***DSLR/Photography MegaThread***

[FBJ]

So those imperfections on the 10-22 are too much to take and I even cleaned the lens so I am gonna have to try and return the thing now. What a pain.

Are you talking about the little specs and splotches I'm seeing in the blue sky??

If that's what you're talking about, that HAS to be dirt on your sensor, man. Don't return the lens just yet.

Does the 30D have the self-cleaning sensor unit? Might be on the 40D and not the 30D....

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_P8_LNmpFSc]YouTube - Canon EOS Integrated Cleaning System[/ame]

If not, try following the procedure that appears on pages 41 and 42 of the EOS 30D manual. Of course, that's if you haven't already tried that. I'd suggest you hold the camera with the opening pointed downward while you blow air into the camera to dislodge the dust from the low-pass filter.

The following is some dur-hey type stuff you probably already know. Here, for the benefit of those who don't...

DO NOT USE CANNED AIR!! If you let a little liquid out of the canned air cylinder into the innards of the camera, you're going to have a bad time.

DO NOT BLOW INTO THE CAMERA WITH YOUR MOUTH!! The water-vapor in your breath will do bad things to the innards of the camera.

Use only a bulb-blower.

After that, test it out by putting a lens back on it and pointing it at a flat-white wall and taking a picture with the wide lens. You might have to repeat the above steps a couple times to get all the dust particles off the low-pass filter.

Worst case is you take it to an authorized Canon repair facility and have it professionally cleaned. Maybe $30 or so.

After you finally get things cleaned out, make sure you turn your camera off before switching lenses (this ensures there's no static charge on the sensor to attract dust), keep the opening of the camera pointed downward as you change lenses, make sure the lens you're about to put on is dust-free, and don't change lenses in dusty environments.

 

[rinkrat]

Yeah I did the bulb thing and 80% of it disappeared. I'll have to be more careful since this place is a dust pit.

THANKS for saving me the embarassment of sending back the lens. I took pics with the other lens to test and the marks were on there too so it was the sensor for sure.

 

[rinkrat]

On Broadway

 

[FBJ]

Glad that was what the problem was. A bum lens would have sucked, what with most places charging 10% to restock.

I've noticed that the big sensor on my D3 is a HUGE dust magnet. I've had to really ratched up the level of care I take when I change lenses. In fact, the majority of the images I took at the Getty last week had spots all over the freakin' place.

BTW...if you haven't tried Lightroom's dust-spot removal tool, it works really really well. That will save the images that you take before you know you've got sensor dust! I used that tool extensively on my Getty pictures last week.

 

[PuckMonkey]

On Broadway

Now shoot this exact same scene at around 8:30 tonight.

Seriously.

Trust me.

 

[VF]

Some of that dust will be "welded" on, which is the term people use for dust that is impossible to remove with the blower, most of it has a static charge and therefor makes it hard to get off. As Glenn said, the easiest and the safest is to have Canon clean it for you (you can drop it off in Irvine). You can also clean it yourself, if you are that kind of person, I would recommend Eclipse fluid, and a box of their sensor swabs (you are going to want type 2, for 1.6 crop cameras).

This site has the different methods, and this site is where you can get the stuff.

I think Glenn is right that having Canon do it is the safest, but having them clean your sensor every time it needs it can also be a bit of a pain.

 

[VF]

BTW...if you haven't tried Lightroom's dust-spot removal tool, it works really really well. That will save the images that you take before you know you've got sensor dust! I used that tool extensively on my Getty pictures last week.

And what is nice about it is that you can "copy" the spot removal from one image to a whole set (by using the Sync button), so if you have a mondo dust spec in the same spot in 300 images, you only have to fix one, and sync the rest (the 5D is a dust magnet as well, so I have a lot of experience with this )

 

[VF]

...I would recommend Eclipse fluid...

Please note that if you have a newer camera (40D, 400D, 450D, Nikon D3, D300, D40...full list here) that HAVE to use E2 fluid and not the Eclipse fluid. Very very bad things can happen.

 

[rinkrat]

I ordered a rocket blower so I'll try that and then the swabs if that doesn't do the job. Thanks for all the info guys.

 

[rinkrat]

OK I went back at 8:30 and it was cool but too dark to do a bracket hand held so I'll have to bring a tripod to do an HDR. Here's a non-HDR straight out of the camera. THANKS for the tip Mr. Monkey, the lighting is bitchen. I'll have to schedule my dog walks at 8:30 for awhile!

 

[PuckMonkey]

Yeah, dusk'ish is a good lighting range, and ambient colored neon creates some really nice effects with the HDR. Can't wait to see more from your walks.

 

[PuckMonkey]

And while we're sharing and all...

Here's a work in progress of a technique that I've been working on lately. What I am doing is, after creating the HDR file, I create multiple tone-mapped files, each adjusted for specific parts of the particular image. Then I'm combining those images yet again in Photoshop and blending and masking. Much more involved obviously, but I've created some interesting images lately that way. Not for every HDR image, but a useful tool to have available.

^ wip

 

[rinkrat]

I was looking for a flying saucer on the right side

 

[rinkrat]

not an hdr

 

[PuckMonkey]

Yeah, that's gonna glow. Maybe go at 9:30 .

 

[PuckMonkey]

One more from yesterday's shots.

PS: And yes, I do realize that all the HDR stuff I am posting is "dark".

 

[Unfiltered]

One more from yesterday's shots.

PS: And yes, I do realize that all the HDR stuff I am posting is "dark".

They maybe "dark" but they kick ****ing ass!

 

[BleedingPurple]

One more from yesterday's shots.

PS: And yes, I do realize that all the HDR stuff I am posting is "dark".

Absolutely, Bad-Ass!

I've been gone from the boards for quite a while but I'm still pursuing the photography thing and I'm even taking a B&W Film class at my local college. I should be buying a DSLR soon enough...

 

[FBJ]

And what is nice about it is that you can "copy" the spot removal from one image to a whole set (by using the Sync button), so if you have a mondo dust spec in the same spot in 300 images, you only have to fix one, and sync the rest (the 5D is a dust magnet as well, so I have a lot of experience with this )

All the images should have the same background, though. The vector (i.e. direction and distance from the spot you're trying to get rid of) that the dust-correction tool uses will be the same in every photograph, and might accidentally clone something you don't want it to clone...like a piece of building or something. Next thing you know, you've got a bigger spot in that place in each image than when you started!

 

[FBJ]

Some of that dust will be "welded" on, which is the term people use for dust that is impossible to remove with the blower, most of it has a static charge and therefor makes it hard to get off. As Glenn said, the easiest and the safest is to have Canon clean it for you (you can drop it off in Irvine). You can also clean it yourself, if you are that kind of person, I would recommend Eclipse fluid, and a box of their sensor swabs (you are going to want type 2, for 1.6 crop cameras).

This site has the different methods, and this site is where you can get the stuff.

I think Glenn is right that having Canon do it is the safest, but having them clean your sensor every time it needs it can also be a bit of a pain.

"Welded" on? I don't think I have ever experienced this myself. Every bit of dust I've found on the sensors of the D200 and the D3 has been able to be removed with judicious use of the rocket blower. I've never even had to use swabs, fortunately.