dust is falling back onto the sensor.The kit I bought had a little vacuum cleaner that came with it for this purpose.

Rod W
Brisbane, QLD, Australia

Hi Paul,

Have you been changing lenses more often or using your 70-300mm or other zoom lenses? Zoom lenses pump more air in and out. The environment you were recently shooting in could have been dustier than you thought.
Good Luck and Enjoy your Nikons!

Best Regards,
Marty

>Hi Paul,
>
>Have you been changing lenses more often or using your
>70-300mm or other zoom lenses? Zoom lenses pump more air in
>and out. The environment you were recently shooting in could
>have been dustier than you thought.
>Good Luck and Enjoy your Nikons!
>
>

I only have one lens on the body, a Sigma 18-125mm. It does not seem to produce any dust on my D200 though, so the lens might not be the issue.

I make a point to NOT swap lenses in the field, or at all for that matter.

The vacuum does seem like a good idea, since there might be some dust trapped in the body.

Paul

"I'd rather try and fail, than fail to try."

What's the name of your cleaning kit? can it be obtained on ebay or only in camera stores?

>What's the name of your cleaning kit? can it be obtained on
>ebay or only in camera stores?

This one, bought in a camera store

http://delkin.com/i-5829868-digitalduster-dslr-camera-sensor-cleaning-kit.html

Rod W
Brisbane, QLD, Australia

Thanks! will take a look!

I've noticed that dust with older zoom lenses it much more of a problem than with any other lenses that I attach. I suspect that its because as the lens gets older the seals get worse and gaps get bigger.
I also wonder if the friction inside of the lenses is causing dust...

Dust on the sensor/filter is a fact of life for DSLRs. You can try to minimize it, but some will eventually get there.

---------+---------+---------+---------+
Joseph K
Seattle, WA, USA

D700, D200, D70S, 24-70mm f/2.8, VR 70-200mm f/2.8 II, 50mm f/1.4 D,
17-55mm f/2.8 DX, 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 VR, 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5 DX

I've been considering using a body with weather sealing for outdoor shooting, like the D200/300. Problem is, these are much heavier bodies and it be quite annoying to have one around your neck for 8+ hours.

Paul

"I'd rather try and fail, than fail to try."

And they still collect dust. My D200 has needed cleaning much more than my D70S.

The weight is not bad if you have a good strap, for example
http://www.tamrac.com/g_camerastraps.htm#N-27

---------+---------+---------+---------+
Joseph K
Seattle, WA, USA

D700, D200, D70S, 24-70mm f/2.8, VR 70-200mm f/2.8 II, 50mm f/1.4 D,
17-55mm f/2.8 DX, 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 VR, 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5 DX

Should really only be an issue, and noticeable, if you are stopping the lens down. Of course, it stands to reason on a slower, variable aperture zoom, that it may become more noticeable.

I learned to stop worrying about D-SLR dust, and just accept it for what it is- a nuisance that will always be there, and one not worth fretting over.

-A

Please read my blog (Nikon, Hasselblad, AND Polaroid), at www.arthurpolaroid.wordpress.com/ Nikon D300, D40, F Photomic Ftn, FE-2, F3HP, N80, F2S