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  1. #1
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    Circular spot on CCD....still there after several sensor cleans

    I have a circular spot that darkens photos taken on my D300 in the identical location no matter what the image is and what my focal length is. That leads me to believe it's on the CCD.

    So I've tried several image sensor cleans with no luck. It got a little smaller but it's still there. I spent a heck of a lot of money on a nice lens so that my IQ will be great so this one tiny spot is driving me NUTS.

    Any suggestions on how to get rid of it??? Thanks!
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  2. #2
    Senior Shooter Greg McCary's Avatar
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    Re: Circular spot on CCD....still there after several sensor cleans

    Can you post a picture and is it there when using different lenses? I would see if Canon would service it.......
    I am like Barney Fife, I have a gun but Andy makes me keep the bullet in my pocket..

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  3. #3
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    Re: Circular spot on CCD....still there after several sensor cleans

    I don't have another lens to test with it but I will try.

    I'll get a picture up shortly.

    Just went back and checked some pictures taken with my 18-200 before I returned it....the spot is still there.....

    Look on the right side about 2/3 of the way down and 5/6 of the way right.



    And here it is with a small aperture.....it's a sharp spot in between the power lines:



    What does it mean that with a lower aperture it gets sharper? Problem with the lens and not the camera?
    Last edited by awboy; 12-27-2007 at 06:33 PM.
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  4. #4
    Panarus biarmicus Moderator (Sports) SmartWombat's Avatar
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    Re: Circular spot on CCD....still there after several sensor cleans

    Yes, that looks like sensor dust, not your lens.
    Typically it's a bigger blurry blob at wide aperture.
    But if you stop down to a smaller aperture, it appears as a smaller, sharply defined blob.
    PAul

    Scroll down to the Sports Forum and post your sports pictures !

  5. #5
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    Re: Circular spot on CCD....still there after several sensor cleans

    Quote Originally Posted by SmartWombat
    Yes, that looks like sensor dust, not your lens.
    Typically it's a bigger blurry blob at wide aperture.
    But if you stop down to a smaller aperture, it appears as a smaller, sharply defined blob.
    Okay.....so it's not going away with the sensor cleaning Guess it's time to call Nikon? How long will it take them to get me a new camera? This one is a week old!
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  6. #6
    Check out our D300 Pro Review! deckcadet's Avatar
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    Re: Circular spot on CCD....still there after several sensor cleans

    What kind of cleaning are you doing?
    Unless there is a real defect on the low-pass filter over the CMOS sensor, Nikon has no reason to replace the camera or even any major parts. You may be able to find a good camera shop or repair place in your area that does DSLR sensor cleaning professionally. Have them check it out first, and you may be able to be out the door with your camera.

    Otherwise, if they cannot get it off, send it in to Nikon service. Their Melville NY service center for all users East of the Mississippi generally has fast turnaround. You can create the service request electronically, send it in, and once it's logged in to their system I've never had anything take more than a week that didn't need parts to be delivered from Japan.
    Harrison
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  7. #7
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    Re: Circular spot on CCD....still there after several sensor cleans

    I'm using the sensor cleaning option in the menu. Not sure what else to do. I bet I know a place in town that can do it professionally for me though.
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  8. #8
    Be serious Franglais's Avatar
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    Re: Circular spot on CCD....still there after several sensor cleans

    Quote Originally Posted by awboy
    I'm using the sensor cleaning option in the menu. Not sure what else to do. I bet I know a place in town that can do it professionally for me though.
    The sensor cleaning option inside the camera shakes the filter in front of the sensor to try to dislodge dust. If the dust is too sticky to get rid of via this method there are others:

    1. Use the dust-off option in Nikon NX. You take a sample image of something blank so that the software can identify the dust particles on the sensor. Every time you process an image in NX it clones out the dust spot automatically. This works fine but it's fiddly.
    2. Clean the sensor using sensor swabs and fluid. You can either do this yourself or get a professional to do it. If the camera is under garantee then it's best to get Nikon to do it (in Paris it's done for free at their shop). The operation takes about 5-10 minutes, depending on the number of wipes needed.

    By the way, the sensor on the D300 is CMOS, not CCD..
    Charles

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  9. #9
    project forum co-moderator Frog's Avatar
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    Re: Circular spot on CCD....still there after several sensor cleans

    Do you have a rocket blower? I'd try that before messing with swabs. I've never had to try it but understand it usually does the job.
    Keep Shooting!

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  10. #10
    Check out our D300 Pro Review! deckcadet's Avatar
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    Re: Circular spot on CCD....still there after several sensor cleans

    It does, as long as you follow a few simple rules:
    1) preferably buy the Giottos brand original Rocket Blower
    2) as soon as you take it out of the package, blow it out several times to dislodge anything that might be inside from manufacturing. I've seen people blow stuff *on* their sensor when they don't do this
    3) hold the camera mount down with the mirror in cleaning lock up mode, put the blower tip just about near the mount flange (not too far into the body) then blow a few times forcefully. If I remember correctly, the orientation of the dust speck is not the way it looks on an image, since the image projected by the lens is upside-down.
    BE SURE YOUR BATTERY IS FULLY CHARGED
    4) put down the blower, turn off the camera, mount a lens or put on the body cap, then store the blower in a sealed bag so dust won't accumulate.
    Harrison
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  11. #11
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    Re: Circular spot on CCD....still there after several sensor cleans

    The rocket blower worked!!! It took 4 tries but it finally came off!

    So stoked. Thanks so much for the advice guys. Really appreciate it!
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  12. #12
    project forum co-moderator Frog's Avatar
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    Re: Circular spot on CCD....still there after several sensor cleans

    Your welcome and glad Harrison could give better instructions. Glad to hear it worked!
    Keep Shooting!

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