Is this a stain?

Francis · 08-28-2011, 10:44 AM

Hi all, I'm scratching my head on this one. I just downloaded my photos from my holiday. And, opening in LR, noticed the "line" on the screen. Looks like dust on low F but like the cellular stain issue on high F values. This affects most of my landscapes, not that they were great in the first place.

I have tried dust cleaning and it did not move. On all my photos both during the holiday, and today, the streak is in the same place.

IMGP3828 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

I'm well within warranty and have no major things planned so am patient about it.

Thanks

My camera was assembled in March based on the software recommended on this forum before.

octavmandru · 08-28-2011, 10:50 AM

It looks like dust to me.

Francis · 08-28-2011, 10:57 AM

How can i get it in more focus?

BTW I'm talking about the "line" a little left of center at the top of the pic. The dot right of center is a dot on the window I was shooting through.

octavmandru · 08-28-2011, 11:06 AM

Shoot a white ceiling, manual focus and the lens on close setting (0,3 m or so), flash, and most important aperture on maximum value (f22 or so).

Octav

edit: a white sheet of paper is also OK. Use manual focus so you don't actually focus on the target or you may capture the dirt on it.

Francis · 08-28-2011, 11:15 AM

Tried that but can't get it to focus any better. The streak appears on all the photos though.

octavmandru · 08-28-2011, 11:30 AM

don't sweat on it. I bet it's just a large speck of dust.
Best for cleaning is the Pentax cleaning kit. Some would recommend a blower, but I like to kill the infidel.

Octav

mikec100z · 08-28-2011, 12:28 PM

One of these could be a stain but it is very hard to tell from the picture. After you have cleaned the sensor, take a picture of the blue sky, or other uniform object like a white ceiling at f22. If it is a stain it will likely appear like a "string of Pearls" or other dots. Both my early edition k5's developed stains and both were in the string of pearls for.

Emacs · 08-28-2011, 12:41 PM

It's not a stain. I'm sure.

imtheguy · 08-28-2011, 02:05 PM

Agree with Emacs, not a stain. I am on my third body....a clean one. Also besides f22 it helps to view at 50% size as the typical "string of pearls" is much smaller than the big chunks you have there assuming its an uncropped shot.

Francis · 08-30-2011, 03:31 AM

Indeed not a stain. Cleaned the sensor (swab) and got rid of it. Unfortunately, I am new to this sensor cleaning thing and have to do it again as I left other (less noticeable) specks... Got a Delkin Sensorscope 3 thing... primarily because that's what my camera distributor uses (and charges 30 EUR)

Francis · 08-31-2011, 02:05 AM

I've now scratched my sensor, darnit

twitch · 08-31-2011, 02:29 AM

You probably haven't scratched your sensor, and even if you have it probably wont show up even @ f/22 unless it's a bad scratch.

It might be time now to hand it over to someone who knows what they're doing.

Francis · 08-31-2011, 02:31 AM

LMAO!!!! Thanks Twitch. I'll sensor scope it again later. Personally I thought I knew (know) what I was doing. If it is no good I'll send it in for proper cleaning/repair/etc.

twitch · 08-31-2011, 03:20 AM

Originally posted by Francis

LMAO!!!! Thanks Twitch. I'll sensor scope it again later. Personally I thought I knew (know) what I was doing. If it is no good I'll send it in for proper cleaning/repair/etc.

I know the feeling, my last attempt at sensor cleaning was a monumental screw up.

Edvinas · 08-31-2011, 03:29 AM

Why don't you try most simple cleaning method: to blow the dust off. So far it worked for me for five years.

08-28-2011, 10:44 AM	#1
Francis Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Hilversum Photos: Gallery Posts: 215	Is this a stain? Hi all, I'm scratching my head on this one. I just downloaded my photos from my holiday. And, opening in LR, noticed the "line" on the screen. Looks like dust on low F but like the cellular stain issue on high F values. This affects most of my landscapes, not that they were great in the first place. I have tried dust cleaning and it did not move. On all my photos both during the holiday, and today, the streak is in the same place. IMGP3828 \| Flickr - Photo Sharing! I'm well within warranty and have no major things planned so am patient about it. Thanks My camera was assembled in March based on the software recommended on this forum before.

08-28-2011, 12:28 PM	#7
mikec100z Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Calgary Posts: 27	hard to tell One of these could be a stain but it is very hard to tell from the picture. After you have cleaned the sensor, take a picture of the blue sky, or other uniform object like a white ceiling at f22. If it is a stain it will likely appear like a "string of Pearls" or other dots. Both my early edition k5's developed stains and both were in the string of pearls for.

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08-28-2011, 10:50 AM	#2
octavmandru Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: somewhere around Posts: 615	It looks like dust to me.

08-28-2011, 10:57 AM	#3
Francis Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Hilversum Photos: Gallery Posts: 215 Original Poster	How can i get it in more focus? BTW I'm talking about the "line" a little left of center at the top of the pic. The dot right of center is a dot on the window I was shooting through.

08-28-2011, 11:06 AM	#4
octavmandru Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: somewhere around Posts: 615	Shoot a white ceiling, manual focus and the lens on close setting (0,3 m or so), flash, and most important aperture on maximum value (f22 or so). Octav edit: a white sheet of paper is also OK. Use manual focus so you don't actually focus on the target or you may capture the dirt on it.

08-28-2011, 11:15 AM	#5
Francis Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Hilversum Photos: Gallery Posts: 215 Original Poster	Tried that but can't get it to focus any better. The streak appears on all the photos though.

08-28-2011, 11:30 AM	#6
octavmandru Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: somewhere around Posts: 615	don't sweat on it. I bet it's just a large speck of dust. Best for cleaning is the Pentax cleaning kit. Some would recommend a blower, but I like to kill the infidel. Octav

08-28-2011, 12:41 PM	#8
Emacs Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Moscow Posts: 1,223	It's not a stain. I'm sure.

08-28-2011, 02:05 PM	#9
imtheguy Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Virginia Beach Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,950	Agree with Emacs, not a stain. I am on my third body....a clean one. Also besides f22 it helps to view at 50% size as the typical "string of pearls" is much smaller than the big chunks you have there assuming its an uncropped shot.

08-30-2011, 03:31 AM	#10
Francis Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Hilversum Photos: Gallery Posts: 215 Original Poster	Indeed not a stain. Cleaned the sensor (swab) and got rid of it. Unfortunately, I am new to this sensor cleaning thing and have to do it again as I left other (less noticeable) specks... Got a Delkin Sensorscope 3 thing... primarily because that's what my camera distributor uses (and charges 30 EUR)

08-31-2011, 02:05 AM	#11
Francis Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Hilversum Photos: Gallery Posts: 215 Original Poster	I've now scratched my sensor, darnit

08-31-2011, 02:29 AM	#12
twitch Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 4,571	You probably haven't scratched your sensor, and even if you have it probably wont show up even @ f/22 unless it's a bad scratch. It might be time now to hand it over to someone who knows what they're doing.

08-31-2011, 02:31 AM	#13
Francis Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Hilversum Photos: Gallery Posts: 215 Original Poster	LMAO!!!! Thanks Twitch. I'll sensor scope it again later. Personally I thought I knew (know) what I was doing. If it is no good I'll send it in for proper cleaning/repair/etc.

08-31-2011, 03:20 AM	#14
twitch Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 4,571	Originally posted by Francis LMAO!!!! Thanks Twitch. I'll sensor scope it again later. Personally I thought I knew (know) what I was doing. If it is no good I'll send it in for proper cleaning/repair/etc. I know the feeling, my last attempt at sensor cleaning was a monumental screw up.

08-31-2011, 03:29 AM	#15
Edvinas Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Kaunas Posts: 1,458	Why don't you try most simple cleaning method: to blow the dust off. So far it worked for me for five years.