Dust on the focusing screen

grishazzz · 05-01-2009, 10:18 AM

Please help!

I've noticed small dots on a focusing screen. It looks like dust on a inner side of the screen. How can I remove it? Blower? or I have to open the focusing screen bezel? The mirror and sensor are clean.

**NaClH2O** · 05-01-2009, 10:43 AM

I'd try a blower first. Its the easiest. I assume you know enough not to use compressed air? (I have to ask, this is the beginners forum) When I get dust on the focus screen I get my trusty rocket blower and give the screen some vigorous puffs. If that doesn't work I then go to swab and methanol, (Eclipse fluid) In the 10 or so times I've had to clean dust off the screen there was only once that I had to use swab and methanol. I've never had a dust particle lodge under the screen. If you can ignore them, the dust particles on your screen will not in any way affect your photograph. But they are annoying.

NaCl(won't show up in the photos but they 'offend' me)H2O

heliphoto · 05-01-2009, 11:14 AM

I've done what salty suggests with a rocket blower, with good results. This video from Codiac2600 shows you how to access the focus screen, though you probably won't need to remove it from the camera to use the blower.

Robert S Donovan · 05-01-2009, 07:50 PM

Ignore it. IMO you are more likely to screw something up trying to clean it. Also, it will be right back a week later.

heliphoto · 05-01-2009, 07:56 PM

Originally posted by Robert S Donovan

Ignore it. IMO you are more likely to screw something up trying to clean it. Also, it will be right back a week later.

I ignored mine till it looked like the lint trap in my dryer after flannel sheets had been through... It's much more usable now that I've cleaned it. The focusing screen did try to fall out, and I narrowly avoided the type of trouble you are warning about, but for me it was worth the risk.

Jewelltrail · 05-01-2009, 11:22 PM

Quote:

heliphoto: I ignored mine till it looked like the lint trap in my dryer after flannel sheets had been through...

Serious LOL! The imagery is too good--thanks Josh.

asdf · 05-01-2009, 11:33 PM

Originally posted by grishazzz

Please help!

I've noticed small dots on a focusing screen. It looks like dust on a inner side of the screen. How can I remove it? Blower? or I have to open the focusing screen bezel? The mirror and sensor are clean.

Ignore them.

Although, if your OCD is overpowering you, read on: someone here (sorry, I forgot who) recommended using Pentax's sensor cleaning dingus on the focusing screen, if the blower isn't getting rid of all of it. Whatever you do, don't take the screen out of the mirror box. You'll just end up with more dust on it...and scratches.

grishazzz · 05-02-2009, 04:04 AM

Thank you guys!!!

I used blower, but it did not help, so I went ahead and carefully opened bezel, removed focusing scrreen and blow the dust away. Now ity looks clean, but still I can see some tiny dots in the upper right corner, but it's ok. The most annoying one was sitting right in the center of the screen :-) and I've managed to remove it.

BTW:
Taking out focusing screen is not difficult, but you have to be careful!!! The video on a youtube was really helpful!!!!!!!!

I HATE DUST!!!!!! :-)

Squier · 05-02-2009, 01:50 PM

I hate dust too !

I took mine out to clean it, and when i put it back, there was more on it than when i started, which is a bit of a pain

mikeSF · 05-02-2009, 09:09 PM

i had the same obsession with those tiny little flecks of dust bugging me and staring at me, watching my every move, never getting out of my brain...uh, let me take my meds...

...ok, so anyhow, i decided to take out the screen and wipe it gently with a micro fiber cloth but that introduced even more insidious flecks of deceit, etc. so, i soaked the screen in a few drops of glass cleaner and prepared a low dust, low static "clean room" using the bathroom and ran the shower for a bit to raise humidity and quell the dust then opened the cam and replaced the rinsed and air dried screen. Success! The screen was perfectly clean, i mean not a visible speck of dust anywhere on it. then, while shooting the next day, my screen came loose in the camera and banged around on the mirror and received a significant scratch near the perimeter. apparently, i failed to secure the little latch just right and it popped open.

the scratch is a big black streak...watching me...but still no dust.

heliphoto · 05-02-2009, 09:22 PM

Mike - although that's a sad cautionary tale you tell, I must say it had me laughing the whole way through. I guess it's time for a new screen (I hope this was your stock screen not a katzeye or similar

). I also hope your mirror wasn't damaged by the impact - it must be moving pretty fast.

kevindt · 05-02-2009, 09:37 PM

I agree with the rest of the guys - just ignore it till you just can't stand it any more!

If you absolutely HAVE to play with the focusing screen. the old Dust-Aid sensor cleaner (with very low-tack adhesive foam pads) works wonders, as it does on sensor dirt.

Kevin

Robert S Donovan · 05-03-2009, 07:59 AM

Even if I get my focus screen & mirror perfectly clean there are still the "floaters" in my eye to distract me...

asdf · 05-03-2009, 08:15 AM

Originally posted by Robert S Donovan

Even if I get my focus screen & mirror perfectly clean there are still the "floaters" in my eye to distract me...

Those drive me nuts.

OregonJim · 05-03-2009, 10:10 AM

Originally posted by heliphoto

I ignored mine till it looked like the lint trap in my dryer after flannel sheets had been through...

LOL!

I bought a lens on the bay - the seller threw in the camera for "free". Anyway, it looked like someone mounted a pepper grinder on the lens mount & turned the handle a few times. Lots of little black, gummy dots on the focus screen - pieces of the mirror damper foam which had long ago disintegrated and turned into glue.

The rocket blower didn't budge 'em, neither did compressed air (35mm film body). I finally resorted to applying a piece of duct tape to the screen in an attempt to 'lift' them off. It worked! First try removed about 50% of the dots, 3 or 4 more press-'n-rip moves got about 95% off. I stopped there because I need to replace the seals and do some lubing - will likely pull the screen then & clean in alcohol to get the rest off.

05-01-2009, 10:18 AM	#1
grishazzz Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: LA Posts: 80	Dust on the focusing screen Please help! I've noticed small dots on a focusing screen. It looks like dust on a inner side of the screen. How can I remove it? Blower? or I have to open the focusing screen bezel? The mirror and sensor are clean.

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05-01-2009, 10:43 AM	#2
NaClH2O Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bronx NY Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,631	I'd try a blower first. Its the easiest. I assume you know enough not to use compressed air? (I have to ask, this is the beginners forum) When I get dust on the focus screen I get my trusty rocket blower and give the screen some vigorous puffs. If that doesn't work I then go to swab and methanol, (Eclipse fluid) In the 10 or so times I've had to clean dust off the screen there was only once that I had to use swab and methanol. I've never had a dust particle lodge under the screen. If you can ignore them, the dust particles on your screen will not in any way affect your photograph. But they are annoying. NaCl(won't show up in the photos but they 'offend' me)H2O

05-01-2009, 11:14 AM	#3
heliphoto Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Region 5 Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,539	I've done what salty suggests with a rocket blower, with good results. This video from Codiac2600 shows you how to access the focus screen, though you probably won't need to remove it from the camera to use the blower.

05-01-2009, 07:50 PM	#4
Robert S Donovan Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Anderson, SC Photos: Gallery Posts: 361	Ignore it. IMO you are more likely to screw something up trying to clean it. Also, it will be right back a week later.

05-01-2009, 07:56 PM	#5
heliphoto Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Region 5 Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,539	Originally posted by Robert S Donovan Ignore it. IMO you are more likely to screw something up trying to clean it. Also, it will be right back a week later. I ignored mine till it looked like the lint trap in my dryer after flannel sheets had been through... It's much more usable now that I've cleaned it. The focusing screen did try to fall out, and I narrowly avoided the type of trouble you are warning about, but for me it was worth the risk.

05-01-2009, 11:22 PM	#6
Jewelltrail Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Rhode Island Photos: Albums Posts: 4,180	Quote: heliphoto: I ignored mine till it looked like the lint trap in my dryer after flannel sheets had been through... Serious LOL! The imagery is too good--thanks Josh.

05-01-2009, 11:33 PM	#7
asdf Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Canada Posts: 1,252	Originally posted by grishazzz Please help! I've noticed small dots on a focusing screen. It looks like dust on a inner side of the screen. How can I remove it? Blower? or I have to open the focusing screen bezel? The mirror and sensor are clean. Ignore them. Although, if your OCD is overpowering you, read on: someone here (sorry, I forgot who) recommended using Pentax's sensor cleaning dingus on the focusing screen, if the blower isn't getting rid of all of it. Whatever you do, don't take the screen out of the mirror box. You'll just end up with more dust on it...and scratches.

05-02-2009, 04:04 AM	#8
grishazzz Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: LA Posts: 80 Original Poster	Thank you guys!!! I used blower, but it did not help, so I went ahead and carefully opened bezel, removed focusing scrreen and blow the dust away. Now ity looks clean, but still I can see some tiny dots in the upper right corner, but it's ok. The most annoying one was sitting right in the center of the screen :-) and I've managed to remove it. BTW: Taking out focusing screen is not difficult, but you have to be careful!!! The video on a youtube was really helpful!!!!!!!! I HATE DUST!!!!!! :-)

05-02-2009, 01:50 PM	#9
Squier Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Oxfordshire UK Photos: Albums Posts: 706	I hate dust too ! I took mine out to clean it, and when i put it back, there was more on it than when i started, which is a bit of a pain

05-02-2009, 09:09 PM	#10
mikeSF Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: East Bay Area, CA Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,622	i had the same obsession with those tiny little flecks of dust bugging me and staring at me, watching my every move, never getting out of my brain...uh, let me take my meds... ...ok, so anyhow, i decided to take out the screen and wipe it gently with a micro fiber cloth but that introduced even more insidious flecks of deceit, etc. so, i soaked the screen in a few drops of glass cleaner and prepared a low dust, low static "clean room" using the bathroom and ran the shower for a bit to raise humidity and quell the dust then opened the cam and replaced the rinsed and air dried screen. Success! The screen was perfectly clean, i mean not a visible speck of dust anywhere on it. then, while shooting the next day, my screen came loose in the camera and banged around on the mirror and received a significant scratch near the perimeter. apparently, i failed to secure the little latch just right and it popped open. the scratch is a big black streak...watching me...but still no dust.

05-02-2009, 09:22 PM	#11
heliphoto Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Region 5 Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,539	Mike - although that's a sad cautionary tale you tell, I must say it had me laughing the whole way through. I guess it's time for a new screen (I hope this was your stock screen not a katzeye or similar ). I also hope your mirror wasn't damaged by the impact - it must be moving pretty fast.

05-02-2009, 09:37 PM	#12
kevindt Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Northern California Posts: 322	I agree with the rest of the guys - just ignore it till you just can't stand it any more! If you absolutely HAVE to play with the focusing screen. the old Dust-Aid sensor cleaner (with very low-tack adhesive foam pads) works wonders, as it does on sensor dirt. Kevin

05-03-2009, 07:59 AM	#13
Robert S Donovan Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Anderson, SC Photos: Gallery Posts: 361	Even if I get my focus screen & mirror perfectly clean there are still the "floaters" in my eye to distract me...

05-03-2009, 08:15 AM	#14
asdf Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Canada Posts: 1,252	Originally posted by Robert S Donovan Even if I get my focus screen & mirror perfectly clean there are still the "floaters" in my eye to distract me... Those drive me nuts.

05-03-2009, 10:10 AM	#15
OregonJim Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Willamette Valley, Oregon Posts: 1,327	Originally posted by heliphoto I ignored mine till it looked like the lint trap in my dryer after flannel sheets had been through... LOL! I bought a lens on the bay - the seller threw in the camera for "free". Anyway, it looked like someone mounted a pepper grinder on the lens mount & turned the handle a few times. Lots of little black, gummy dots on the focus screen - pieces of the mirror damper foam which had long ago disintegrated and turned into glue. The rocket blower didn't budge 'em, neither did compressed air (35mm film body). I finally resorted to applying a piece of duct tape to the screen in an attempt to 'lift' them off. It worked! First try removed about 50% of the dots, 3 or 4 more press-'n-rip moves got about 95% off. I stopped there because I need to replace the seals and do some lubing - will likely pull the screen then & clean in alcohol to get the rest off.