POLL: 5D VF dust – encouraging all users who do NOT have this problem to post!

No Text

Just got my 5D last week, and it had no dust from the factory. That all changed when I changed the focus screen, however. I got a bunch of dust then, and only after light brushing have I cleaned it well. Now I have a small bit of dust, but no worse than my 350D.

--
Equipment in profile

I haven't had a dust problem--viewfinder or sensor--with my EOS 5D. Some early production samples are reputed to ship with industrial leavings in the mirror box, leadinjg to dirty viewfinders and CMOS. Save those issues I think dust problems are directly related to humidity (dry=static cling) and how often and where you you change lenses. I live in Honolulu--high humidity--so static attraction is rarely a problem. Even if you get a little dust, it usually blows off easily.
--
Quack!

--



http://www.vanruitenbeek.com/

Diane B said:

I reread the posts here, decided to
give a soft blow to the screen with my Giotto Rocket
blower (upside down on tripod)

Click to expand...

Could you please provide a ref to the description of that?...

Thank you in advance.

I have just ONE little dust in the viewfinder, and that's really not a problem.

My camera was clean when I received it in September, 05. Since then, small black specks have begun to show up in the viewfinder. Not treatable with a blower. My camera was a "1" serial number, so I took it into Canon service last week for an update to 1.05 and a cleaning. Anxiously awaiting its' return!

--

• May the Fleas of thousand camels infest the crotch of the person who screws up your day, and may their arms be too short to scratch.! -

• Amen -

-•°•- ¹Do - & ²Cmore -•°•-

I change lenses often, and eventually dust will accumulate in a DSLR. I have Eclipse solution and every few months I have to clean the sensor & sometimes, the mirror, too. The cleaning process is amazingly simple & easy...and including the time to take a few before & after photos to check the cleanliness of the sensor, the whole process including setup & cleanup is about 30 to 40 minutes.

I had more dust in the viewfinder (on the mirror) at first, but after my first mirror cleaning, the dust has accumulated more quickly on the sensor versus the mirror.

I was anxious as I launched into my first sensor cleaning, but when the procedure was complete, I had to admit that the task was as easy as depicted in the Copper Hill cleaning descriptions.

--
Bartek

vadims said:

Diane B said:

I reread the posts here, decided to
give a soft blow to the screen with my Giotto Rocket
blower (upside down on tripod)

Click to expand...

Could you please provide a ref to the description of that?...

Thank you in advance.

Click to expand...

I put my camera body on my tripod/ballhead, pointed it down, didn't put the mirror up for the screen blow and just pointed my Giotto Rocket blower toward the viewfinder screen and gave it a soft puff. This was recommended by several on the forum as they realized that the debris showing up in their viewfinder seemed to be settling 'on' the screen. I felt that pointing the camera down at least allowed for some of it to fall out and not blowing really hard didn't push the debris back into the corners of the chamber.

I just realized that you probably wanted a reference to the posts---I don't have that but if you waded through the threads on viewfinder dust you will find them. I can't remember who it was--but it seemed prefectly logical to try it as it was a longtime member here, as I recall, that recommended it. Certainly not a Canon person LOL. No recommendation from them has been posted here or at RG.

I had a lot of debris--whether it was dust or whatever. I expect it was debris as I first saw it the second day I had the camera--I just didn't pay attention the first evening LOL. I then shot a good bit the next day and changed lenses as I normally do--but there was no way that dust/debris could have resulted from that one day shooting--so I feel sure my viewfinder 'stuff' was from manufacturing also---but has completely disappeared with this small onetime blow and I've been paying attention since then. I shoot with primes and do change lenses quite a bit and have noticed no more 'stuff' in the viewfinder--altho' I did have some on the sensor and cleaned it again.

I've wondered about the 'blowing' myself and have ordered a brush from Copperhill to dust the viewfinder (and sensor) if needed in the future instead of blowing--or perhaps a bit of blow first and then sweep and wet clean if necessary (for the sensor--which will need it eventually from past experiences with other bodies).

Diane
--
Diane B
http://www.pbase.com/picnic/galleries

Not much problem with sensor dust, either. It's been cleaned, with just a puff of air, three times in almost seven months.

--
Garland Cary

--
Brian Johnson

I re-post below commments :

Just got my 5D back from Canon UK - regarding re-call of 5D's - Repaired under warranty - Repair sheet indicated following :

Upgraded Firmware -07.04.06 RGB , Rep Work - Body (parts) so their appears that some parts replaced ? .

Also just as an added bonus - the Sensor was filthy !!!! -

I had done the f22 test before it was sent - clean - now just re done f22 test - Sensor has lots of added extra muck - obviously Canon UK not adding a free sensor clean ?? , but are adding muck to it - so you have to send it back for cleaning ??? - not likely sorted out with the normal method -

ianws

--
http://www.pbase.com/jdb/root

--
All things are relative, timeing is everything!!
rcd -- N9AEE/0 -- 73's

John said:

2 5D's, used every day since last Nov...

Loads of dust and small hairs in viewfinder now.

Hasn't happened with my 1DS mkII or 20D nearly so much. Can only
speculate as to a design fault in the 5D that the sealing between
the pentaprism and reticle/focus screens is poor compared to the
other cameras.

I'm sending them to Canon service soon anyway as they are both 1
5th digit models. I'll request they tackle the dust problem at the
same time.

Click to expand...

Tons of dust, just sent it off for cleaning. It actually gets worse as I try to remove, it seems to stir up more dirt specks and little hairs from somewhere inside the camera body. Probably 20-30 specks and stuff on the viewfinder. I have no problem with sensor dust!! just viewfinder dirt.

--
JB Faulconer

... for such a detailed explanation. Much appreciated.

--
Bob



http://bwclark.smugmug.com/

--
Regards

Keith