Cleaning

[armen_hovannisian]

<p>Hi<br>

when looking threw the viewfinder I see this black dirt<br>

But after taking the picture there is not dirt on the picture<br>

I cleaned the viewfinder and it still didn't work<br>

then I checked the camera mirror and it was from there<br>

How can I clean it if I don't have a cleaning kit ?<br>

P.S. why do you think it doesn't show on the picture ?</p>

[podstawek]

<p>The light from the lens bounces from the mirror and goes to the viewfinder. Whatever happens on the mirror affects only how you see it, not how the camera's sensor sees it.</p>

<p>When pressing the shutter button, the mirror is lifted and only then lets the light from the lens to go to the sensor. Therefore, no dust or dirt visible on the mirror will make it to the sensor.</p>

<p>If you are bothered with the dust you see in the viewfinder <del>or on the mirror, clean it with a piece of cloth (one for cleaning glasses is good)</del>. <i>(Moderator note: direct contact cleaning of the mirror is not advisable for beginners. It is too easily damaged.)</i> But I would not worry about it.</p>

<p>The dust you should worry about is the one that makes it to the sensor. But even then, most of it can be removed in postprocessing easlily. Clean it only if there's really a lot of it.</p>

[armen_hovannisian]

<p>ok<br>

thanks</p>

[luis_g]

<p> Do not touch the mirror. Use something like a Rocket Blower to blow away the offending bit of dirt.</p>

[douglasely]

<p>I too will occasionally clean the mirror using a tissue, but be gentle and careful. Often my result is that I moved the dust from one location on the mirror to another. A blower is your best first option.</p>

<p>Enjoy your photography, D</p>

[mendel_leisk]

<p>Yes, keep in mind the dust you see is in the viewfinder path, and will not show up in images you capture. I would try to blow it out with a bulb blower, and if that doesn't work, leave it be. There are several fragile components in there: enthusiastic cleaning could damage.</p>

<p>I've had a fair amount of junk on my 5D viewfinder ever since I absent mindedly tried to put on an EF-s, dislodging the front element of the focus screen. I tried with a bulb blower, and even removed the front element of the focus screen and blew some more, to no avail.</p>

[jpo3136b]

<p>If the dirt looks like a black speck, it's probably on the focusing screen. If the dirt looks gray, particularly if it looks gray and fuzzy, then it may be on the lens, or elsewhere in the image path. The grayer the dirt looks in the viewfinder has to do with how diffuse of a shadow it casts. The darker it appears, then the closer it is to the focusing screen.</p>

<p>Keep an eye out for gray dirt and lint.</p>

[kurt_driver]

<p>Never touch the mirror, as you could move it out of alignment. If the mirror really needs cleaning, take it to a good shop. But, as Adam explained, the mirror isn't in the light's path to your film or sensor. Take your lens off someday and and watch as you fire the shutter, you'll see the mirror pop up. This is the <em>reflex</em> in SLR.</p>