EOS Rebel T7 Spots on sensor

[smld6]

Has anyone had problems with oil spots from the mirror actuation mechanism?  I am not very tech savvy (this is a school camera--2 years old) and I have had two knowledgeable photographers look at it and this is what they are saying the spots are from.  This is a Canon EOS Rebel T7.

[SamanthaW]

Hi!

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[BurnUnit · Accepted solution]

Are the spots on the mirror itself, or on the sensor?

[smld6]

I was told by the person that looked at it that the spots are on the sensor.

[kvbarkley]

That was a Nikon problem, not a Canon problem.

In any case, you can get dust on the sensor on any camera.

Check your manual to see if you can add "dust delete data", you can use that procedure in regular mode to take images of the dust.

[FloridaDrafter]

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@smld6 wrote:

Has anyone had problems with oil spots from the mirror actuation mechanism?  I am not very tech savvy (this is a school camera--2 years old) and I have had two knowledgeable photographers look at it and this is what they are saying the spots are from.  This is a Canon EOS Rebel T7.

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The only Canon camera I have ever had (I have a lot of cameras) where camera lube grease/oil got on my sensor was a 7D mark II. I'm not sure why or where it came from, maybe there was too much applied during manufacture. Anyway, it was there and easily seen with a sensor loop. I had to use a sensor swab with cleaning solution to get it off. I first tried a dry swab, but as soon as I saw it smear, I added some sensor cleaning solution. I clean my own gear, but have been doing it a long time and, admittedly, you need a steady hand.

Newton

[Tronhard]

If the spots are on the recorded image, they are on the sensor, if only when looking through the viewfinder they are on the mirror. 

The first requires careful cleaning - you don't want to damage the sensor.  If it is on the sensor, try using the sensor access feature that flips the mirror up - it's in the manual - hold the camera so the mirror box faces the ground - so dust falls out not in, and use a good blower to see if you can dislodge the offending material.  You could otherwise try carefully using a blower brush for more stubborn dust.  If that does not work, the sensor should be professionally cleaned - some folks try to do it themselves and ruin their sensor - so that's a high risk DIY option.

If it is on the mirror, again hold the camera so the mirror box faces the ground and use the same procedure with blower and brush.  In this case you can try an optical wipe to clean the mirror surface - don't press hard, you can dislodge the mirror.  If that does not work, then look to the bottom of the pentaprism to see if there is dust then and repeat the process there.