dust 'chunk' in new 5dII - Help!?

[CowGummy]

Hi guys,

Right, so I finally got my dream camera - a 5dII, which I picked up from Jessops (UK) last week (29th Dec 2011) as the kit with the 24-105L. It's an amazing camera and I'm very happy with my purchase. I didn't have much chance to test it properly until today, where i took it on it's first outing for some landscape work. While pointing at the sky I noticed a large bit of dust (very visible as a black spot) in the viewfinder. I thought 'rats' but oh well, easily fixed no doubt. Got home and had a good ol go at the mirror and AF screen with the rocket blower, but wasn't going away. I've just inspected both mirror and af screen under good light and there is nothing to be seen - so I've concluded that I've got a dust 'chunk' (it's the size of a small bit of pepper...) trapped inbetween the af screen and the viewfinder.
Naturally it doesn't show up on images, and AF performance is not compromised, but it's bloody annoying and distracting when looking through the viewfinder!

What should I do? Take it back to Jessops (the retailer)? Can I get in there myself to clean it off? (I'd rather not risk it...) Send it off to Canon?

I've only had the camera for 10 days, and this never happened in my old 400d even after 5 years of extensive use - or am i just being pedantic? Do other 5dII owners have chunks in their viewfinders and simply live with it?

Aargh! ... and thanks in advance.

 

[RonQ]

Hi guys,

Right, so I finally got my dream camera - a 5dII, which I picked up from Jessops (UK) last week (29th Dec 2011) as the kit with the 24-105L. It's an amazing camera and I'm very happy with my purchase. I didn't have much chance to test it properly until today, where i took it on it's first outing for some landscape work. While pointing at the sky I noticed a large bit of dust (very visible as a black spot) in the viewfinder. I thought 'rats' but oh well, easily fixed no doubt. Got home and had a good ol go at the mirror and AF screen with the rocket blower, but wasn't going away. I've just inspected both mirror and af screen under good light and there is nothing to be seen - so I've concluded that I've got a dust 'chunk' (it's the size of a small bit of pepper...) trapped inbetween the af screen and the viewfinder.
Naturally it doesn't show up on images, and AF performance is not compromised, but it's bloody annoying and distracting when looking through the viewfinder!

What should I do? Take it back to Jessops (the retailer)? Can I get in there myself to clean it off? (I'd rather not risk it...) Send it off to Canon?

I've only had the camera for 10 days, and this never happened in my old 400d even after 5 years of extensive use - or am i just being pedantic? Do other 5dII owners have chunks in their viewfinders and simply live with it?

Aargh! ... and thanks in advance.

Congrats on the camera, I just picked mine up too, can't wait to shoot. The same issue happened to me with my T2i just 1 week ago, Lucky for me the Canon Factory Service Center is 1 block away from my work. Took it in and they told me that it was on the mirror and to not attempt any cleaning at home..... I would take it to your closest service center first....

 

[CowGummy]

Hi RonQ,

Thanks for your reply - good idea, and thanks to you I just had a look on Canon.co.uk and there seems to be a repair centre about 60 miles away from me, so if all else fails I'll give them a call for sure.

Has anyone here ever taken a body back to a Jessops store (UK customers) within 10 days for a comparably 'minute' problem like this? My ideal scenario would be being able to give them a call tomorrow (Sunday) and them saying 'No problem sir, just bring it back in and we'll exchange it for another model'... Is this wishful thinking or do you think I could get that with a bit of push'n'shove? It's not like it's a P&S right??

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

Its pretty common to get dust in a 5D MK II above the focus screen. You can remove the focus screen and possibly blow it out and down into the mirror box where it can get on the sensor. The focus screen is easily removable, but use the proper tool to hold it, and never touch it, or it will get oily fingerprints which virtually cannot be removed.

Its better to ignore the dust, but I know thats difficult to do.

 

[Picsfor]

I believe Jessops are supposed to do a swap, because it is a puzzle as to how a bit of dust got in there from production, in what i thought was a sterile environment!

That said, i've had the focus screen swapped off mine, and have the proper tool for removing and replacing. Park Cameras are great at swapping AF screens, but i'm not so sure that many Jessop's stores will have people trained up for it. Though saying that, the guy at Horsham done mine - i always swap out to using the gridded AF screen - just how i prefer it.

Give them a call and play it by ear - they may offer to clean it for you...

 

[bycostello]

if it is new, straight back to the retailer.... you paid a lot for it so it should be right...

 

[briansquibb]

if it is new, straight back to the retailer.... you paid a lot for it so it should be right...

+1 Protected by law - they have to replace it if it is faulty on purchase

 

[CowGummy]

Its pretty common to get dust in a 5D MK II above the focus screen. You can remove the focus screen and possibly blow it out and down into the mirror box where it can get on the sensor. The focus screen is easily removable, but use the proper tool to hold it, and never touch it, or it will get oily fingerprints which virtually cannot be removed.

Its better to ignore the dust, but I know thats difficult to do.

Yeah, after a little a bit of research I found various articles alluding to the fact that the 5DII does seem to be prone to catch dust. There's a thread on this forum that states the same. And you know, if this had happened after 6-12 months of heavy use, I would probably feel less precious about it, but as it's new, I want to keep it as perfect as possible.

Thanks for your thoughts and feedback!

 

[CowGummy]

if it is new, straight back to the retailer.... you paid a lot for it so it should be right...

+1 Protected by law - they have to replace it if it is faulty on purchase

Thanks guys! Yeah, I'm going to take your advice and give the retailer a call tomorrow and take it from there. The only bummer is that they're about 30 miles away from me and I really don't fancy letting go of my new baby for repairs/service, so hopefully they will offer me a straight swap on the phone.

PS: I love this forum. You guys really know what you're talking about and I sure do appreciate people taking the time to answer these questions in such a professional manner. Makes a welcome change to some of the trolling on flickr and dpreview... )

 

[CowGummy]

Quick update to this:

I rang the retailer (Jessops in Swindon, UK) yesterday morning (Sunday) and they couldn't have been more understanding. They acknowledged my issue as genuine concern, checked and confirmed stock of another 5Dii body and told me to pop in to exchange it that afternoon, which is what I did.

I couldn't be happier - both with my now 'chunk free' body and the service and staff at Jessops in Swindon. I was being looked after by 2 members of staff while I was there, and encouraged to check the new body thoroughly then and there. Hats off.

Just thought I'd share in case people felt unsure about buying this sort of camera from a high street chain in the UK.