Sony Sony and Sensor Dust

[L0n3Gr3yW0lf]

Despite the comedic effect, every time I leave the room where my camera is, I think my Sony a7 Mark IV sensor does this to me:

Last week I was shooting birds and I noticed nothing less than a d*£^ right in the middle of the viewfinder:

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And quite a few dust spots on the edges of the frame as well. I admit that I haven't cleaned the sensor in a couple of months BUT I have the shutter closed feature on the camera and always have the camera off when I change lenses and point downwards.

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It's very infuriating to shoot simple backgrounds with visible dust, and it's worse on my Tamron 150-500mm lens because of the f 6.7 aperture, it's VERY VISIBLE and when it breaks some kind of subject it can be difficult to close out.

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It took quite a lot of time and effort to edit them. To the point that I was considering switching systems so I don't have to deal with this problem anymore (it can be very difficult to live with OCD, and expensive). Yus, I know about Olympus, I was a huge fan and user of the system.

So 2 days ago I used my Sensor Cleaning Kit and had to use 2 swabs to clean the sensor but it was sparkly clean, tested it at f 16. NOW, I did not change lenses, I did not turn on the camera, I DID NOT MOVE THE DAMN THING until this morning, took it with me for a walk and this was the first picture I made with it:

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Top middle frame ... WITH THE SHUTTER CLOSED SINCE I CLEANED IT.

I love the output of 35mm FF, the dynamic range, the colours, the DOF even at f 2.8 (it's like having Micro Four Thirds prime quality but in the versatility of zoom) and I don't want to give it up but man this thing is really trying to divorce me.
The Sony sensors (I had similar issues with Sony a7C in the past) are like:

 

[CraigC]

My A7c and previous A7ii loved the dust too. I use a rocket blower whenever I get the change and they clone out any dust spots in phots of the sky and such. I don't stop down much past f8, so it's not quite as noticeable in many images.

btw, funny gifs.

 

[John King]

@L0n3Gr3yW0lf Ovi, I couldn't live with that!

I don't have OCD, but do have ADD and PDD, and all Olympus cameras.
I'm yet to have to clean a sensor, even on my 20 y.o. E-1. And, yes, I do occasionally test them with blue sky photos at f/16 or f/22.

Yes, I had a dust bunny once, but it was gone the next frame taken a minute or two later.

Some camera features are impossible to live without, for me.

BTW, the difference in DR between the Sony 7M4 and the E-M1 MkIII is non-existent at ISO 200 and above ...

Photographic Dynamic Range versus ISO Setting

And only 1.5 stops at minimum ISO for both bodies. Not really relevant IRL.

 

[rayvonn]

Despite the comedic effect, every time I leave the room where my camera is, I think my Sony a7 Mark IV sensor does this to me:
View attachment 372529

Last week I was shooting birds and I noticed nothing less than a d*£^ right in the middle of the viewfinder:
View attachment 372493
And quite a few dust spots on the edges of the frame as well. I admit that I haven't cleaned the sensor in a couple of months BUT I have the shutter closed feature on the camera and always have the camera off when I change lenses and point downwards.

View attachment 372499
It's very infuriating to shoot simple backgrounds with visible dust, and it's worse on my Tamron 150-500mm lens because of the f 6.7 aperture, it's VERY VISIBLE and when it breaks some kind of subject it can be difficult to close out.

View attachment 372506
It took quite a lot of time and effort to edit them. To the point that I was considering switching systems so I don't have to deal with this problem anymore (it can be very difficult to live with OCD, and expensive). Yus, I know about Olympus, I was a huge fan and user of the system.

So 2 days ago I used my Sensor Cleaning Kit and had to use 2 swabs to clean the sensor but it was sparkly clean, tested it at f 16. NOW, I did not change lenses, I did not turn on the camera, I DID NOT MOVE THE DAMN THING until this morning, took it with me for a walk and this was the first picture I made with it:
View attachment 372519
Top middle frame ... WITH THE SHUTTER CLOSED SINCE I CLEANED IT.

I love the output of 35mm FF, the dynamic range, the colours, the DOF even at f 2.8 (it's like having Micro Four Thirds prime quality but in the versatility of zoom) and I don't want to give it up but man this thing is really trying to divorce me.
The Sony sensors (I had similar issues with Sony a7C in the past) are like:
View attachment 372530

Don't give your Sony too much of a hard time will you, this happens with all modern mirrorless evf cameras. The in camera dust treatment and the good old blower (say, once a week?) are your friend.

 

[DM Larson]

I have only a few times had problems with dust on my Olympus and Fuji sensors at 24 or less mp. I have had a lot more trouble with my Nikon Z sensors and I have wondered if part of the problem is the higher pixel count. It may also have something to do with a larger sensor surface that could attract more dust. With my Z's I almost always use a blower on the sensor whenever I change a lens. I just recently set the sensor shield on my Z9 to activate whenever I turn off the camera and hope that helps.

 

[Giiba]

this happens with all modern mirrorless evf cameras

Not all , just most.

 

[MountainMan79]

I have only a few times had problems with dust on my Olympus and Fuji sensors at 24 or less mp. I have had a lot more trouble with my Nikon Z sensors and I have wondered if part of the problem is the higher pixel count. It may also have something to do with a larger sensor surface that could attract more dust. With my Z's I almost always use a blower on the sensor whenever I change a lens. I just recently set the sensor shield on my Z9 to activate whenever I turn off the camera and hope that helps.

Agree on the Nikon unfortunately. I always seemed to have something on the Z6ii sensor. Worse than any other mirrorless I’ve ever had. I had a Sony A7r3, albeit not for a super long time, but no issues with the sensor and dust.

 

[BruceRH]

Sensor dust is my biggest complaint concerning Sony as well, so you are not alone. I do gravitate to my Olympus bodies more frequently because I know I will not have to spend an inordinate amount of time cloning out dust spots. Ugh.

 

[bdbits]

Doesn't Nikon use Sony to make their sensors?

After all too many problems with dust, I use a rocket blower whenever I can when changing lenses outdoors, and often indoors, on my Sony A7R3. Making this a habit seems to have helped a lot, for me anyway. I agree with what others have said that it may have to do with larger sensors or pixel count.

@John King I realize the lenses/images are in APS-C mode as used in your chart, but just for reference, if actually using FF mode there is a more pronounced difference in DR. Of course IRL it still may not matter too much depending on what one shoots and in what light conditions, etc.
Photographic Dynamic Range versus ISO Setting

 

[John King]

Doesn't Nikon use Sony to make their sensors?

I think that Sony make most company's sensors these days.

After all too many problems with dust, I use a rocket blower whenever I can when changing lenses outdoors, and often indoors, on my Sony A7R3. Making this a habit seems to have helped a lot, for me anyway. I agree with what others have said that it may have to do with larger sensors or pixel count.

@John King I realize the lenses/images are in APS-C mode as used in your chart, but just for reference, if actually using FF mode there is a more pronounced difference in DR. Of course IRL it still may not matter too much depending on what one shoots and in what light conditions, etc.
Photographic Dynamic Range versus ISO Setting

Thank you for that correction. Tablets and fingers don't make for precision!

As for what difference it might make, printers and displays don't go over about 7.5 stops, so DR differences really make little difference to the output image IRL.

I suspect that many would benefit more from concentration on the basics of composition, focus and exposure.

 

[L0n3Gr3yW0lf]

I'll try to make it a habit to use the airblower every time I come back home but I tent not to have it with me (unless I travel with person but that's not going to happen any time soon).
Swapping lenses is necessary when I get surprised by different kind of birds and I need more or less focal length, it would be nice to have a 2nd body to put my Tamy 70-180mm f 2.8 on or Tamy 28-75mm f 2.8 G2 on the forest for wide shots.

I'm used to using Sensor Cleaning Kits by now, not cheap bu very effective. The sensor size might make a larger EM charge that attracts dust more then smaller sensors. The sensor shake doesn't seem to be effective at all and there's no option to have it automatically turn on when you power on or off the camera (like Olympus cameras do).
I don't mind shooting at f 2.8 or even f 1.8 most of the time where dust isn't an issue, but with my wildlife lens I don't have the option (or the spare organs to "better" option) unfortunately

 

[Iron]

The Sony sensors (I had similar issues with Sony a7C in the past) are like:

Sensor dust is my biggest complaint concerning Sony as well, so you are not alone. I do gravitate to my Olympus bodies more frequently because I know I will not have to spend an inordinate amount of time cloning out dust spots. Ugh.

This issue has been going on for quite a while now. It's the "protective" gel-like coating that is used on the sensor before the Bayer matrix. This is more prominent on the first and second generation A7 cameras. From the third gens on, the issue is much more reduced. Even camera technicians, if they are not familiar with the coating, can destroy it or distribute scratches around. I am not sure why the coat is there but they have a reason for placing such.

 

[The Electric Squirrel]

I've had a few dust spots on my Sony sensors, but nothing that wouldn't go away with a rocket blower. I also had a few instances of dust with my EOS 6D, and that thing had a mirror and a shutter covering it's sensor.

That being said, I've made it a habit only changing lenses with the exposed sensor facing down with Sony bodies. Something I didn't do with either of my Canons (6D & R).

Sony apparently doesn't do the ultrasonic sensor shaking thing that practically every other manufacturer is doing..?

 

[Biro]

Gee, all this makes me feel better about recently selling off all of my Sony gear. Dust wasn't the motivator - a desire to slim down my kit was. And it doesn't sound like dust has been the end of the world for anyone. But this is just one more thing that reinforces my decision. I've always had my doubts about the robustness of weather/dust sealing on Sony cameras. It appears there are still issues on the latest models.

 

[bdbits]

Dust isn't a problem for me (A7R3) unless I change lenses. If I start clean and leave a lens on for an extended period, I have no issues. I suppose extending zooms might be different, because they inherently exchange air when zooming. I am usually using primes myself.

As far as sensor shaking, there is a clean mode accessible through the menus that feels like it shakes things up pretty hard inside my A7R3. I don't know if that is the same thing. I am not sure which body they started with, but they borrowed the idea from another maker to close the shutter curtain to protect the sensor from dust when there is no lens. I do wish they would push some of these simple things back to older cameras, I need to win a lottery to buy a new body.

 

[The Electric Squirrel]

As far as sensor shaking, there is a clean mode accessible through the menus that feels like it shakes things up pretty hard inside my A7R3. I don't know if that is the same thing. I am not sure which body they started with, but they borrowed the idea from another maker to close the shutter curtain to protect the sensor from dust when there is no lens. I do wish they would push some of these simple things back to older cameras, I need to win a lottery to buy a new body.

Canon cameras do a cleaning cycle every time you turn them off. And if I remember correctly, my Panny GX80 also did this. And both Fujis I had. AFAIK this works by shaking the glass in front of the sensor with a small ultrasonic driver, not shaking the whole thing violently around.

Despite this, the worst dust bunnies I've had were on the sensor of my EOS 6D. And that thing had a shutter AND a mirror to keep random squirrels from flying on the sensor. I've only had smaller specks of dust on my Sony sensors. Still, it would be nice if Sony trickled down the option to shut the shutter when changing lenses from the newer models. I don't remember seeing any dust on my EOS R sensor.

FWIW since I took the habit of holding the camera face down during lens swapping I don't remember getting a dust speck on my images.

 

[John King]

Canon cameras do a cleaning cycle every time you turn them off.

That's part of the problem, ES. Olympus cameras do this when you switch them on ... Not after you have taken a raft of photos with dust bunnies.

Every manufacturer seems to want to reinvent a system that has always worked almost perfectly since day one (2003), yet here we are still talking about dust on sensors in 2023!

Other makers should have just paid for the right to use the Olympus patent from the beginning. If they had, maybe Olympus would still be in business, and they would all have decent dust busters ...

 

[bdbits]

FWIW since I took the habit of holding the camera face down during lens swapping I don't remember getting a dust speck on my images.

This is a good point. Even if using a rocket blower on the sensor but during any swap, you should point it face down. Otherwise you just stir up any dust or debris and it will settle right back down on the sensor. It definitely makes a difference.

 

[John King]

This is a good point. Even if using a rocket blower on the sensor but during any swap, you should point it face down. Otherwise you just stir up any dust or debris and it will settle right back down on the sensor. It definitely makes a difference.

While that's probably good advice, I personally couldn't stand having to do that at every lens change!

I've even changed lenses at the beach with the wind blowing. No special precautions, just turn my back to the wind, change lenses, keep shooting. No dust bunnies ...

 

[BruceRH]

While that's probably good advice, I personally couldn't stand having to do that at every lens change!

I've even changed lenses at the beach with the wind blowing. No special precautions, just turn my back to the wind, change lenses, keep shooting. No dust bunnies ...

Yeah, Olympus spoils us in this regard