Smudge on sensor-does it matter?

[Dick Dastardly]

I bought a used camera with a smudge on its sensor, but i don't see anything in the images, so i'm not really worried about it. Maybe the former owner touched the sensor, but i'm not risking damaging it in order to clean it. To be honest, i'never seen marks on a camera sensor before. It also has a couple of tiny dust particles.

How do you feel about this subject, do you inspect the sensor of your camera when changing lenses and make sure it's always flawless? Does it matter? I know some dust particles will appear in the images, maybe i should shoot a clear sky at f22 to really see what's what, even if i don't see anything in my day to day images?

 

[LouMeluso]

That is not good. You are smart to be cautious about self-cleaning it. It's not hard to do, but if you are not careful, it can make things worse. Take it to a shop and let a pro handle it. Keep a hand blower in your bag to handle odd bits.

 

[ishwanu]

How do you feel about this subject,

The subject of smudges? I'm against them!

do you inspect the sensor of your camera when changing lenses

No, I change lenses much too frequently for that to be practical. I clean a sensor when I notice a blob of something in my images that shouldn't be there.

and make sure it's always flawless?

When I clean a sensor, I just get it to the point where no photos I take, even at tiny apertures, are likely to be affected by something on it. I don't think it's flawless.

Does it matter?

To me, yes.

I know some dust particles will appear in the images, maybe i should shoot a clear sky at f22 to really see what's what, even if i don't see anything in my day to day images?

Maybe. It's all up to you.

 

[a_c_skinner]

I've recently been impressed with how much better a professional is at sensor cleaning than I am.

That is pretty obvious and I'd simply reject the item.

 

[Lensmate]

I bought a used camera with a smudge on its sensor, but i don't see anything in the images, so i'm not really worried about it. Maybe the former owner touched the sensor, but i'm not risking damaging it in order to clean it. To be honest, i'never seen marks on a camera sensor before. It also has a couple of tiny dust particles.

How do you feel about this subject, do you inspect the sensor of your camera when changing lenses and make sure it's always flawless? Does it matter? I know some dust particles will appear in the images, maybe i should shoot a clear sky at f22 to really see what's what, even if i don't see anything in my day to day images?

Clean it yourself with the appropriate sensor cleaner. It's a no brainer. If uncertain, look on U-Tube with its gazillion versions on how to do it.

-M

 

[a_c_skinner]

I did that. The professionals were a lot better at it.

 

[Lensmate]

I did that. The professionals were a lot better at it.

It might take some practise, but after a bit of experience, you will clean like a pro.

It's a very simple task, and once you get over the initial anxiety of doing something wrong, you'll kick yourself for even doubting your own ability.

-M

 

[a_c_skinner]

Like so many trades one could aspire to expertise.

 

[Lensmate]

Like so many trades one could aspire to expertise.

Lol...hardly a trade. Just a wee minor skill set. Easier than brushing ones teeth.

-M

 

[Bob A L]

Not for me.

 

[MJ_Photo38]

Is it me or this camera had a fall on the lens mount directly? bottom right looks pretty messed up.

About the sensor itself, do your tests, and see if it affects image quality (both sharpness, or if something shows up on the pictures). My X-T1 has a chipped top coating on the sensor protective glass. You can see it, but the sensor really can't even at thigh apertures.

If it shows, make shure this is a smudge, not a coating damage and send it to a camera shop for cleaning.

You can also buy some MFT sensor swabs and do it yourself, it's not hard. Just make sure to lock the sensor in place when doing it. On Fujifilm cameras they recommend to turn the camera on to have the IBIS system keep the sensor centered. Olympus cameras only do this when you half press the shutter.

--
(G.A.S. and collectionnite will get my skin one day)

 

[Dick Dastardly]

I don't really understand the obsession of people wanting their stuff to be in immaculate condition up to the point where it's being tossed out because it's obsolete.

If a camera has scratches, dings or a minor fault, it doesn't mean it will not work as intended anymore. If it's not in the pictures, then why worry about it?

I'd be worried about this if the camera was new, but since the EM10 II was released almost a decade ago and it's just entry level, i think the best course of action would be to keep using it until the dials start coming off.

I'm still not convinced a noob like me should attempt to clean the sensor even if it bothered me, but since it doesn't affect my picture taking, no sense in trying to fix something that's not broken.

I'm going to post more images from around Vienna when i'm the mood.

 

[MJ_Photo38]

I don't really understand the obsession of people wanting their stuff to be in immaculate condition up to the point where it's being tossed out because it's obsolete.

Oh yeah definitely, I'm in the same boat. I don't care about dings on my cameras. I have a couple Nikon DSLRs that are f*cked-up when it comes pain job or grip tapes, but they still work absolutely fine so I use them.

My X-T1 has a damaged sensor, grip tapes that came off several times (that I reattached with superglue) and a side door that I've cut in 3 parts to be able to access things but keep the weather sealing. So I for sure don't much care about cosmetic condition of a camera

I only pointed out the visible damage on the lens mount because it's heavy duty steel, and to make a mark like that means it had to have a bad fall, which might cause issues later, especially relative to the shutter and IBIS (or at least reduce its lifespan. A faulty IBIS or stuk shutter are the two biggest cause of E-M10IIs being ready for the landfill)

If a camera has scratches, dings or a minor fault, it doesn't mean it will not work as intended anymore. If it's not in the pictures, then why worry about it?

I'd be worried about this if the camera was new, but since the EM10 II was released almost a decade ago and it's just entry level, i think the best course of action would be to keep using it until the dials start coming off.

Yeah. Or until the shutter breaks. The most important part being that it still works as intended.

I'm still not convinced a noob like me should attempt to clean the sensor even if it bothered me, but since it doesn't affect my picture taking, no sense in trying to fix something that's not broken.

It's honestly not hard if you have the proper equipment. Sensor swabs with cleaning liquid are maybe worth 10 to 20 bucks depending on where you buy, and there's plenty of tutorials on youtube.

I know I'd hate paying a 75 bucks fee from a camera shop when I could have done that myself.

I'm going to post more images from around Vienna when i'm the mood.

 

[GeoffRG]

That is not good. You are smart to be cautious about self-cleaning it. It's not hard to do, but if you are not careful, it can make things worse. Take it to a shop and let a pro handle it. Keep a hand blower in your bag to handle odd bits.

The days when camera shops had a technician in the back room are long gone, the guy or gal in the camera shop is no more a professional than you are.

 

[tr4driver]

I'd just try to clean it myself with a sensor cleaning swab and high quality cleaning fluid. I use pure isopropyl alcohol myself. I've been cleaning my sensors for years, and have never had a problem. In fact, I've never even read or heard about anyone who accidentally damaged their sensor while trying to clean it (though I suspect it has happened). I just don't thing the top surface is as fragile as a lot of people seem to think it is.

Kurt

 

[Dareshooter]

That is not good. You are smart to be cautious about self-cleaning it. It's not hard to do, but if you are not careful, it can make things worse. Take it to a shop and let a pro handle it. Keep a hand blower in your bag to handle odd bits.

The days when camera shops had a technician in the back room are long gone, the guy or gal in the camera shop is no more a professional than you are.

Exactly . In all likelihood just some low paid shop worker sent out the back to do the odd job .
A colleague of mine took theirs to the local store and the camera came back with the sensor in a worse condition than when it went in.

 

[Sittatunga]

That is not good. You are smart to be cautious about self-cleaning it. It's not hard to do, but if you are not careful, it can make things worse. Take it to a shop and let a pro handle it. Keep a hand blower in your bag to handle odd bits.

The days when camera shops had a technician in the back room are long gone, the guy or gal in the camera shop is no more a professional than you are.

That's true, but somebody who's doing that job every month or even every week (if not every day) will be more in practice than you are if you have to ask.

The OP's camera looks like a micro four-thirds job. Those cameras have a 4mm thick filter pack, so smudges and dust may not cast objectionable shadows onto the sensor until the lens is stopped down to f/16 or beyond. Stopping down beyond about f/5.6-8 on a sensor with pixels that tightly packed is already something I would avoid because of softening due to diffraction.

 

[Bob A L]

I didn't see that you asked this question, or maybe have answered it in response, but did you purchase this from somewhere that you have return privileges? I would not hesitate to return it if possible if it were mine.

 

[mfinley]

I don't really understand the obsession of people wanting their stuff to be in immaculate condition up to the point where it's being tossed out because it's obsolete.

If a camera has scratches, dings or a minor fault, it doesn't mean it will not work as intended anymore. If it's not in the pictures, then why worry about it?

I'd be worried about this if the camera was new, but since the EM10 II was released almost a decade ago and it's just entry level, i think the best course of action would be to keep using it until the dials start coming off.

I didn't read anyone coming close to saying scratches or dings on a body means you should throw out the camera.

Cameras make images, I am concerned with the condition of all the elements related to the creation of the image file. A scratch on the body or the side of a lens doesn't affect the data file created, a scratch on the sensor would and that would be where the difference is.

Using an EM10II means you aren't searching for the highest quality images in M43 and you sound like a good enough is good enough kind of person, so of course you should use it as long as you enjoy doing so and it's creating what you want.

I'm still not convinced a noob like me should attempt to clean the sensor even if it bothered me, but since it doesn't affect my picture taking, no sense in trying to fix something that's not broken.

It likely is "broken" in regard to something like that on a sensor. However, as said you don't seem to have a discriminating mentality in regard to image quality so don't worry about it. I would agree if you have trepidations of self-cleaning a sensor even after you've been told repeatedly from your peers how its not hard to do well, then you should listen to that voice in your head. What's easy for others you obviously don't feel is easy for you so just forget about it and enjoy taking pictures with it.

--
Thanks,
Mike
https://travel-curious.com/home/north-america/united-states/utah/

 

[plantdoc]

Smaller apertures reveal more sensor dust etc. Also, extreme level adjustments will reveal more. For M 4/3 sensor, if the blue sky or white wall doesn't show anything at F11 with realistic level adjustments, I wouldn't worry. Trying to keep a sensor spotless at F16_22 can a source of frustration, but cleaning supplies are available and handy to have around

Greg