[Deiberson]

I'm getting my Pentax cleaning kit for a piece of dust that I have in my images. Can I clean the mirror with it as well? I'm not sure if its on my mirror or sensor and I can't see it.
Pentax O-ICK1 Image Sensor Cleaning Kit 39357

I read on here that if you can see it in your viewfinder, its your mirror. I can see it through the viewfinder but not when I remove the lens or lift the motor to get to the sensor.
The blower isn't working. Something is stuck to something else.

Would love some feedback on this.

Here is the original thread with image examples
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-k-5-forum/182372-sensor-stain-question.html

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Last edited by Deiberson; 05-10-2012 at 07:09 AM.

[usmcxm35]

if the dust is on your sensor, then you would NOT be able to see it through the viewfinder.
If the dust is on your mirror, then you would NOT see it on your photos.
The mirror is right in the middle as you remove the lens, if there is any dust there it should be visible.
The sensor is behind the mirror, mirror lockup would move the mirror out of the way to access the sensor.

Get some good lighting when you break out the cleaning kit. Good luck.

[jmg257]

The K-5 has a Dust Alert option that will take pictures to easier identify dust on the sensor. Check p341 of the manual and follow the directions.

As USMC stated - dust on mirror won't be in images. (the mirror flips up to expose the sensor to the incoming light thru the lens/opening). Dust seen in viewfinder won't be in images (you see the light/image coming in reflected off the mirror and through the prism, when you lift the mirror you block the viewfinder). Lens dust doesn't often show in images due to the focus plane whatnot (switch lenses and see whats what in your images). Usually dust seen in images is on the sensor.

[Deiberson]

all i know is when i look threw the viewfinder, i see that spec of something. it also appears on the image.
see this link for examples
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-k-5-forum/182372-sensor-stain-question.html

[jmg257]

If you see it through the viewfinder and in images AND you are sure it is the same item, it would have to be there via the lens/lens opening, which makes little sense for the images you posted, as it shouldn't appear in the image.

What I know is anything on the sensor can NOT be seen through viewfinder...the mirror is in the way. Anything on the mirror can NOT be seen via the sensor image, the mirror moves up out of the way when taking a picture. The only thing common to both is the lens/lens opening.

This shows what "dust" on the lens will look like to have an affect in an image...
http://www.petapixel.com/2011/06/16/how-dust-and-damage-on-lenses-affect-image-quality/

This tells what to do about it...
http://mansurovs.com/what-to-do-with-dust-inside-lens

Can you also see it in LiveView (view of what sensor sees through the lens with mirror up)? Did the Dust Alert see anything?

[Deiberson]

If you see it through the viewfinder and in images AND you are sure it is the same item, it would have to be there via the lens/lens opening, which makes little sense for the images you posted,

I know. What makes even less sense is the fact that it was taken with 2 different lenses.

so.....can i clean the mirror and the snesor with the same item that i mentioned in my OP?

[Lowell Goudge]

I'm getting my Pentax cleaning kit for a piece of dust that I have in my images. Can I clean the mirror with it as well? I'm not sure if its on my mirror or sensor and I can't see it.
Pentax O-ICK1 Image Sensor Cleaning Kit 39357

I read on here that if you can see it in your viewfinder, its your mirror. I can see it through the viewfinder but not when I remove the lens or lift the motor to get to the sensor.
The blower isn't working. Something is stuck to something else.

Would love some feedback on this.

Here is the original thread with image examples
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-k-5-forum/182372-sensor-stain-question.html

I can't express this any clearer than the following

DO NOT, under any circumstances touch, clean or otherwise play with the mirror

the mirror and alignment is critical to focus. too much pressure can really screw things up.,

If there is a spot of dust on the mirror, leave it alone,

Sensor cleaning can be done, if done with care and non abrasive materials.

[Deiberson]

LG,
Please take a look at my images in the other thread and give me your thoughts on what this is. I can see that smear in my viewfinder and it also appears on my images...in the exact same spot.

[Wheatfield]

LG,
Please take a look at my images in the other thread and give me your thoughts on what this is. I can see that smear in my viewfinder and it also appears on my images...in the exact same spot.

The spots being in the same location is a coincidence.
Spots visible in the viewfinder is foreign material on the focusing screen or underside of the prism, while spots on the pictures is foreign material on the sensor.
Dust on the lens is never visible under normal shooting conditions (I have been able to focus on dust inside a lens when reversing lenses for extreme macro), either in the viewfinder or in the picture. Dust on the mirror is never visible at all.

[Deiberson]

So when I go to clean this from the sensor, will it be on the opposite side of what I'm looking at in my pictures? In other words, the spot is at the top of the images, so does that mean its on the bottom of the sensor?
Thanks again for the help on this one. It frustrating.
Kevin

[jmg257]

You are correct - the image is flipped vertically... "Remember, the location of the dust on the sensor will be exactly opposite of where it appears in the image on the LCD (the lens flips the image, the camera de-flips it for viewing). When you turn the camera 180 degrees to look into the chamber, the spot will now be flipped up/down only."

http://www.pentax.jp/english/products/digital/k200d/feature_07.html

If you can get it to show up on a Dust Alert image, that image shows what you would see looking through the front of the camera, with the red lens alignment dot and bayonet rings as points of reference. That might help you determine exactly where it is if looking to spot clean/check your work.

[Deiberson]

so i'm not cleaning the "sensor" per se....rather the layer of film that sits on the sensor....correct?

[Lowell Goudge]

LG,
Please take a look at my images in the other thread and give me your thoughts on what this is. I can see that smear in my viewfinder and it also appears on my images...in the exact same spot.

Although people have already answered for me, one thing to point out is that there is nothing within the camera body that can cause an obstruction to appear on both the image and in the viewfinder unless it is in front of the mirror and the swing path of the mirror, i.r. sticking out from lens mount, or on the back of the lens itself.

Dust on the mirror does not - ever appear in the image because the mirror is not in the light path of the image (remember it swings up out of the way), and dust on the sensor cannot appear in the viewfinder because it is behind the mirror.

[jmg257]

so i'm not cleaning the "sensor" per se....rather the layer of film that sits on the sensor....correct?

Yes - there is an SP coated low-pass filter in front of the actual sensor.

[jpzk]

Resurrecting an old thread .... please come in and give your opinion on this:

I just received my K5 back from "cleaning" at a very well known pro shop in Québec City, specifically, I wanted them to:

1. Clean the sensor because it did show spots ON the pictures .... problem solved.

2. Clean viewfinder: I could see all sorts of "junk" (tons of it) in there when taking a picture but this does not affect the pictures. Most of that is gone but ... see below "the problem".
3. Clean mirror if necessary .... not sure what dust on a mirror would do : can you actually see a dust spot on a mirror when you look through the viewfinder? Anyway, the camera came back with a dirtier mirror and I am not going to attempt to clean this .... for the moment.

The " problem " : I still can see a tiny (very small) speck of "something" when I look through the viewfinder as shown below:
Is this dust spot likely to come from the focus screen or the mirror???
How can I get rid of this little annoying spot?

Thanks for any useful information!

Cheers!

JP

---------- Post added 10-21-15 at 10:32 PM ----------

Note: the image in this thread is just a representation of what I see trough the viewfinder to show "where" and how "big" the dirt spot is.