How to remove dust spots with PS or Elements?

[johngs]

I'm new to digital photography and new to PhotoShop. i have some photos that suffer from small round marks caused by dust on the sensor.
Just wondering what is the easiest way to remove them with software. Is it just to select the spot healing tool and rub over them, or is there a better technique?

[graphicgr8s]

Originally Posted by johngs

I'm new to digital photography and new to PhotoShop. i have some photos that suffer from small round marks caused by dust on the sensor.
Just wondering what is the easiest way to remove them with software. Is it just to select the spot healing tool and rub over them, or is there a better technique?

If you have Photoshop you can create an action with the spot healing tool. The spots will always be in the same spot all the time until you clean the sensor. Then you can batch process.

[rparmar]

Clone tool can be good too. Set it to maybe 70% opacity and some appropriate size. Multiple passes like this produces a more natural result than one attempt at 100%.

Then, clean the sensor.

[fs999]

There is an old but free program from Polaroid : Polaroid Dust and Scratch Remover.

[soccerjoe5]

After trying several methods, my vote goes to the healing brush tool (basically a more flexible/capable spot healing brush tool)

[Jester_rm]

Healing brush usually works fine for me, unless there's a much different color near by the spot...then the clone stamp works OK.

[Ira]

Originally Posted by graphicgr8s

If you have Photoshop you can create an action with the spot healing tool. The spots will always be in the same spot all the time until you clean the sensor. Then you can batch process.

You can actually create an action where it does it on the same spot ? I've been working in PS for years and never even thought that was possible.

Amazing!

[jmc7104]

I personally tend to favor the clone tool over the healing brush. Just seem to have better results with it. Plus many more years experience with it. Photo Plus which came with first digital camera, Vivitar 2700, had it included as their editor program. That was year 2000 or 2001. I used their clone program to restore a tremendous number of partually destroyed photo's. jim

[artobest]

The healing tool is much easier to use than the clone tool. It doesn't need such a close match, as it adjusts the 'patch' to the surrounding pixels automatically. I love it - use it all the time.