Win a Pentax Limited Lens: Raffle Now Live!

jshurak · 05-22-2008, 04:13 AM

Does anyone have any idea what the strange marking on the picture are?? I've posted this before in the photo forum, but it didn't get much exposure(feedback) Clicking on the image will take you to the full size shot, where you can see much greater detail of the problem. The markings are so uniform that I feel smudges could be ruled out. I've tried different lenses, SD cards and this problem still exists. The camera seems to take a few good shots, then starts pumping out shots like this. Thanks.

KungKrille · 05-22-2008, 04:18 AM

Yeah it feels like you have grease or something either on the lens or the sensor. There are some dust spots too. Have you checked the sensor? (though it is strange if only some images have the markings).

**Mallee Boy** · 05-22-2008, 04:23 AM

No idea, none what so ever!
Looks like a trip to Pentax coming up for the camera.

**pentagor** · 05-22-2008, 04:38 AM

The dust on the sensor is not the problem here (it is also there BTW).
But these lines are very very strange. Like Mallee Boy said: trip to Pentax won't hurt.

user440 · 05-22-2008, 04:45 AM

Looks a bit similar to this problem: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-dslr-discussion/27916-bad-banding-...highlight=card

valleylad · 05-22-2008, 04:50 AM

I agree with KungKrille, it looks like some left over residue on the sensor. Have you ever done a wet cleaning of the sensor with anything other than a sensor cleaner and a recommended swab(not a Q-tip)? If not it might be a good place to start. Also, if the residue is there, changes in humidity would tend to make the streaking more visible as weather conditions change (think of breathing on eye glasses). This might explain the presence of it only in some shots.

Cheers

lbam · 05-22-2008, 04:58 AM

Unless you have a vertical stripe pattern on an internal element of a lens (ie it's been serviced...), unlikely, then I'd have to agree... leftover cleaning residue on the sensor would be my guess.

jshurak · 05-22-2008, 05:02 AM

Thanks everyone. I'm not worried about the dust!

I actually read that banding post before posting this. I've tried a couple of memory cards.....Now that I think about it, the only cards I've used are HCSD cards. The camera itself is an *ist DS, which according to dpreview and the manual mention nothing about HCSD cards....I wonder if this could be the case. I'll have to check that out....I can't really see why that would make a difference though.

I hope I don't have to send it to Pentax. It's modded for IR photography.

calicojack · 05-22-2008, 05:02 AM

Originally posted by jlamorie

I agree with KungKrille, it looks like some left over residue on the sensor. Have you ever done a wet cleaning of the sensor with anything other than a sensor cleaner and a recommended swab(not a Q-tip)? If not it might be a good place to start. Also, if the residue is there, changes in humidity would tend to make the steaking more visable as weather conditions change (think of breathing on eye glasses). This might explain the presence of it only in some shots.

Cheers

I agree also. It looks like cleaning streaks if they aren't cleaned completely.
Brian

ivanp · 05-22-2008, 05:05 AM

It definitively looks like smudges on sensor.
They may/may not appear depending on used lens or aperture.
They may be "latent", i.e. normally invisible/harmless, but under certain weather conditions the humidity can condensate on them.

kulmann · 05-22-2008, 05:05 AM

...it seems like finger-print on the sensor.

Wheatfield · 05-22-2008, 07:10 AM

I'd bet when the IR filter was removed during the mod the sensor got brushed with something oily. You could try a wet clean yourself to see if you can either make it go away, or at least alter the pattern to confirm gunk on the sensor, but I'm betting you will need to send it to a repair shop to have the sensor cleaned. You may find that Pentax imaging doesn't want to touch the thing now that it's been modified, but I suspect Philly is big enough to have an independant repair shop who can help you out.

jshurak · 05-22-2008, 07:36 AM

thank you all for your replies.

The normal filter was actually swapped for an IR filter. Its an IR only camera. Isn't the filter in front of the sensor though?

I'm going to run a few more tests tonight. I have been in contact with the person that modded the camera and they have offered to take a look at it for me.

bladerunneruk · 05-22-2008, 07:50 AM

it reminds me of newton's rings - an optical effect. Unfortunately I can't remember exactly what causes it, I think it's due to 2 bits of glass v.close together and you get a diffraction / interference pattern caused by the change in optical properties at the interface ?? (hazy 20yr old memory).
So it would suggest to me that you have a lens problem ? Is it only ocurring with one lens, or all lenses ?

joefru · 05-22-2008, 09:49 AM

You could just leave it like that and use it to artistic effect. I think it looks kinda cool.

05-22-2008, 04:13 AM	#1
jshurak Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: philadelphia Posts: 626	Ladies and Gentlemen, I need your help Does anyone have any idea what the strange marking on the picture are?? I've posted this before in the photo forum, but it didn't get much exposure(feedback) Clicking on the image will take you to the full size shot, where you can see much greater detail of the problem. The markings are so uniform that I feel smudges could be ruled out. I've tried different lenses, SD cards and this problem still exists. The camera seems to take a few good shots, then starts pumping out shots like this. Thanks.

05-22-2008, 04:50 AM	#6
valleylad Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Ottawa Valley Photos: Gallery Posts: 230	I agree with KungKrille, it looks like some left over residue on the sensor. Have you ever done a wet cleaning of the sensor with anything other than a sensor cleaner and a recommended swab(not a Q-tip)? If not it might be a good place to start. Also, if the residue is there, changes in humidity would tend to make the streaking more visible as weather conditions change (think of breathing on eye glasses). This might explain the presence of it only in some shots. Cheers Last edited by valleylad; 05-22-2008 at 05:10 AM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
54 ladies	icywarm	Photographic Technique	2	09-28-2010 08:43 AM
Streets Ladies Room	GregK8	Photo Critique	27	07-12-2010 08:19 AM
People Lovely Ladies	nate_b	Post Your Photos!	7	01-19-2010 02:06 PM
Two ladies	Mindaugas	Photo Critique	8	08-31-2009 04:48 AM
Gentlemen... Start your engines!	emilf	Post Your Photos!	4	06-14-2009 08:58 AM

05-22-2008, 04:18 AM	#2
KungKrille Forum Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Linköping, Sweden Posts: 60	Yeah it feels like you have grease or something either on the lens or the sensor. There are some dust spots too. Have you checked the sensor? (though it is strange if only some images have the markings).

05-22-2008, 04:23 AM	#3
Mallee Boy Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: South Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,904	No idea, none what so ever! Looks like a trip to Pentax coming up for the camera.

05-22-2008, 04:38 AM	#4
pentagor Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Ljubljana, Slovenia Posts: 495	The dust on the sensor is not the problem here (it is also there BTW). But these lines are very very strange. Like Mallee Boy said: trip to Pentax won't hurt.

05-22-2008, 04:45 AM	#5
user440 Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: St. Louis, MO Photos: Gallery Posts: 349	Looks a bit similar to this problem: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-dslr-discussion/27916-bad-banding-...highlight=card

05-22-2008, 04:58 AM	#7
lbam Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery Posts: 442	Unless you have a vertical stripe pattern on an internal element of a lens (ie it's been serviced...), unlikely, then I'd have to agree... leftover cleaning residue on the sensor would be my guess.

05-22-2008, 05:02 AM	#8
jshurak Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: philadelphia Posts: 626 Original Poster	Thanks everyone. I'm not worried about the dust! I actually read that banding post before posting this. I've tried a couple of memory cards.....Now that I think about it, the only cards I've used are HCSD cards. The camera itself is an *ist DS, which according to dpreview and the manual mention nothing about HCSD cards....I wonder if this could be the case. I'll have to check that out....I can't really see why that would make a difference though. I hope I don't have to send it to Pentax. It's modded for IR photography.

05-22-2008, 05:02 AM	#9
calicojack Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Long Island, N.Y. Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,124	Originally posted by jlamorie I agree with KungKrille, it looks like some left over residue on the sensor. Have you ever done a wet cleaning of the sensor with anything other than a sensor cleaner and a recommended swab(not a Q-tip)? If not it might be a good place to start. Also, if the residue is there, changes in humidity would tend to make the steaking more visable as weather conditions change (think of breathing on eye glasses). This might explain the presence of it only in some shots. Cheers I agree also. It looks like cleaning streaks if they aren't cleaned completely. Brian

05-22-2008, 05:05 AM	#10
ivanp Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Prague Posts: 42	It definitively looks like smudges on sensor. They may/may not appear depending on used lens or aperture. They may be "latent", i.e. normally invisible/harmless, but under certain weather conditions the humidity can condensate on them.

05-22-2008, 05:05 AM	#11
kulmann Inactive Account Join Date: May 2008 Location: Saint-Petersburg Posts: 11	...it seems like finger-print on the sensor.

05-22-2008, 07:10 AM	#12
Wheatfield Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: The wheatfields of Canada Posts: 15,991	I'd bet when the IR filter was removed during the mod the sensor got brushed with something oily. You could try a wet clean yourself to see if you can either make it go away, or at least alter the pattern to confirm gunk on the sensor, but I'm betting you will need to send it to a repair shop to have the sensor cleaned. You may find that Pentax imaging doesn't want to touch the thing now that it's been modified, but I suspect Philly is big enough to have an independant repair shop who can help you out.

05-22-2008, 07:36 AM	#13
jshurak Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: philadelphia Posts: 626 Original Poster	thank you all for your replies. The normal filter was actually swapped for an IR filter. Its an IR only camera. Isn't the filter in front of the sensor though? I'm going to run a few more tests tonight. I have been in contact with the person that modded the camera and they have offered to take a look at it for me.

05-22-2008, 07:50 AM	#14
bladerunneruk Inactive Account Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: uk Photos: Gallery Posts: 45	it reminds me of newton's rings - an optical effect. Unfortunately I can't remember exactly what causes it, I think it's due to 2 bits of glass v.close together and you get a diffraction / interference pattern caused by the change in optical properties at the interface ?? (hazy 20yr old memory). So it would suggest to me that you have a lens problem ? Is it only ocurring with one lens, or all lenses ?

05-22-2008, 09:49 AM	#15
joefru Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: South Louisiana Photos: Gallery Posts: 210	You could just leave it like that and use it to artistic effect. I think it looks kinda cool.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I need your help

Win a Pentax Limited Lens: Raffle Now Live!