Nikon, dust in sensor? inside lenses?

Is that a common issue?

Hi photographers, I would appreciate some guidance because I never have owned a Nikon camera, only Sony, Canon and Samsung, all of them for years and constantly used them on indoor photos and traveling (including dusty places, rainy areas, humid locations, etc). Not a single problem. Based on what OTHER photographers (ex coworkers) experienced I can only mention some of them having issues with fungi inside Canon camera lenses, but me? never, not a single time.

But Nikon... I'm currently interested on buying a 2nd hand Nikon camera for some specific uses risk included, I don't need a professional model, a bridge camera would be awesome. The problem is while researching the models that got my attention I'm finding a few comments on forums regarding dirty sensor, dust on the sensor and being unable to clean it because the lens it's non removable. I find this quite interesting but intriguing. Almost sounds as a common problem with Nikon, but understanding the "common issues" others experienced with other brands, but that I never experienced: I'm open to learning and reading opinions.

Been reading about:

- Nikon Coolpix L120

- Nikon Coolpix L810

- Nikon Coolpix P90

And some others but I think only those above would be considered at the end.

Thanks in advance.

Hector, Sorry theses are ancient “bridge” cameras. Not sure you can get them cleaned for less than what they are worth.

I have never heard that this is a common problem with these fossils but word off mouth often gets socialized enough to dictate reality.

Good hunting.

Dust inside the lens can be annoying, but has little effect on the image. It always looks worse than it is because it is magnified by the lens. In practice, it takes a lot of dust to scatter light noticeably, and even more to obscure the light.

Sensor dust inside a fixed-lens camera is a problem which can only be repaired by the factory. However even ILCs can get dust behind the cover glass/filter, which requires factory service as well. It's usually caused by using canned "air", which is forceful enough to drive stuff into the sensor assembly. Use a bulb blower and a soft brush, and you have little to fear.

Hector, Sorry theses are ancient “bridge” cameras. Not sure you can get them cleaned for less than what they are worth.

I have never heard that this is a common problem with these fossils but word off mouth often gets socialized enough to dictate reality.

Good hunting.

Thanks 2Oceans, yes those are old models. I don't like the idea of opening a digital camera and try to clean it, and sending it for cleaning sounds more expensive, specially today being just old models, easier to find a better one on the cheap. I was mostly concerned on the design of those cameras being vulnerable to dust. Finding those comments was accidental but sadly those comments appeared on several web searches.

Dust inside the lens can be annoying, but has little effect on the image. It always looks worse than it is because it is magnified by the lens. In practice, it takes a lot of dust to scatter light noticeably, and even more to obscure the light.

 

Sensor dust inside a fixed-lens camera is a problem which can only be repaired by the factory. However even ILCs can get dust behind the cover glass/filter, which requires factory service as well. It's usually caused by using canned "air", which is forceful enough to drive stuff into the sensor assembly. Use a bulb blower and a soft brush, and you have little to fear.

Thanks Ed_Ingold, I've seen some dirty lenses and the problem wasn't that big (except the fungi on a coworker's camera) and humidity (condensation), other than that the sensor being dirty sure is a problem. Thanks for the advice for cleaning too.

Things can sometimes be surprisingly funny, today I got a call for a new price on another camera (a Sony) so the search is over. I bought the camera so I will be staying OFF Nikon for some time again.

While I am no Nikon fan, I wouldn't expect them to be significantly worse than others. Looking 2 of the cameras you mentioned up, I notice they seem to have air pump zooms that expand and colapse, maybe a lot. Why shouldn't those take their toll, once in a while? Considering how tiny such sensors are **** has(!) to happen. Imaginable technical workarounds would be a much bigger not expanding camera or a pretty thick filter element in front of the sensor that would render lens design way more challenging. - IBIS and dust shake off mechanisms might help.

No clue how much what you'll have to pay for such cameras will feel. If you are worried about wasting money on a dust infected specimen, meet the seller in person and bring a laptop to inspect a sensor dust test shot before you buy?

Each product has diff vulnerabilities. BTW dust on lens (mentioned above, not by me) is something way different than dust on the sensor, very diff illness. Yes inspecting the product (to buy) is a good idea, but if the model is vulnerable to specific damage... it's only a matter of time for this to fail. Regarding the specific topic I opened, I didn't mention my findings on people sending the cameras for cleaning only to have dust on the sensor again, that doesn't sound right to me.

As said things changed quickly and received a great discount on a Sony camera of my liking with the features I was looking for, so there will no need for future inspection or acquisition. Any comment about this, from here on... sorry will not receive replies from me as the issue has been solved.

I usually keep two cameras for diff battles, one the one I'm willing to sacrifice under certain circumstances.