[camerasup]

Hello, I have a SMC DA 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 ED AL and a few pieces of debris somehow got into the camber below the front element. I've stop using is since a black spot and a line have shown up in my pictures. I was considering removing the front element and blowing the inside clean. Does the lens need to be aligned back in any certain way? Or is it a simple removal?

[Adam]

Hello, I have a SMC DA 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 ED AL and a few pieces of debris somehow got into the camber below the front element. I've stop using is since a black spot and a line have shown up in my pictures. I was considering removing the front element and blowing the inside clean. Does the lens need to be aligned back in any certain way? Or is it a simple removal?

It is not easy (and usually not necessary) to remove and clean lens elements.

What you're seeing in your photos is most likely dust on the sensor. Can you post a sample?

[Imp]

By the sounds of it, definitely sensor dust. any dust in the front element will not show up in your picture, because the camera is focusing waaay beyond that point, and dust won't really block any light.

Check this out: Cleaning Your DSLR Sensor - Tutorial Videos | PentaxForums.com

and PLS post pictures for confirmation.

[EarlVonTapia]

I was considering removing the front element and blowing the inside clean. Does the lens need to be aligned back in any certain way? Or is it a simple removal?

0_0

Please don't do that.

As Adam stated, it's most likely sensor dust. A vigorous application of some rocket blower air inside your camera body might get rid of it, or you may have to perform the mirror-up action via. the menu to (more gently) blow at the sensor directly.

I have an 18-250 that looks like it has been around the block a few times, complete with giant blobs of dust and hairs inside and a couple of scratches on the front element to boot. You don't notice any of those in pictures taken.

[Docrwm]

Your profile indicates a K20D, which would be 6-7 years old. It does have dust removal - have you got it set to run automatically?

[camerasup]

Well I tested my lens and the largest piece fell away from the middle. Now I have 2 larger specks of white dust near the center but they seem to not affect my pictures. Maybe for now I will ignore it until something else happens.

---------- Post added 01-11-15 at 05:51 PM ----------

Your profile indicates a K20D, which would be 6-7 years old. It does have dust removal - have you got it set to run automatically?

Yes It does have dust removal and I have blown the sensor also from time to time. Perhaps it was my sensor at the time but also I had 3 larger dusts particles and some black short line of something near each other and near the center of my lens that believe affected my picture. I think it was that black piece of whatever that showed up in one of my pics. But lucky it fell away from the center and only two larger then normal specs remain near the center. I just took some pics at the wall and nothing black or artifacts has been appearing on my pictures fortunately.

[Docrwm]

Well I tested my lens and the largest piece fell away from the middle. Now I have 2 larger specks of white dust near the center but they seem to not affect my pictures. Maybe for now I will ignore it until something else happens.

---------- Post added 01-11-15 at 05:51 PM ----------



Yes It does have dust removal and I have blown the sensor also from time to time. Perhaps it was my sensor at the time but also I had 3 larger dusts particles and some black short line of something near each other and near the center of my lens that believe affected my picture. I think it was that black piece of whatever that showed up in one of my pics. But lucky it fell away from the center and only two larger then normal specs remain near the center. I just took some pics at the wall and nothing black or artifacts has been appearing on my pictures fortunately.

Glad its cleared up.

[todd]

I have the Tamron version of this lens that was clean when I bought it used then maybe a few months later noticed it had some specs of dust on the front element... I wasn't going to do anything about it until another few months later I took a spill at the beach and got quite a bit of sand inside the thing... I don't know how stuff gets in this lens but seemed like it must have sucked it in for how much got in there. Now I am getting it professionally cleaned (was quoted $75 from a local tech) which I probably wouldn't have done except for the fact that I got this lens for only $175... All this just to say that it seems easier than any other lens I've owned for stuff to get inside so be extra careful at the beach!

Design flaw? I wonder if newer ultra zooms like these have the same susceptibility...

[todd]

All unsealed lenses get dust inside them.

Aha well that goes to show you how little I know. Now I have to go give my other zooms a closer look (just out of curiosity) because I'd never noticed internal dust in them before...