Brand New K-5 - Is this sensor stain?

Bårsvik · 07-12-2011, 06:33 PM

Was taking some pics of a sunset today with my new K-5, and came across some unsightly spots on my pictures. I wanted to ask the forum if these are sensor stain spots.

Three spots - one top, one right side, one fainter one in the middle.

I did the dust mapping and removal, no dust to be seen. Also, I've never changed the lens - first day, I put the kit lens on and hasn't come off - so I don't see how dust could get in there anyway. No dust on the lens itself.

If this is really a bunk sensor, I am truly disappointed in Pentax. I want to give them the benefit of the doubt, and I love the K-5. Also, this the first time I'm buying into a DSLR system, and it doesn't give me much confidence in my choice. This issue should be resolved by now, especially brand new units being sold.

Attached Images

twitch · 07-12-2011, 06:38 PM

It's dust on the sensor, definitely not stains. No need to be disappointed in Pentax, dust on sensors is a fact of life when owning a DSLR.

The dust alert function is useless by the way, shooting a white wall or blue sky @ f/22 is far far more reliable.

So...run the dust removal option on your camera and see if that shifts it. If not buy a Giotto Rocket Blower and see if that shifts it, 95% of the time that will be enough to fix the problem. 5% of the time I have to resort to the Pentax Sensor Cleaner Kit aka "lollipop".

Relax and enjoy your new camera

**dcmsox2004** · 07-12-2011, 06:38 PM

don't sweat it... just dust on the sensor... best advice... buy a giottos rocket blower.... and give it a go or two... (read the manual for properly cleaning the sensor)..... a few good blasts should knock these dust devils off.... you can also force the sensor to clean itself (as the manual instructs).... i've done this a half dozen times or so when a stubborn piece wouldn't dislodge...
fwiw.... it is really absurd that after manufacture these sensors should be pristine and dust free... me thinks these days they're slapped together in tents in the middle of a field...
quality control and assurance needs improvement.......
after a good cleaning and checking of the sensor.... give this beauty a go... you're gonna love it!! best of luck, dave m

holycow · 07-12-2011, 06:39 PM

at what aperture did you take the photo?

having had similar spots appear on my photos, prima facie, it looks like dirt.

Bårsvik · 07-12-2011, 07:08 PM

I did the dust alert and dust removal. Nothing showed up on the dust alert function - completely white.

I have never changed the lens. The lens (18-55 WR) has been on the camera body from immediately after I got the camera until now.

The picture I believe was taken at f14

holycow · 07-12-2011, 07:19 PM

with the stubborn dust/dirt i had on my sensor, i ended up using sensor-film to clean the sensor. the blower and pentax lollipop cleaner did nadda.

twitch · 07-12-2011, 08:36 PM

Originally posted by Bårsvik

I did the dust alert and dust removal. Nothing showed up on the dust alert function - completely white.

I have never changed the lens. The lens (18-55 WR) has been on the camera body from immediately after I got the camera until now.

The picture I believe was taken at f14

Just buy the rocket blower and blow off the dust. If that doesn't work then buy the Pentax Sensor Cleaning Kit (lollipop).

nah · 07-13-2011, 11:21 AM

I had sensor dust on my new K-5 too.

I use the Sensor Klear II and a blower, works perfectly.

Skog · 07-13-2011, 11:26 AM

By the way, is the dust removal function on the k-5 supposed to be silent? On my k-x the whole thing was vibrating, but on the k-5 I cant really telly if it's doing anything at all?

To the OP; as they say it's dust/dirt not stains. Nothing to worry about, it's easy to get rid of and it will come again many times. I usually try the camera dust removal first, then I blow with my rocket blower, and if that wont work I use wet cleaning of the sensor with a special cleaning solvent and sensor pads.

Things to NOT do is use compressed air or q-tips and everything else that is not designed to clean a sensor

deadwolfbones · 07-13-2011, 12:00 PM

Yeah, the K-5 dust removal is near silent. If you hold your ear up to the body you can hear a faint whine, and that's it.

lammie200 · 07-13-2011, 12:09 PM

Originally posted by Bårsvik

I did the dust mapping and removal, no dust to be seen. Also, I've never changed the lens - first day, I put the kit lens on and hasn't come off - so I don't see how dust could get in there anyway. No dust on the lens itself.

If this is really a bunk sensor, I am truly disappointed in Pentax. I want to give them the benefit of the doubt, and I love the K-5. Also, this the first time I'm buying into a DSLR system, and it doesn't give me much confidence in my choice. This issue should be resolved by now, especially brand new units being sold.

I also have a new K-5 that HAD similar spots. Putting it in mirror-up mode, holding the camera upside down, and blasting it with a rocket blower 10-15 times cleaned it completely.

I wouldn't be dissapointed if I were you. It is probably a lot to expect that after all the movement during shipment that the sensor would stay completely clean.

As far as the dust cleaning feature goes, it might work well at times, but I am pretty sure that manual blowing will be necesary from time to time. Similarly the dust mapping may work for some types of particles, but it might be that dust that is only lightly resting on the surface may not appear. I couldn't see the dust particles that I blew off with the dust mapping feature, but they blew away very easily.

07-12-2011, 06:33 PM	#1
Bårsvik New Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Midwest Posts: 9	Brand New K-5 - Is this sensor stain? Was taking some pics of a sunset today with my new K-5, and came across some unsightly spots on my pictures. I wanted to ask the forum if these are sensor stain spots. Three spots - one top, one right side, one fainter one in the middle. I did the dust mapping and removal, no dust to be seen. Also, I've never changed the lens - first day, I put the kit lens on and hasn't come off - so I don't see how dust could get in there anyway. No dust on the lens itself. If this is really a bunk sensor, I am truly disappointed in Pentax. I want to give them the benefit of the doubt, and I love the K-5. Also, this the first time I'm buying into a DSLR system, and it doesn't give me much confidence in my choice. This issue should be resolved by now, especially brand new units being sold. Attached Images

07-13-2011, 12:09 PM	#11
lammie200 Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: San Francisco Photos: Albums Posts: 1,033	Originally posted by Bårsvik I did the dust mapping and removal, no dust to be seen. Also, I've never changed the lens - first day, I put the kit lens on and hasn't come off - so I don't see how dust could get in there anyway. No dust on the lens itself. If this is really a bunk sensor, I am truly disappointed in Pentax. I want to give them the benefit of the doubt, and I love the K-5. Also, this the first time I'm buying into a DSLR system, and it doesn't give me much confidence in my choice. This issue should be resolved by now, especially brand new units being sold. I also have a new K-5 that HAD similar spots. Putting it in mirror-up mode, holding the camera upside down, and blasting it with a rocket blower 10-15 times cleaned it completely. I wouldn't be dissapointed if I were you. It is probably a lot to expect that after all the movement during shipment that the sensor would stay completely clean. As far as the dust cleaning feature goes, it might work well at times, but I am pretty sure that manual blowing will be necesary from time to time. Similarly the dust mapping may work for some types of particles, but it might be that dust that is only lightly resting on the surface may not appear. I couldn't see the dust particles that I blew off with the dust mapping feature, but they blew away very easily. Last edited by lammie200; 07-13-2011 at 02:26 PM.

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07-12-2011, 06:38 PM	#2
twitch Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 4,571	It's dust on the sensor, definitely not stains. No need to be disappointed in Pentax, dust on sensors is a fact of life when owning a DSLR. The dust alert function is useless by the way, shooting a white wall or blue sky @ f/22 is far far more reliable. So...run the dust removal option on your camera and see if that shifts it. If not buy a Giotto Rocket Blower and see if that shifts it, 95% of the time that will be enough to fix the problem. 5% of the time I have to resort to the Pentax Sensor Cleaner Kit aka "lollipop". Relax and enjoy your new camera

07-12-2011, 06:38 PM	#3
dcmsox2004 Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: rhode island Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,522	don't sweat it... just dust on the sensor... best advice... buy a giottos rocket blower.... and give it a go or two... (read the manual for properly cleaning the sensor)..... a few good blasts should knock these dust devils off.... you can also force the sensor to clean itself (as the manual instructs).... i've done this a half dozen times or so when a stubborn piece wouldn't dislodge... fwiw.... it is really absurd that after manufacture these sensors should be pristine and dust free... me thinks these days they're slapped together in tents in the middle of a field... quality control and assurance needs improvement....... after a good cleaning and checking of the sensor.... give this beauty a go... you're gonna love it!! best of luck, dave m

07-12-2011, 06:39 PM	#4
holycow Inactive Account Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: sydney Posts: 26	at what aperture did you take the photo? having had similar spots appear on my photos, prima facie, it looks like dirt.

07-12-2011, 07:08 PM	#5
Bårsvik New Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Midwest Posts: 9 Original Poster	I did the dust alert and dust removal. Nothing showed up on the dust alert function - completely white. I have never changed the lens. The lens (18-55 WR) has been on the camera body from immediately after I got the camera until now. The picture I believe was taken at f14

07-12-2011, 07:19 PM	#6
holycow Inactive Account Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: sydney Posts: 26	with the stubborn dust/dirt i had on my sensor, i ended up using sensor-film to clean the sensor. the blower and pentax lollipop cleaner did nadda.

07-12-2011, 08:36 PM	#7
twitch Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 4,571	Originally posted by Bårsvik I did the dust alert and dust removal. Nothing showed up on the dust alert function - completely white. I have never changed the lens. The lens (18-55 WR) has been on the camera body from immediately after I got the camera until now. The picture I believe was taken at f14 Just buy the rocket blower and blow off the dust. If that doesn't work then buy the Pentax Sensor Cleaning Kit (lollipop).

07-13-2011, 11:21 AM	#8
nah Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: New Westminster, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 282	I had sensor dust on my new K-5 too. I use the Sensor Klear II and a blower, works perfectly.

07-13-2011, 11:26 AM	#9
Skog Inactive Account Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 167	By the way, is the dust removal function on the k-5 supposed to be silent? On my k-x the whole thing was vibrating, but on the k-5 I cant really telly if it's doing anything at all? To the OP; as they say it's dust/dirt not stains. Nothing to worry about, it's easy to get rid of and it will come again many times. I usually try the camera dust removal first, then I blow with my rocket blower, and if that wont work I use wet cleaning of the sensor with a special cleaning solvent and sensor pads. Things to NOT do is use compressed air or q-tips and everything else that is not designed to clean a sensor

07-13-2011, 12:00 PM	#10
deadwolfbones Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: La Crescenta, CA Posts: 7,450	Yeah, the K-5 dust removal is near silent. If you hold your ear up to the body you can hear a faint whine, and that's it.