Canon 6D Viewfinder Junk Accumulation

[ajperk]

Hello everyone,

I purchased a Canon 6D back in June and have been loving it! It's my first foray into full frame. Anyway, I've noticed that my viewfinder has really accumulated a lot of specs and dust. I never had this on the rebels I've owned before, and I change lenses less with this camera than I did with those (fewer lenses and I find the 24-105 works really well for my needs). The specs don't show up in any photos, just in the viewfinder. I'm not concerned about them, persay, but I was just curious if any one else who owns a 6D has noticed this or if it's unique to mine.

Thanks all!

 

[Loswr]

Dust on the focus screen is common, and FF bodies seem to get more of it (applies to sensor dust, too - my 1D X and 5DII need/needed cleaning frequently, I had the 7D longer and never needed to clean the sensor.

A couple of blows with a rocket blower, open mount facing down, usually gets rid of the focus screen debris that you see through the VF.

 

[J.R.]

Dust on the focus screen is common, and FF bodies seem to get more of it (applies to sensor dust, too - my 1D X and 5DII need/needed cleaning frequently, I had the 7D longer and never needed to clean the sensor.

I pretty much experienced the same thing but is there any particular reason for the different levels of dust collection between the FF and the APS-C

 

[mrsfotografie]

I recently discovered a piece of dust sitting in the viewfinder of my 7D behind the optical lens. Ie not on the focusing screen but right up against the viewing port. It surprised me that it got in there somehow. Note that I'm extremely careful with regards to dust getting in the camera so this isn't a result of careless lens changes.

 

[Lichtgestalt]

dirt on the viewfinder really?

well i have seen it since my first SLR the AE-1... it´s nothing new.

 

[ajperk]

Thank you all for the replies. Sounds like it's pretty run of the mill, which I suspected. If I did begin noticing dirt and junk in my pictures, any recommendations on cleaning kits? Or do most people send it their cameras away for cleaning?

 

[Trovador]

It's very easy to clean... you just need an air blower, take off the lens and point the blower upwards in the camera towards the focusing screen, a couple blows and it should be good to go.

 

[fugu82]

When you see crud in your pictures, the stuff is either on the lens or, most likely, sensor.

Cleaning the sensor starts with putting the camera in "manual cleaning" mode with a fresh battery, which locks up the mirror, and carefully blowing air at the exposed sensor with a bulb blower. Anything after that could void your warranty under Canon's policies. ["After that" includes a dry cleaning with a sensor brush or pad, then a wet cleaning with methanol dampened wipes].

For a camera under warranty most folks would send it in to Canon if the air blower cleaning was unsuccessful. That said, sensor cleaning, when done following the guidelines recommended by manufacturers such as Dust-Aid, VisibleDust, and Photographic Solutions, is pretty straightforward stuff.

 

[dgatwood]

I pretty much experienced the same thing but is there any particular reason for the different levels of dust collection between the FF and the APS-C

Bigger viewfinder means that there's less laminar flow and more turbulent flow when air blows across it. That would be my guess, anyway. The more air that touches the viewfinder, the more dirt you'd expect.

 

[duydaniel]

Do not touch the focus screen
This gets scratch very easily!!!

 

[mrsfotografie]

Do not touch the focus screen
This gets scratch very easily!!!

Fortunately on some camera's it's easily replaced (although it takes some balls to do it on a new camera though; I was rather nervous changing the focus screen to EF-S on my (then) brand-new 5D MkII. After installing it I found a speck of dus had gotten behind the screen so I had to take it out again, blow it clean and reinstall it. Scary stuff but I enjoy the results! I do have some dust in there by now again but not behind the screen. I'm leaving it as long as it does not get too bad or until the sensor shows dust.