[AstraNine]

Sigh. Taken about 500 photos since receiving this new beauty, my first DSLR. And then somebody asked what the spot was on one of the pictures. Looking back over my photos I now realise this same spot is visible on all of my photos. Is this a dust spot on the sensor? Already tried cleaning the sensor with the dust shaker and a rocket blower. No luck it is still there, any advice anyone?

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[RonakG]

Definitely a dust spot. Use the dust alert function to find the exact spot on the sensor and use a rocket blower multiple times to remove it. If it doesn't go, you can take the camera to local shop for wet sensor cleaning.

[ismaelg]

Don't panic. That is common with DSLRs. The moment you change a lens, dust can get in there.
I wrote a detailed article about it but it is in spanish.
You basically approach this in different levels. Once you solve it you stop.
Level 1: Use the dust removal function. Not sure in the Kr but in other models the sensor can shake at startup for dust removal, or any other in camera function for that. If that doesn't work, go to the next level.
Level 2: Use a Giotto rocket blower. This is a bulb size blower you use to blow air into the sensor and hopefully remove dust. It may take several tries, but this is usually over 90% effective.
Canned compressed air is another alternative but I personally don't recommend it because it can spray propellant into the sensor. But that is a whole other debate. If that doesn't work, go to the next level.
Level 3: Dry cleaning: No, don't take it to a laundry There are products like Lens Pen to clean the sensor. You put the camera into cleaning mode where the mirror and shutter open to expose the sensor (not really the sensor but the filter on top) and you carefully clean it. If that doesn't work, go to the next level.
Level 4: wet cleaning: Similar to dry cleaning but with special solutions designed for sensors. I've never had to go here. If that doesn't work, go to the next level.
Level 5: Professional sensor cleaning. Take it to a shop. If that doesn't work, go to the next level.
Level 6: Now you have all the right to PANIC!

As preventive maintenance, when changing lenses make sure you do it rather quickly to minimize the time exposed. Of course don't change lenses in very dusty environment like in the middle of a motocross race or a sandstorm. Try to point the camera down when changing lenses. All of this will help minimize the chances of dust.
But always keep in mind the only way to never happen is if you never change a lens, but then, what fun would that be?
Hope this helps.

Thanks,

[ismaelg]

One more thing, always check for dust not only in the sensor but in the lens as well. It may not show in the picture but if the rear element has dust guess where it may eventually end?
Yeap, in the sensor.

Thanks,

[AstraNine]

Arrrgh! This is driving me crazy. Now about 3000+ shots in and still the same dust spot. This one "dust" spot which really only shows up at F11 and above. Have a Giotto rocket blower which has proven ineffective at removal. Dust alert shows nothing at all. Three people have examined the camera and the thing is you just cannot see any spot on the sensor or mirror or the lens. When you look inside the camera without the lens should I "see" this spot on the left side of the sensor or the right?

[EricR]

Arrrgh! This is driving me crazy. Now about 3000+ shots in and still the same dust spot. This one "dust" spot which really only shows up at F11 and above. Have a Giotto rocket blower which has proven ineffective at removal. Dust alert shows nothing at all. Three people have examined the camera and the thing is you just cannot see any spot on the sensor or mirror or the lens. When you look inside the camera without the lens should I "see" this spot on the left side of the sensor or the right?

No, this seems like a spot you only will see using a magnifying glass. You will either have to clean the sensor with a brush like the Arctic Butterfly or have to resort to some kind of wet cleaning.

It's not that hard to clean the sensor (or better said the filter above it) but you still have to be carefull and have to use batteries that are fully charged when cleaning.

[AstraNine]

"When you look inside the camera without the lens should I "see" this spot on the left side of the sensor or the right?" Anybody?

[kheldour]

I have that once or twice a week.
But usually the Dustremoval function or a blower help to remove the little spots.

[ribbons]

mmm, may I know if K-r is able to take pictures in black& white mode, sepia mode etc?
Thanks

[Chaos_Realm]

"When you look inside the camera without the lens should I "see" this spot on the left side of the sensor or the right?" Anybody?

You should be able to see the spot on the the lower right corner of the sensor when looking at it. since the image is reversed and upside down but you reverse it (left to right) again when you turn the camera around to look in side...

Edit: I might also add, (if that is an uncropped photo) I am guessing that bit of dust will be about 0.1mm-0.2mm so it is VERY tiny.

[Taobat]

mmm, may I know if K-r is able to take pictures in black& white mode, sepia mode etc?
Thanks

Hi ribbons, The K-r is capable of a staggeringly broad range of color manipulation in-camera. The black & white, sepia, etc. are grouped under a single option "Monochrome" for the "custom image" setting which is applied instantly to every shot taken as a JPEG.

Other custom image modes are: bright, natural, portrait, landscape, vibrant, muted, bleach bypass (I really like this one), and reversal film.

You can also apply custom image settings after taking a shot, along with a broad range of processing filters... like "miniature" and "toy camera" and a host of others. These allow you to create a vast array of effects from very subtle to extreme and intense in your images.

All of these options have multiple customization options.

I was surprised to realize, once I started playing with them, that these give the K-r a close equivalent to the Olympus "art filters" -- if you have ever played with one of the digital PENs, you know those are surprisingly fun, and there is a real difference between doing these effects in Photoshop and having the camera do them while you are still on your photowalk...

If you are looking for that kind of in-camera creative power, you will love the K-r.

Back on the main topic: the manual is quite good in describing the process for cleaning the sensor. I just did it last night and, happily, my rocket blower did the trick. Good luck with the next steps!

[ribbons]

Hi ribbons, The K-r is capable of a staggeringly broad range of color manipulation in-camera. The black & white, sepia, etc. are grouped under a single option "Monochrome" for the "custom image" setting which is applied instantly to every shot taken as a JPEG.

Other custom image modes are: bright, natural, portrait, landscape, vibrant, muted, bleach bypass (I really like this one), and reversal film.

You can also apply custom image settings after taking a shot, along with a broad range of processing filters... like "miniature" and "toy camera" and a host of others. These allow you to create a vast array of effects from very subtle to extreme and intense in your images.

All of these options have multiple customization options.

I was surprised to realize, once I started playing with them, that these give the K-r a close equivalent to the Olympus "art filters" -- if you have ever played with one of the digital PENs, you know those are surprisingly fun, and there is a real difference between doing these effects in Photoshop and having the camera do them while you are still on your photowalk...

If you are looking for that kind of in-camera creative power, you will love the K-r.

Back on the main topic: the manual is quite good in describing the process for cleaning the sensor. I just did it last night and, happily, my rocket blower did the trick. Good luck with the next steps!

Hey! I did figured it out that its under the "Monochrome". I'm just wondering if its able to shoot pictures straight in BW/sepia mode etc instead of editing the picture after shooting?

Thanks so much!

[Taobat]

Hey! I did figured it out that its under the "Monochrome". I'm just wondering if its able to shoot pictures straight in BW/sepia mode etc instead of editing the picture after shooting?

Yes!

Before you shoot, hit the info button, then you can use the e-dial to cycle through the custom image modes -- or OK to jump in to the more detailed custom image set up screens.

Whatever custom image setting you choose--such as monochrome/BW--will be applied to your JPEGs at the time of creation.

[Chaos_Realm]

Now about 3000+ shots in and still the same dust spot

Sorry for not explaining everything in one go but here is another thing.

If you have Adobe Lightroom you can follow this process for batch "spot healing" for the 3000+ photos.

How To Remove Dust Spots From Multiple Photos in 4 Steps

They also say that Apeture (the software) can do a similar thing

[tibbitts]

I have an almost identical spot on my K100. I've actually scrubbed it with a soaking wet sensor swab, which isn't the recommended technique. Good news: no damage to the sensor. Bad news: that spot isn't moving. Ever.

Amazingly, I now have a spot in the viewfinder in almost exactly the same location as the sensor spot. It's so close that I can use it to reframe the picture a little if the sensor spot would fall in a particularly sensitive area.

When I got the K100 it was my first DSLR, and I was very worried about dust. Now I just accept a modest amount of dust as being inevitable. Cloning the dust out is almost always easy. Obviously if the dust spot appears in a particularly critical area that's not uniform, it can be a problem, but it's almost never been a practical problem for me.

Paul