Pentax Ist

Pentax ist-D Camera problem?

My images have “spots” in the same area on each frame, despite changing lenses. What’s wrong and what can I do myself to repair it?

Hi SQ+2,

Are the spots dark, or bright?

Bright spots are probably stuck pixels. If the camera is still under warranty you could try sending it in to have the sensor replaced, but otherwise it’s best to fix them in post-processing software (spot-cleaner tool, spec-cleaner tool, etc). Stuck pixels usually show up more in high ISO and long-exposure shots.

Dark spots are probably dust on the sensor. Dust spots appear smaller and more focused when the aperture is smaller (like f/22), and larger and less focused (sometimes fading to near invisibility) when the aperture is larger (like f/3.5).

There are various ways of dealing with sensor dust:

First, you can fix most sensor dust in post-processing software (spot-cleaner tool, spec-cleaner tool, etc). But there are also many ways of cleaning the dust off of the sensor:

Some people get it professionally cleaned. That can get expensive, and sometimes with disappointing results.

Many people recommend getting a big bulb blower and blowing the dust out, while holding the lens opening face down. I haven’t had much luck with that method. It only helps with loosest dust, and much dust is sticky. Sticky dust doesn’t respond to blowing. Also, the smallest dust isn’t much affected by gravity, so even if you’re holding the lens opening face down while blowing upwards, the smallest dust is just swirling around in the chamber, ready to attach to the sensor the next time the camera is turned on in normal mode, which gives the sensor an electrostatic charge that attracts dust.

Some people recommend blowing it with compressed air, while others warn that compressed air is too much force and could damage the sensor or other parts, and also that it would force dust into other inner areas of the camera where it could do other damage. I’ve never tried compressed air.

The only way to thoroughly clean off all dust spots is to do a wet cleaning. Everything you need to know about wet cleaning is here:

http://www.copperhillimages.com

Wet cleaning is great for getting the sensor really clean, but due to the time it takes and the need to do it without small children around grabbing everything, I don’t do it as often as I’d like.

Another solution that is very quick, but does a much better job for me than a bulb blower, is the “Arctic Butterfly” sensor brush by VisibleDust:

http://www.visibledust.com

It’s very quick, so I use it often. It doesn’t clean off the most stuck dust, but it does get most of it. It works much better for me than a bulb blower.

So, my recommendation is to read about wet cleanings at the Copper Hill website, and do wet cleanings occasionally, but also get a VisbileDust Arctic Butterfly for frequent cleanings between wet cleanings.

Regardless of how you clean the sensor, you’ll need to put the camera into sensor-cleaning mode to do it. Press the Menu button, then scroll down to Sensor Cleaning, then choose Mirror Up. When you’re done cleaning, turn the camera off and back on to go into normal mode.

Good luck!

Greg

Pentax IST Demo

Pentax *ist DS Battery $12.56 Pentax *ist DS Battery. This is a 3 Volt, Lithium Battery . Dimensions: 1.10 x 2.00 x 0.50. 100% OEM compatible.

OC-C10 Original Case for Pentax *ist Digital $79.99 OC-C10 Original Case for Pentax *ist Digital

Cable Switch 205 for *ist D/DS, *ist 35mm & ZX-L, K-x Camera – 3.5′ $34.95 Pentax 37248 Cable Switch 205 for *ist D/DS, *ist 35mm & ZX-L, K-x Camera – 3.5′

85mm f/1.4 Aspherical Lens for Pentax K20D K10D K200D K110D K100D *ist DL Ds Digital SLR Cameras $269 The Rokinon 85mm f/1.4 Manual Focus Lens is an ultra-bright lens with a maximum aperture of f/1.4. Although you can only use this lens in manual focus mode, it is fully compatible with the automated features available with digital SLR cameras. It is compa

Pentax K20D (Screen) $14.99 Pentax K20D (Screen)

Pentax K200d Screen $14.99 Pentax K200d Screen

Pentax Optio A30 (Screen) $14.99 Pentax Optio A30 (Screen)

Pentax Optio M30 (Screen) $14.99 Pentax Optio M30 (Screen)

Pentax Optio S40 (Screen) $9.99 Pentax Optio S40 (Screen)

Pentax Optio S4I (Screen) $9.99 Pentax Optio S4I (Screen)

Pentax Optio W30 (Screen) $14.99 Pentax Optio W30 (Screen)

Pentax Optio W60 (Screen) $14.99 Pentax Optio W60 (Screen)

Pentax Optio W80 (Screen) $14.99 Pentax Optio W80 (Screen)

Pentax AF-540FGZ (Screen) $9.99 Pentax AF-540FGZ (Screen)

Pentax istDS (Top and Back) $14.99 Pentax istDS (Top and Back)

Pentax K100D (Screen) $14.99 Pentax K100D (Screen)

Pentax K10D (Screen) $14.99 Pentax K10D (Screen)

Pentax Optio W80 (Full Body) $24.99 Pentax Optio W80 (Full Body)

Pentax Optio W60 EN-EL11 Battery $7.99 Pentax Optio W60 EN-EL11 Battery

Pentax Optio W80 EN-EL11 Battery $7.99 Pentax Optio W80 EN-EL11 Battery

Pentax MZ-60 Battery $5.36 Pentax MZ-60 Battery. This is a 3 Volt, Lithium Battery . Dimensions: 1.05 x 0.60 x 0.60. 100% OEM compatible.

Pentax MZ-7 Battery $5.36 Pentax MZ-7 Battery. This is a 3 Volt, Lithium Battery . Dimensions: 1.05 x 0.60 x 0.60. 100% OEM compatible.

Pentax MZ-5 Battery $5.36 Pentax MZ-5 Battery. This is a 3 Volt, Lithium Battery . Dimensions: 1.05 x 0.60 x 0.60. 100% OEM compatible.

Pentax MZ-30 Battery $5.36 Pentax MZ-30 Battery. This is a 3 Volt, Lithium Battery . Dimensions: 1.05 x 0.60 x 0.60. 100% OEM compatible.

Pentax MZ-3 Battery $5.36 Pentax MZ-3 Battery. This is a 3 Volt, Lithium Battery . Dimensions: 1.05 x 0.60 x 0.60. 100% OEM compatible.

Pentax MZ-10 Battery $5.36 Pentax MZ-10 Battery. This is a 3 Volt, Lithium Battery . Dimensions: 1.05 x 0.60 x 0.60. 100% OEM compatible.

Pentax MX-5 Battery $5.36 Pentax MX-5 Battery. This is a 3 Volt, Lithium Battery . Dimensions: 1.05 x 0.60 x 0.60. 100% OEM compatible.

Pentax MESE Battery $2.66 Pentax MESE Battery. This is a 1.5 Volt, Battery . Dimensions: 0.00 x 0.00 x 0.21. 100% OEM compatible.

Pentax EZY Battery $5.36 Pentax EZY Battery. This is a 3 Volt, Lithium Battery . Dimensions: 1.34 x 1.34 x 0.65. 100% OEM compatible.

Pentax Espio Battery $5.36 Pentax Espio Battery. This is a 3 Volt, Lithium Battery . Dimensions: 1.05 x 0.60 x 0.60. 100% OEM compatible.

Pentax 1LX Battery $5.36 Pentax 1LX Battery. This is a 3 Volt, Lithium Battery . Dimensions: 1.05 x 0.60 x 0.60. 100% OEM compatible.

Pentax 115M Battery $5.36 Pentax 115M Battery. This is a 3 Volt, Lithium Battery . Dimensions: 1.05 x 0.60 x 0.60. 100% OEM compatible.

Pentax X90 Battery $15.26 Pentax X90 Battery. This is a 3.7 Volt, 1000 mAh, Li-Ion Battery 100% OEM compatible.

Pentax UC-1 Battery $5.36 Pentax UC-1 Battery. This is a 3 Volt, Lithium Battery . Dimensions: 1.34 x 1.34 x 0.65. 100% OEM compatible.

Pentax SE Battery $2.66 Pentax SE Battery. This is a 1.5 Volt, Battery . Dimensions: 0.00 x 0.00 x 0.21. 100% OEM compatible.

Pentax PC-700 Battery $5.36 Pentax PC-700 Battery. This is a 3 Volt, Lithium Battery . Dimensions: 1.34 x 1.34 x 0.65. 100% OEM compatible.

Pentax PC-606W Battery $5.36 Pentax PC-606W Battery. This is a 3 Volt, Lithium Battery . Dimensions: 1.34 x 1.34 x 0.65. 100% OEM compatible.

Pentax PC-30T Battery $2.66 Pentax PC-30T Battery. This is a 1.5 Volt, Battery . Dimensions: 0.00 x 0.00 x 0.21. 100% OEM compatible.

Pentax P5 Battery $2.66 Pentax P5 Battery. This is a 1.5 Volt, Battery . Dimensions: 0.00 x 0.00 x 0.21. 100% OEM compatible.

Pentax P3 Programmed Battery $2.66 Pentax P3 Programmed Battery. This is a 1.5 Volt, Battery . Dimensions: 0.00 x 0.00 x 0.21. 100% OEM compatible.

Pentax ZX-7 Battery $5.36 Pentax ZX-7 Battery. This is a 3 Volt, Lithium Battery . Dimensions: 1.05 x 0.60 x 0.60. 100% OEM compatible.

Pentax ZX-60 Battery $5.36 Pentax ZX-60 Battery. This is a 3 Volt, Lithium Battery . Dimensions: 1.05 x 0.60 x 0.60. 100% OEM compatible.

Pentax ZX-5N Battery $5.36 Pentax ZX-5N Battery. This is a 3 Volt, Lithium Battery . Dimensions: 1.05 x 0.60 x 0.60. 100% OEM compatible.

Pentax ZX-50 Battery $5.36 Pentax ZX-50 Battery. This is a 3 Volt, Lithium Battery . Dimensions: 1.05 x 0.60 x 0.60. 100% OEM compatible.

Pentax ZX-5 Battery $5.36 Pentax ZX-5 Battery. This is a 3 Volt, Lithium Battery . Dimensions: 1.05 x 0.60 x 0.60. 100% OEM compatible.

Pentax ZX-30 Battery $5.36 Pentax ZX-30 Battery. This is a 3 Volt, Lithium Battery . Dimensions: 1.05 x 0.60 x 0.60. 100% OEM compatible.

Pentax ES11 Battery $2.66 Pentax ES11 Battery. This is a 1.5 Volt, Battery . Dimensions: 0.00 x 0.00 x 0.21. 100% OEM compatible.

Pentax ES II Battery $2.66 Pentax ES II Battery. This is a 1.5 Volt, Battery . Dimensions: 0.00 x 0.00 x 0.21. 100% OEM compatible.

Pentax EI-C90 Battery $5.36 Pentax EI-C90 Battery. This is a 3 Volt, Lithium Battery . Dimensions: 1.05 x 0.60 x 0.60. 100% OEM compatible.

Pentax Efina Battery $5.36 Pentax Efina Battery. This is a 3 Volt, Lithium Battery . Dimensions: 1.05 x 0.60 x 0.60. 100% OEM compatible.