# weird smudge in pictures nikon d40 *pics*



## tron (Jan 2, 2009)

so someone i know just bought a nikon d40 a while ago and shes noticing a weird black streak in the same spot in her pictures now.  

i guess she took some pictures with it (she says at least 300), then left it off for a couple days because she wasnt home.  then when she got back she began noticing this weird smudge in all of her pictures.

she tried switching lenses to see if it was an optical fault but its there using both lenses.

she heard from a friend that it might be sensor burn?  but since its such a new camera i highly doubt its a fried sensor or anything like that.  im pretty sure its dust on the sensor or on the mirror, however she has inspected the mirror already and hasnt found anything on it

what could it be?  we just decided to post it on here for s second opinion.

heres some pics.  its the smudge in the upper right of the pic


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## Mgw189 (Jan 2, 2009)

looks like dust on the sensor or dirt on the lens....


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## tron (Jan 2, 2009)

Mgw189 said:


> looks like dust on the sensor or dirt on the lens....



cant be dirt on the lens because like i said above, she changed the lens and its still there in the exact same spot

but yeah i agree that it might be dust on the sensor.  just looking for other peoples opinion, thanks for the post :thumbup:


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## Ls3D (Jan 2, 2009)

So lock up the mirror and have a look!

-Shea


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## AlexColeman (Jan 2, 2009)

It is a hair on the sensor, shoot at the maximum aperture, then bump up contrast in photoshop. See.....


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## tr0gd0o0r (Jan 2, 2009)

yeah, that's something nasty on the sensor.  

I'd say either: lock up the sensor and have a look (as mentioned), though this scares me personally or if she bought it at a real-life store, go in the store and make them look at it (since its so new, this shouldn't be a problem)


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## feRRari4756 (Jan 2, 2009)

its definatley dirt on the sensor. not a big problem at all, no need to go into a store. 

lock up the mirrors and get a blower thing (not compressed air or co2) and just blow it off.


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## Mgw189 (Jan 2, 2009)

feRRari4756 said:


> its definatley dirt on the sensor. not a big problem at all, no need to go into a store.
> 
> lock up the mirrors and get a blower thing (not compressed air or co2) and just blow it off.




The look like an ear dropper bulb basically...


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## MiaS13 (Jan 3, 2009)

yea i had the same problem. just fully charge the battery and lock up the mirror, i just blew on it really hard and it went goodbye.


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## tron (Jan 4, 2009)

she was a little apprehensive about cleaning the sensor since she just got it (almost used the lens cleaning kit to clean it before i notified her) but she locked up the mirror and blew out the piece of string   problem solved!


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## Mgw189 (Jan 4, 2009)

Good to hear and yeah bad idea to use the lens kit on the sensor:blackeye:


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## Samanax (Jan 4, 2009)

tron said:


> she was a little apprehensive about cleaning the sensor since she just got it (almost used the lens cleaning kit to clean it before i notified her) but she locked up the mirror and blew out the piece of string   problem solved!


It was a piece of string? Wow, how'd that get in there? 

Yeah, bad idea to use a lens cleaner kit on the sensor...good thing she didn't.


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## akmia5555 (Feb 24, 2009)

Help!!

I have exactly the same problem with my Nikon D40. I have had it less than a month and now I am getting a weird smudge on the right hand side of every photo.

I took the lens off but cant see anything.

I don't know what you mean by locking up the mirror. how do you do this?

Thanks,


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## Samanax (Feb 24, 2009)

akmia5555 said:


> I took the lens off but cant see anything.


You won't see the sensor until you get the mirror out of the way.





akmia5555 said:


> I don't know what you mean by locking up the mirror. how do you do this?


Instructions are on page 86 & 105 of the user's manual. 

When you get the mirror locked up, don't touch anything in there with your fingers or you'll leave your body oils on the surfaces. Also make sure the battery is fully charged before you attempt this.

Sensor Cleaning

Sensor Dust

Cleaning DSLR Sensors - Part 1

Cleaning DSLR Sensors - Part 2

The Copper Hill Method


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## akmia5555 (Feb 25, 2009)

Thank you this has worked.

There was a big bit of dust in there, I used a conventional turkey baster to blow it away.


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## mercury52 (Oct 12, 2009)

I wasn't sure what to do after spotting this smudge on the right side of all my pictures.  I tried cleaning the lens but that didn't help.  After I googled the problem and came up with this forum post I tried it and IT WORKED.

Thanks to all in this post that gave answer of locking the mirror and blowing dust particles from it.  When I locked the mirror I could actually see the dust particle.  I used a small ear plunger bulb to blow air into the area and it got rid of the dust.

I'm good to go....


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