Thanks Adam!
Originally posted by Adam 1. Take some basic outdoor photos in auto mode / F8 and make sure they are clear and sharp
Seems quite good.
Originally posted by Adam 2. Take some photos at slow shutter speeds hand-held to verify the SR system works fine (i.e. 1/8-1/15s)
Good with and without flash.
Originally posted by Adam 3. Take some photos of the sky at F16/F22 to ensure the sensor is free from the "string of pearls" defect (it will be obvious if it's there)
I have 2 specks. See below.
Flash works, lens smooth and quick in AF.
Question: What is meant by the term "stopped down"? Does it mean smaller or larger aperture?
Stains or Pearls or Specks:
1st photo is a sky shot at f22. This was taken after I used the Dust Alert and Dust Removal functions + some air puffing.
According to the 1st photo, the sensor seemed to be dirty, so I learned how to clean the sensor.
It got dark while I was cleaning, so I switched to a white background indoors and shot it unfocused at f32 for the 2nd photo.
Nearly all of the dots "moved" in the 2nd photo, which suggests that nearly all the dots were dirt, and I need to learn how to clean better, which I did.
I cleaned the sensor again.
Then I took the 3rd photo with f29 unfocused at the white background, revealing that I have 2 persistent stains on the sensor.
The 4th photo is the same as the 3rd, except taken at f11.
At f11, the 2 stains are barely noticeable.
I checked all my outdoors shots taken at f8 during the initial tests today, and the stains simply do not show at all in normal photographs.
So I guess I'm inclined to think that my 2 specks are not a big deal and maybe I should keep this camera and start shooting things.
The 2 specks aren't a reason to consider the camera defective and send it back for a refund?
Advice and suggestions and comments welcome!
Also - there are 4 dust particles and one gerbil hair in my viewfinder, and no amount of puffing or cursing has budged them.
Should I bash the camera on a utility pole until they shake loose?
Other ideas?
Thanks!