insect/ catterpilar is inside camera body

kd07 · Dec 29, 2014

Hi All,

insect on the mirror

I just saw two insects (kind of caterpillar) when i look through viewfinder. its not in the lens and not on the sensor either, I can see those insects if I unmount the lens form camera, those insect sits back in the mirror. anyone has similar kind of experience? How to remove it? dose it need professional cleaning or should try it home?

D Cox · Dec 29, 2014

It's a carpet beetle larva. They eat wool, feathers, museum specimens, etc. A very common animal.

These larvae are often called "furry bears".

Perhaps if you leave the camera with its lens off, the creature(s) will crawl out. But not if they are looking for somewhere to pupate.

enemjii · Dec 29, 2014

kd07 said:
Hi All,

insect on the mirror

I just saw two insects (kind of caterpillar) when i look through viewfinder. its not in the lens and not on the sensor either, I can see those insects if I unmount the lens form camera, those insect sits back in the mirror. anyone has similar kind of experience? How to remove it? dose it need professional cleaning or should try it home?

Just when I thought it was getting boring at DPReview.

Wow. How does that happen? Did you change lenses under a tree and let them fall in?

--

http://blog.zeusboutique.com/

dleugers · Dec 29, 2014

You might try to gently lift the mirror then use compressed air to knock it loose and clean out the camera body. Don't let it stay in there too long. If it has left a mess take you camera to a good photography shop and have them clean your camera. A good cleaning should be around $50.

Leonard Migliore · Dec 29, 2014

kd07 said:
Hi All,

insect on the mirror

I just saw two insects (kind of caterpillar) when i look through viewfinder. its not in the lens and not on the sensor either, I can see those insects if I unmount the lens form camera, those insect sits back in the mirror. anyone has similar kind of experience? How to remove it? dose it need professional cleaning or should try it home?

I take it that your camera is a DSLR and this is a shot through the viewfinder. It looks like this particular insect is on the viewscreen. It should be possible to remove it with a blower. It's a bit finicky because you have to avoid touching the reflex mirror.

--
Leonard Migliore

kd07 · Dec 29, 2014

Thank you for the reply and information. I will try your suggestion, hope it come out. I will let you know.

kd07 · Dec 29, 2014

I am still wondering how did it get inside. Can't remember when I last unmounted the lens. But for sure not under the tree though. Thanks for reply.

Speedex Folder · Dec 29, 2014

I'd think some careful combination of blower and tweezers would take care of this.

Of course, this is a bug that a software update is NOT going to fix.

jackalopemaui · Dec 29, 2014

Leave it, it adds character

kd07 · Dec 29, 2014

Yes this is a shot through viewfinder. I have tried to remove it with a blower. No luck so far. thanks for your reply.

kd07 · Dec 29, 2014

Speedex Folder said:
I'd think some careful combination of blower and tweezers would take care of this.

Of course, this is a bug that a software update is NOT going to fix.

ha ha,

kd07 · Dec 29, 2014

jackalopemaui said:
Leave it, it adds character

This is my first dslr

Bob A L · Dec 29, 2014

Reminds me of an old experience. Years ago I bought a brand new Fuji 35mm slr and when I started playing with it at home found it had a resident. It was a very small little critter but it was alive. The first time I saw it come crawling across the viewfinder it was quite the alarming experience. If memory serves me right it lived for several weeks just appearing when it choose and wandering about the viewfinder. It was clear inside somewhere and we never managed to find out where and apparently finally died from lack of nourishment or something. Any way it was really fun while it lasted - I really got a kick out of showing it to others when it would come out for a walk when I was with other people.

donaldsc · Dec 29, 2014

Sort of reminds me of the origin (or maybe not) of the term computer bug -

http://www.computerworld.com/articl...-machine--debugging-the-origins-of--bug-.html

--
Don

D Cox · Dec 29, 2014

kd07 said:
I am still wondering how did it get inside. Can't remember when I last unmounted the lens. But for sure not under the tree though. Thanks for reply.

These larvae are more common inside houses than in trees.

Pioneer 10 · Dec 29, 2014

Call the Orkin man?

ImageAmateur · Dec 29, 2014

No text...

ZX11 · Dec 30, 2014

ImageAmateur said:
No text...

DaveOl · Dec 30, 2014

Is it alive or dead? If you use tweezers, you might puncture it and fluid ooze of of it onto your screen. How about a cotton swab to push if free?

anisah · Dec 30, 2014

kd07 said:
Hi All,

insect on the mirror

I just saw two insects (kind of caterpillar) when i look through viewfinder. its not in the lens and not on the sensor either, I can see those insects if I unmount the lens form camera, those insect sits back in the mirror. anyone has similar kind of experience? How to remove it? dose it need professional cleaning or should try it home?

Please accept my sympathy for your problem - I, too, have experienced similar in the past. Somehow a fly managed to get inside the EOS40D I was using at the time.

In the end I had no alternative but to send the camera off for a service to my normal laboratory who did a great job. I talked the issue over with them and they said that it is not that unusual, they have quite a few in each year with the same problem. Its not a cheap way of solving the problem but its better than risking the damage that you might doing by trying to solve the problem yourself. I certainly would not recommend sticking a pair of tweezers into the delicate technology of a DSLR. Part of the problem is, even if the insect is no loner alove, it can move around the inside of the camera, so its never that easy to track it down. If you feel confident to do so, by all means have a go, but it might be cheaper to get it serviced and cleaned - tell them what the problem is - rather than replace the camera through inadvertent clumsiness.

There does not seem to be any foolproof method of avoiding insects. I meticulously change lenses with the body facing down, but insects can always fly upwards!

Hope you get the problem solved, BE CAREFUL!

--
"The only thing certain about life is uncertainty." (Rabbi Berel Wein)
"We must learn to love the man who differs from us in opinion." (Swami Vivekananda)

insect/ catterpilar is inside camera body

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