Whats making this mark on my images?

Megapixelmk · 06-19-2015, 10:29 PM

Recently I noticed a slightly darker vertical mark appearing consistently in the upper right corner of my images from my K3. I found it on more than one lens and unrelated to any filters I use. I'm assuming it's a sensor issue, but would like help determining what is causing it, and what solution there is?
I am posting a couple of examples shot with different lens.
Thank you in advance.

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**PJ1** · 06-19-2015, 10:41 PM

It looks like a very fine hair on the sensor. Run the sensor cleaning action a few times and see if that removes it.

jawsy · 06-19-2015, 11:27 PM

If it is a hair it's very straight and perfectly parallel with the sensor edge. I'm not familiar with the K-3 (yet) but I would suggest:

1) Dust removal mechanism like PJ1 said and check the dust detector map image afterwards;
2) Sensor cleaning with a dabbing pad style sensor cleaner;
3) Take it down to the camera shop where you bought it to see what they think.

Whilst doing Step 2), have a close look at the sensor with an LED light and see if you can see anything. If you've got LR5 or 6, check an image with the spot removal assistant and see what it looks like in the spot detect mode.

Although it has the shading characteristics of a hair, it's just too straight for my liking and could be something more serious.

LensBeginner · 06-19-2015, 11:54 PM - **1 Like**

Try a couple of shots stopped down (f/22, f/32) and see if it gets thinner.
You can shoot at a white wall handheld (if it's on the sensor, it will not be affected by camera shake, so even a 10" exposure is ok), and if it's a hair you'll see it clearly.

Megapixelmk · 06-20-2015, 12:52 AM

Don't think its a hair for reason jawsy gave. I have the sensor dust removal activated every time camera is turned off so I don't think thats sufficient. Will look at cleaning sensor with a kit, but a little nervous about process. Will follow your suggestions to see how it goes. Thanks guys

robthebloke · 06-20-2015, 01:45 AM

Use a rocket blower, use a rocket blower, use a rocket blower!

(Don't use canned gas). The cleaning methods listed above are a touch extreme, and should be a last resort (aside from the cameras dust removal). If it is a hair, the rocket blower will get it.

jawsy · 06-20-2015, 02:10 AM

.. might get it, but I agree it should be tried before dabbing cleaners.

MarkJerling · 06-20-2015, 02:56 AM

I've never had anything on the sensor I could not get off with the rocket blower. Touch wood. Actually, I've never had any wood near the sensor either! :-)

08amczb · 06-20-2015, 03:37 AM

Generally I check my sensor dust by setting aperture to the minimum (F22,F32 depends on the lens), the ISO to something between 100 and 400 and take tow photos of the ceiling handheld. Everything doesent move between the tow photos is on the sensor. You can use the front wheel to swith between magnified photos.
Most of the dust can be removed by a rocket blower. (If something is on the top of the photo is on the bottom of the sensor and the left side of the photo is the right side of the sensor)

BertH · 06-20-2015, 09:54 AM

Originally posted by robthebloke

Use a rocket blower, use a rocket blower, use a rocket blower!

and blow dust on your sensor

Bagga_Txips · 06-21-2015, 06:41 AM

Aaagh, is this the new fashion? To assume that rocket blowers blow dust ONTO the sensor? There will be dust inside the sensor chamber. The rocket blower moves that dust around. Sometimes some dust will land on the sensor after you have used the blower. In that case, use the blower again.

Sometimes the blower may contain dust. This is because it does not exist in a vacuum, and air/the atmosphere often contains dust. So, keep the blower in the most dust free place you can. Use the blower in the most dust free place you can - I usually use mine in the bathroom, in the perhaps forlorn hope that the humidity might reduce the amount of dust floating about.

The rocket blower may not be the most perfect solution, but it is cheap and portable, and the recent wave of dislike against it seems misguided to me. Anyway, I have used mine on my K-5 twice in the last 4 years or so, and it has never worsened the situation.

A recent popular dust removal technique that is gaining favour is the use of a vacuum cleaner. I did this on my PC once, using all the safety measures recently recommended. It never worked again, and I had to buy a new motherboard.

vonBaloney · 06-21-2015, 07:01 AM

Rocket blowers do cause a static charge so that can make particles stick. Unless you get an anti-static filtered one like the Zeeion ($45), except tests seem to show it that it actually does not work. And then there is the Firefly (>$100), which is also filtered and had a big electronic anti-static device on the front of it. That one did work, but they no longer make it, and it is hard to use (impossible in the field). (I actually have one of those.)

Somebody needs to invent something where the nozzle of the rocket blower (except for the hole) is covered in sticky tape or something so that the flying particles have an increased chance of sticking to that instead of just blowing around the mirror box. (The gel sticky stick is still the best sensor particle grabber for my money. Out in the field if you notice a spot you want to get rid of immediately, the rocket blower is probably your only hope, but it is hit or miss.

robthebloke · 06-21-2015, 07:18 AM

Originally posted by BertH

and blow dust on your sensor

I've used a rocket blower many times, on various bodies, and it's never made the situation worse. (I have however seen cheap blowers do what you describe - moral is, don't buy cheap non-rocket blowers!)

I store mine with cling film around the nozzle. I've never had a problem with mine.

pentaxgirl-k30 · 06-28-2015, 07:02 AM

Take to nearest store and ask of they can look at the cms sensor. Had the same problem with my camera a few months ago. Tiny particles of dust were on the censor and caused marks on images. Easy to fix and images can be edited on photo shop with dodge/burn and clonestamp to remove

pishta · 06-30-2015, 09:30 AM

If it is a vertical line going down the entire side of the pic, its a bad trace on the CCD. Not repairable unless you replace the CCD sensor. Photoshop can remove it or crop every shot to delete that border. Cropping is easiest way to work around it. I had a mint condition Oly C-8080 develop same problem. Faulty Sony sourced CCD's were not sealed (fused) properly during manufacturing and allowed moisture to corrode microscopic traces.

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06-19-2015, 10:41 PM	#2
PJ1 Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Toowoomba, Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,484	It looks like a very fine hair on the sensor. Run the sensor cleaning action a few times and see if that removes it.

06-19-2015, 11:27 PM	#3
jawsy Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 422	If it is a hair it's very straight and perfectly parallel with the sensor edge. I'm not familiar with the K-3 (yet) but I would suggest: 1) Dust removal mechanism like PJ1 said and check the dust detector map image afterwards; 2) Sensor cleaning with a dabbing pad style sensor cleaner; 3) Take it down to the camera shop where you bought it to see what they think. Whilst doing Step 2), have a close look at the sensor with an LED light and see if you can see anything. If you've got LR5 or 6, check an image with the spot removal assistant and see what it looks like in the spot detect mode. Although it has the shading characteristics of a hair, it's just too straight for my liking and could be something more serious.

06-19-2015, 11:54 PM - 1 Like	#4
LensBeginner Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Photos: Albums Posts: 4,696	Try a couple of shots stopped down (f/22, f/32) and see if it gets thinner. You can shoot at a white wall handheld (if it's on the sensor, it will not be affected by camera shake, so even a 10" exposure is ok), and if it's a hair you'll see it clearly.

06-20-2015, 12:52 AM	#5
Megapixelmk Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Melbourne Posts: 84 Original Poster	Don't think its a hair for reason jawsy gave. I have the sensor dust removal activated every time camera is turned off so I don't think thats sufficient. Will look at cleaning sensor with a kit, but a little nervous about process. Will follow your suggestions to see how it goes. Thanks guys

06-20-2015, 01:45 AM	#6
robthebloke Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Sydney Photos: Albums Posts: 844	Use a rocket blower, use a rocket blower, use a rocket blower! (Don't use canned gas). The cleaning methods listed above are a touch extreme, and should be a last resort (aside from the cameras dust removal). If it is a hair, the rocket blower will get it.

06-20-2015, 02:10 AM	#7
jawsy Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 422	.. might get it, but I agree it should be tried before dabbing cleaners.

06-20-2015, 02:56 AM	#8
MarkJerling Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: May 2012 Location: Wairarapa, New Zealand Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 20,406	I've never had anything on the sensor I could not get off with the rocket blower. Touch wood. Actually, I've never had any wood near the sensor either! :-)

06-20-2015, 03:37 AM	#9
08amczb Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 796	Generally I check my sensor dust by setting aperture to the minimum (F22,F32 depends on the lens), the ISO to something between 100 and 400 and take tow photos of the ceiling handheld. Everything doesent move between the tow photos is on the sensor. You can use the front wheel to swith between magnified photos. Most of the dust can be removed by a rocket blower. (If something is on the top of the photo is on the bottom of the sensor and the left side of the photo is the right side of the sensor)

06-20-2015, 09:54 AM	#10
BertH Closed Account Join Date: May 2012 Location: Biddinghuizen, the Netherlands Posts: 54	Originally posted by robthebloke Use a rocket blower, use a rocket blower, use a rocket blower! and blow dust on your sensor

06-21-2015, 06:41 AM	#11
Bagga_Txips Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Waterford Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 454	Aaagh, is this the new fashion? To assume that rocket blowers blow dust ONTO the sensor? There will be dust inside the sensor chamber. The rocket blower moves that dust around. Sometimes some dust will land on the sensor after you have used the blower. In that case, use the blower again. Sometimes the blower may contain dust. This is because it does not exist in a vacuum, and air/the atmosphere often contains dust. So, keep the blower in the most dust free place you can. Use the blower in the most dust free place you can - I usually use mine in the bathroom, in the perhaps forlorn hope that the humidity might reduce the amount of dust floating about. The rocket blower may not be the most perfect solution, but it is cheap and portable, and the recent wave of dislike against it seems misguided to me. Anyway, I have used mine on my K-5 twice in the last 4 years or so, and it has never worsened the situation. A recent popular dust removal technique that is gaining favour is the use of a vacuum cleaner. I did this on my PC once, using all the safety measures recently recommended. It never worked again, and I had to buy a new motherboard.

06-21-2015, 07:01 AM	#12
vonBaloney Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Albuquerque, NM Posts: 6,029	Rocket blowers do cause a static charge so that can make particles stick. Unless you get an anti-static filtered one like the Zeeion ($45), except tests seem to show it that it actually does not work. And then there is the Firefly (>$100), which is also filtered and had a big electronic anti-static device on the front of it. That one did work, but they no longer make it, and it is hard to use (impossible in the field). (I actually have one of those.) Somebody needs to invent something where the nozzle of the rocket blower (except for the hole) is covered in sticky tape or something so that the flying particles have an increased chance of sticking to that instead of just blowing around the mirror box. (The gel sticky stick is still the best sensor particle grabber for my money. Out in the field if you notice a spot you want to get rid of immediately, the rocket blower is probably your only hope, but it is hit or miss.

06-21-2015, 07:18 AM	#13
robthebloke Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Sydney Photos: Albums Posts: 844	Originally posted by BertH and blow dust on your sensor I've used a rocket blower many times, on various bodies, and it's never made the situation worse. (I have however seen cheap blowers do what you describe - moral is, don't buy cheap non-rocket blowers!) I store mine with cling film around the nozzle. I've never had a problem with mine.

06-28-2015, 07:02 AM	#14
pentaxgirl-k30 New Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Posts: 9	Take to nearest store and ask of they can look at the cms sensor. Had the same problem with my camera a few months ago. Tiny particles of dust were on the censor and caused marks on images. Easy to fix and images can be edited on photo shop with dodge/burn and clonestamp to remove

06-30-2015, 09:30 AM	#15
pishta Forum Member Join Date: May 2015 Posts: 92	If it is a vertical line going down the entire side of the pic, its a bad trace on the CCD. Not repairable unless you replace the CCD sensor. Photoshop can remove it or crop every shot to delete that border. Cropping is easiest way to work around it. I had a mint condition Oly C-8080 develop same problem. Faulty Sony sourced CCD's were not sealed (fused) properly during manufacturing and allowed moisture to corrode microscopic traces.