07-27-2010, 06:29 PM
[quote name='Pinhole' timestamp='1280249785' post='1341']
A perennial subject!
I just read in another thread a suggestion to change lenses in a plastic bag. This is certainly sound and sensible advice, but I'm wondering what the real consequences are if you don't.
I've used a couple of DSLRs and never once cleaned the sensor except for the occasional blast with a rubber bellows. On my current 5D, I'm changing (most prime) lenses all the time, in all types of situations, and I haven't noticed any image degradation over the last year. Being more of a hands-on photographer, I don't have the time or patience to treat a camera like a museum exhibit - I just want to use the darned thing! <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='
' />
So the questions are: Does dust really inhibit image quality, or is it just visible to pixel-peepers? What are the long-term effects of dust, and will these problems realistically occur within the useful life of the camera?
[/quote]If you photograph a lot with small apertures, and have dust (enough to be visible), it will be a problem as you keep having to remove the dust spots in raw conversion or in other software like Photoshop as you will see it on many images. If you e.g. photograph lots of portraits and use big apertures, you might not notice a problem at all, ever.
I have a feel things tend to get more stuck over time though, so when you do notice it, try to remove it when you can to avoid it getting more stuck over time.
A perennial subject!
I just read in another thread a suggestion to change lenses in a plastic bag. This is certainly sound and sensible advice, but I'm wondering what the real consequences are if you don't.
I've used a couple of DSLRs and never once cleaned the sensor except for the occasional blast with a rubber bellows. On my current 5D, I'm changing (most prime) lenses all the time, in all types of situations, and I haven't noticed any image degradation over the last year. Being more of a hands-on photographer, I don't have the time or patience to treat a camera like a museum exhibit - I just want to use the darned thing! <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='
' /> So the questions are: Does dust really inhibit image quality, or is it just visible to pixel-peepers? What are the long-term effects of dust, and will these problems realistically occur within the useful life of the camera?
[/quote]If you photograph a lot with small apertures, and have dust (enough to be visible), it will be a problem as you keep having to remove the dust spots in raw conversion or in other software like Photoshop as you will see it on many images. If you e.g. photograph lots of portraits and use big apertures, you might not notice a problem at all, ever.
I have a feel things tend to get more stuck over time though, so when you do notice it, try to remove it when you can to avoid it getting more stuck over time.