If you have a digital camera like a DSLR you might one day be taking photos and notice that there are black spots that show up in every picture.
If you’re new to taking photos with a camera like a DSLR or mirrorless camera you might just put it down to a bad camera – but this is unlikely.
Whether you are using a Nikon, Canon, Sony or any other branded camera out there, this is something that can affect you and it is easy to spot what it is…
Here’s a quick summary:
- The two likely reasons for black or dark spots on your photos are:
- Dust or dirt on the lens
- Dust or dirt on the camera sensor
- To get rid of the black spots on your camera lens or sensor use a camera cleaning kit.
- If the black spot moves around from time to time, it’s more likely to be on the lens.
- If the black spot doesn’t move around, it’s more likely to be on the sensor.
- To make it easier to notice where the black spot is:
- Use a narrower aperture like f/22
- Take a picture of something plain like a clear sky or plain colored wall
Table of Contents
Why Is There A Black Spot On My Camera’s Images?
There are 2 reasons that you could see these black spots on your images:
- Dust or dirt on the lens
- Dust or dirt on the sensor
The quickest solution is to give your camera lens/sensor a clean using a camera cleaning kit.
Dust on the lens would be easier to spot. A tell tale sign of dust on the lens is if the black spots you see in images tend to change position (the dust can move around on the lens’ surface).
On the other hand, if the dust spots stay in the same position in the image and you can’t see any on the lens it is most likely dust on the sensor.
When you take a photo, if the dust is in the way of the light coming through the lens then the dust particle will cast a shadow on the sensor.
This will show up as the dark spots that you’re seeing in your pictures.
How Do I Get Rid Of Black Spots On My Camera?
To get rid of the black spots you need to get rid of the dust that is on your lens or sensor.
If it is on your lens you can clean the lens using a lens cleaning kit and if you don’t already, you should make sure you always have one as part of your kit.
Here’s how you can use a lens cleaning kit to clean lenses:
If it is on your sensor, then it can be a bit more tricky, but the first thing you can try is to use the image sensor cleaning feature on your camera if that is available on your model.
This is a built-in cleaning function for your camera and you should find clear instructions in your user manual.
Alternatively you can enter your model into Google along with “image sensor cleaning” and you should find what you are looking for.
Here’s how to clean the sensor with a cleaning kit:
Just be careful if you decide to try to clean the sensor yourself.
If you do it wrong you can cause permanent damage to your camera.
If you want to be safe you can take it to your nearest camera store where you can get it professionally cleaned.
How Do I Check For Dust In My Camera?
To be sure that your camera is free of any dust once it has been cleaned, you can test to see if you still see the black spots in pictures.
Keep in mind that the black spots are easier to notice in pictures where there tends to be a big portion of the same colour or when you use a narrow aperture.
So to make it easy to notice do the following:
- Try to take a picture of either the sky or a plain lightly coloured wall
- Make sure you use a narrow aperture like f22
Why Can I Only See The Black Specs At Small Apertures Like f/22 ?
When you first notice any black spots you might realise that you don’t always see them but they’re more noticeable at smaller apertures like f/22.
This is because at smaller apertures the opening is more narrow so light is more focused and the focused light can cast a shadow of the dust spec on the sensor.
When apertures are much larger (like at f/1.8) light comes in from wider angles and is less focused so a shadow is less likely to be cast onto the sensor.
Avoiding Dust Getting In Your Lens Or Sensor
Ok, now you know how to clean the dust off your camera lens or sensor, how do you stop it from happeneing again?
Try to do the following to reduce the chance of getting dust in your camera:
- Store your lens with the lens cap on whenever it’s not in use.
- Don’t change lenses in dusty windy environment
- When changing lenses point your camera down (so the sensor is facing the ground).
- Regularly give your camera equipment a clean with the camera cleaning kit
You can also read this post on how to store your camera equipment at home for extra tips to keep your equipment safe.
The Scary Answer – FUNGUS!
Ok so most of the time these black spots will be dust or dirt, but on the odd occasion it could be caused by fungus that has grown on the lens.
This is caused by moisture which mainly occurs in humid environments.
Sometimes moisture gets in when dirt or dust gets into the lens.
This is why it’s important to clean out dust as soon as you notice it, because some of the dust or dirt could be holding some moisture.
Clean it out with your camera cleaning kit before it develops into mold.
If mold has developed then it’s a bit harder to clean. I recommend sending your camera in to a camera store or service center to see if it can be cleaned professionally.
I hope you found this useful and I hope you don’t have mold!
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