where there’s smoke there’s forum fire
I was shooting with my D300 last night when I noticed some "floaters" in the viewfinder. They were not affecting my images, so I'm thinking that this is just dust on the mirror and/or the focus screen. What do you think would be the best way to clean this out. Should I use a brush?? An air blaster? Both?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Don't use compressed air (or canned air), use a Giotto's Rocket air blaster to blow off the dust. That's really your first line of defense.
I have a dust spot visible in my viewfinder that I think is on my focusing screen; possibly the mirror. My large Rocket Blower didn't fix the problem.
The right side of my brain tells me to leave it alone until I have enough complaints with my machine to send it in to Nikon repair. This is usually where I start messing around and break my stuff.
Still, though, thinking about wiping my focus screen with a Sensor Swab and Eclipse and, if that fails, wiping the mirror. Not planning on removing the screen, just wiping it in place.
Has anyone been brave or stupid enough tried this. If so, do you have any pointers on achieving a successful result?
*****EDIT**** Got out my tripod, Sensor Swab and Eclipse. Peered inside D90. Packed up my tripod, Sensor Swab and Eclipse. Driving into NYC to get my camera repaired by an authorized tech.
OK
A (quick) revival from past.
But i rather do forum search before i post new topic. (according to rules)
I use D7000 - I spotted a piece of dirt on mirror (small but not really small parts of dust), another on that glassy part above ("focus screen"?) - both are on visibile part, nothing went behind the glass. Through viewfinder i see kinda small part of it (lower left corner of focusing part, right in corner), and the other one is visibile with eye on mirror
I have no clue how to remove those, where should i start? i guess i could try to blow in first, but as said above, compressed air isn't good for it?
Also, the earbrushes probably aren't fine to try out, yep?
I'll try to slap up a picture describing my problem
Thanks for replies and sorry for reviving almost year old topic...
(PS if you have any clue where to buy those swabs, or i rather not touch the mirror and that part of glass above untill its really time to repair? Also, sometime there IS a kind of Nikon meeting where they do free glass cleaning, i guess i could wait half of year or such to get there?)
P.S.S: water isn't burning (normal phrase which tells that i'm not in a hurry to clean this out)
the basic rule for the mirror is don't touch it, as it is front coated and easy to damage (unlike the sensor, which you can clean carefully).
As for the viewfinder box, i clean mine all the time and have talked about how to do so on here in the past. Just use a cotton tip and gently wipe the spots on the glass (the glass up the top above the mirror). the glass has swirls on it and seems to catch dust easily. If you can't get the spots off with a cue tip you can soak the end with lens cleaner and try again, it can be hard to get streaks off though, and is a bit hard to get dry. It's just a piece of glass and it really is easy to clean.
Cleaning the focusing screen is not a big deal. I replaced mine with a better Nikon screen a few weeks ago. The screens can scratch easy, but using a cloth shouldn't be an issue.
The mirror on the other hand,....you are playing a Hand of Poker with the Devil,...and you just might lose!
If it does not affect the final picture , leave it alone, thats all that matters, so clean the sensor, leave the rest alone, it only in your mind.
If it really bothers you, and you insist that you must clean your mirror, then use the following procedure:
remove the battery, remove the cards, remove the lens[of course] load the dishwasher with double amount the recommend of DAWN dishwashing liquid.
Place the camera wih the mirrow facing down, this is important to allow the water to not collect in the body, let the machine run through its cycle with double rinse.
Use this time to go browsing on line for a good deal on a new D3s, D700 or D7000.
Works all the time, you end up with a new camera with no dust, smudges or dirt.
Get a lens that's full of fungus and go diving with your dishwasher camera, it will amaze your friends.
TIP : always change you lenses only when you have to and in a dust free enviroment.
Thanks for fast reply,
I was more concerned on the viewfinder part of dirt, which is realy annoying,
if its that hard to clean mirror, i'll leave it as is (on mirror is really 3x or less of dirt).
I'll use cotton stick to clean it. Thanks for advice.
I just asked here because in all-companies forum a guy wiped with a finger over that mirror above glass part, and he somehow destroyed focus points and so on. (C*non)
Thanks everybody for poping up
I can make a little video if you want.
Hi,
A very long time ago, I _had to clean_ an SLR's mirror, and it was a terrible mess before, and while it was 'cleaner', it had to be replaced later. I'm sure technology is better. Just saying...
My best,
Mike
If you want to have a practice, might I recommend your local Costco? They never seem to mind people buggering up their stock!
Just would like to add on an issue I just came across.
I have a D7000 and what seems to be dust appeared on a picture of a blue/cloudy sky.
I could could see the spots on the picture on my computer and in the view finder, but not in live view mode. I cleaned both my UV filter and front lens, then back lens, then the view finder, but the spots remain in the view finder. I Changed lens and I still get the spots in the view finder. Then I used the blow pump and blew some air on the sensor.
The dust is gone from the test pictures I took from a white wall, a piece of light blue fabric and a milky white blue sky. The dust seems to be gone from the pictures, but are still at the same spot on the view finder. How weird is that?
Any ideas?
Thanks,
You can actually remove the focus screen if you are very careful (use gloves). It just sounds like you got some dirt somewhere in there or even on your mirror.
Guys
I am afraid of messing with the mirror.
sensors you can clean
focusing screens can be removed, and cleaned or changed, however, mirrors usually end up with the camera going in for repairs
I agree with TTJ something on the focusing screen or mirror, use a loupe to look at the mirror, if it is dirty, live with it or send it in to be cleaned.
use only a blower on the mirror, nothing else. I have not gone after the focusing screen on my D7000 as yet, it was easy to do on the F3 as the whoe top came off easily.
I did raise the mirror for clean-up and blew some air with the standard blow pump. I will look at both the mirror and focusing screen with a loupe. But I am indeed very uneasy at playing inside, even removing the screen even if this is said to be safe.
I'll read more online and youtube to educate myself.
Are those mirror wipes (Q-tip looking) a good investment or better left to pros. Do I need Eclipse 1 or Eclipse 2 for the D7000 sensor, something about oxide coating?
Outside of a Giotto Rocket I don't touch the sensor I let a shop with insurance do that. There is nothing to mess up with the mirror - I even used my t-shirt to clean it (carefully though). Focus screen is not that bad. The big thing is to use either plastic or better yet nylon tools so they don't scratch anything.
Many shops will do a cleaning for $10 if it is not a sensor. It takes them a whole 5 minutes.
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