Jump to content

DUST, ANYONE? Questions about the D600.


Landrum Kelly

Recommended Posts

<p>After spotting dust on pics from the D600 I ordered near the end of September, I finally found this:</p>

<p> </p>

<blockquote>

<p>We tend not to get too excited about sensor dust problems here; we clean sensors on every camera after every rental, so it’s just routine. When we started carrying the Nikon D600 they all arrived with a fair amount of dust, but that’s pretty routine too. Manufacturing and shipping can be a dusty experience. When our techs started complaining that D600s were all coming back from their first rental with a lot more dust (despite being freshly cleaned before leaving) we didn’t pay much attention to that either. We all remember the oil/dust issues the D3x and D3s had. Those mostly cleared up after a few cleanings. The dust kept reappearing with every rental, and more impressively, it was generally in the same location (upper left 1/3rd of the image). That did get our attention so we started looking into the matter a bit. We kept dust pictures for twenty consecutive D600s returning from rental and saw the problem was very real. <strong> In general, about 1 out of 4 cameras requires sensor cleaning after a rental. All twenty of the D600s did. </strong> (Emphasis supplied.) <a href="http://www.imaging-resource.com/news/2012/10/22/does-the-nikon-d600-have-a-sensor-dust-problem">[LINK]</a></p>

 

</blockquote>

<p>I'm not used to a lot of dust, folks. What's the deal?</p>

<p>--Lannie</p>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

<p>I read the rest.</p>

<p>I googled the D800, hoping that perhaps I would not face that problem if I moved to the D800.</p>

<p>Alas, this is what I got:</p>

<p><a href="http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/post/41233155"><strong>[LINK]</strong></a><br>

<strong> </strong><br>

What are other users finding with either the D600 or D800? I have not noticed dust on the D90, D3200, orD7000. I have not noticed it with Canon, either.<strong><br /></strong></p>

<p>--Lannie</p>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

<blockquote>

<p>I bought one here in Denpasar last tuesday, after using it for 4 days with a lot of changing lenses there was some dust that I could easily blow away, nothing unusual....</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I can't say that the amount of dust that I saw was excessive, either, although I have been blessed with low-dust cameras in the past (both Canon and Nikon). The dust on the D600 also was not the reason that I returned it to Amazon (for a full refund, by the way). Rather, I wanted to get a D800--but, again, not because of dust. Since the dust was pointed out to me (after I had already decided to return it), I have been on hold as to what to buy.</p>

<p>What concerns me more than dust is the possibility that it is not dust but oil.</p>

<p>--Lannie</p>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

<p>My D800 had oil spots after the first 1000 shots or so. Then oil smears as I tried to clean it. Finally got a different kit and was able to get it cleared up. They haven't come back yet. I assume it was excess oil from manufacturing that sprayed off the shutter.</p>
Link to comment
Share on other sites

<p>Here I am trying to figure out what to buy. No doubt there is anecdotal evidence of such cases in involving other brands, but right now all that I know is that most of the examples I am seeing are coming from the Nikon side of the fence.</p>

<p>How can I be sure that I am getting a representative sample of how many times these problems occur with other brands as compared to Nikon?</p>

<p>I'll be blunt: I didn't have these problems with the 5D II. My example is also just anecdotal data, but it's all I have right now. I don't know where one gets good aggregate data on such matters.</p>

<p>--Lannie</p>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think you hear scare stories about many newly released cameras. I don't think they should put you off. I just got a d600 and have

carefully checked - no dust. I'm more worried about the prospect of oil as more difficult to remove. I'm not going let this spoil my

enjoyment of a brilliant camera.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

<p>Ditto the D800 experience, mine got a few bad marks on the sensor very quickly, couldn't clean them or blow them off; probably oil. Local Nikon agent gave it a free sensor clean under warranty, which does make you assume that this is a known issue with these cameras. Since then it has been very clean, well, at least nothing very obvious at any rate. I'm assuming that the D600 is giving similar issues when new, it should calm down soon though.</p>
Link to comment
Share on other sites

<p>I have my D600 about 3 weeks now, no dust problems seen yet. May be a temporary dust contamination in one of the assembling facilities. This might require more cleaning than the sensor alone. As all D600 should be under warranty at the moment it shouldn't be a problem to get cleaned affected cameras professionally.</p>
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Received my D800 in June...no left focus point issue and no dust after extensive use. Just returned from 3 weeks in Colorado and New

Mexico where I shot over 24 GB's of jpg fine images, changing lenses many times...no problems...and the most "keeper images" I've ever

had from any camera.

 

John Rogers

Austin, Texas

Link to comment
Share on other sites

<p>I have been using a D600 test sample for about 5 weeks. I haven't noticed any dust spots on any real-live images I have captured so far. I just set the shutter speed to B and use a flash light to help inspect the sensor, and it look clean to my eyes.</p>

<p>However, I also captured the image of a clear sky at f22, and sure enough, there are some dust spots on the upper left of the frame, more so than any other area. So I used a blower to clean the sensor. Since they are not showing up in more normal apertures, I won't worry about it.</p>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

<p>Please try to understand that the camera is but a tool to your photography. Getting the very latest model may (or may not) provide you with the best image possible. It's a combination of timing, light, lens, and your mental ability to capture the image you want on a digital sensor (or film.)</p>

<p>Dust, if it gets into a image -- can be removed in post-processing.</p>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

<blockquote>

<p>Please try to understand that the camera is but a tool to your photography. Getting the very latest model may (or may not) provide you with the best image possible.</p>

 

</blockquote>

<p>No kidding? I got my first SLR thirty-five years ago this past spring and I had always assumed that the best would make me a photographic genius. Now you tell me that that's not necessarily true. I'm devastated.</p>

<p>--Lannie</p>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

<p>"However, I also captured the image of a clear sky at f22, and sure enough, there are some dust spots on the upper left of the frame, more so than any other area. So I used a blower to clean the sensor. Since they are not showing up in more normal apertures, I won't worry about it."<br>

<br>

Upper left is exactly what the lensrental.com people have been noticing on body after body, which is why they've come up with the hypothesis concerning the shutter assembly. They also hypothesize that with time the problem will become less noticable.<br>

</p>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

<blockquote>

<p>Getting the very latest model may (or may not) provide you with the best image possible.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Jerry, that is not the impression I get watching the Nikon commercials. With the latest Nikon cameras, I can catpure the same great images Ashton Kutcher can.</p>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

<p>Jerry, I didn't meant to sound so sarcastic. The fact is that I am a compulsive cropper. I compose once in the filed, and then I come back inside and see what other compositions might be there. </p>

<p>The only downside I can see right now to the D800 is storage space and processing time--but storage gets cheaper every year.</p>

<p>--Lannie</p>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

<p>Shiang, I was using the Delkin sensor wipes, but they just smeared the oil. Bought the Sensor Swabs and Eclipse and the sensor was cleaned after two wipes. I don't know what product you are using, but for the oil I would highly recommend a disposable wipe like the Sensor Swab.</p>
Link to comment
Share on other sites

<p><em>"Jerry, I didn't meant to sound so sarcastic"</em></p>

<p>You come here to ask questions of people and then respond in this way. The short answer is YES you did mean to sound sarcastic, the whole content of your response was heavy with sarcasm.</p>

<p>Something more in the way of a fullsome apology would be in order. This sort of offhand reply is not acceptable when someone is giving well intentioned advice. People don't know your personal history beforehand and the fact you may have bought an SLR 35 years ago means nothing about your photography knowledge, you obviously haven't learnt anything about manners in more than that time.</p>

<p>It's interesting you came back with the above quoted excerpt without having been challenged for your attitude, so perhaps the light did come on of its own accord. Might I suggest when you feel tempted to reply so dismissively that you sit and read your response through a few times before pressing submit.</p>

<p>Frankly you deserve dust.</p>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...