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There is also a brown/black fluffy spot in the viewfinder at about 4pm? Is this the dreaded dust on CCD? I have only used the kit lens on the camera so far? Could it happen this early?

Thanks for the help in advance.

Original question - now already answered - I noticed in the last few days that when I turn on the camera I am getting a vertical line that runs from the inner edge of the left hand centre guide straight down to the bottom of the viewfinder in a vertical line. It is like a grid line but it is not in the normal grid line position. When I turn the camera off it goes away. This is with the kit lens. I did not notice it straight away (have had the camera about 3 weeks).

It doesn't seem to be on the photos but was wondering if anyone else has had this?

Well - after doing a search on the web I have noticed many reports of the vertical line and and it is normal.

So, one question down, one to go PS - I have edited original question

Georgie

It may only be dust - without seeing the photo it is hard to tell.

I change lenses frequently and get a bit of dust etc. which I clean off with a hand held blower (no brushes to touch the Filter). This generally fixes the problem. I have not yet needed to clean the filter with Eclipse etc. but I regularly check it by looking (mirror up); or by taking photo of a white wall wioth natural lightening using bulb setting, leaving the exposure open for about 15 seconds and check the image on the PC which shows up dust bunnies if they are there.

Learn this couple of techniques and you will be able to keep your filter clean. There ar a number of threads in this forum which cover the issue of cleaning filters either way.

Regards, Steve

If you have a dust/spot on the viewfinder it won't be on the CCD.

The only logical positions are front/rear of the lens (or urgh, somehow dust got inside the lens - rare I think, and very much unlikely for a lens of that age), dust on the mirror itself, dust on the viewfinder condensing lens inside the camera, dust on the viewfinder itself.

If it's on the lens, then it will be visible in the photo. However if it's on any part associated with the viewfinder eg. mirror, viewfinder condensing lens or the viewfinder. Then it won't be on the photo.

Thanks - I have just read some other threads (inlcuding the one just before mine about CCD cleaning) - I will have to take a look at the photos and see what comes out. It's just that it is quite noticable through the viewfinder and I wasn't sure if you saw dust through the viewfinder or not?

Here is a good website that shows you some of the things that make up an SLR camera.

http://www.answers.com/topic/single-lens-reflex-camera

Georgie
If you look inside the throat of your camera with the lens removed...then above the mirror you will see a focussing screen. This is removable...but a little fiddly. If you get fluff or dust on this screen then it will be visible in the viewfinder, but will have no impact on your images. It is very unlikely that the fluff or dust is on a lens unless it is on the rear element of a very wide angle lens...like the 10.5mm. If you use a blower brush on this screen then you might remove most of the problem. To check for dust bunnies go outside and shoot a clear blue sky at f.16 with your kit lens set to A mode. Open the image in Photoshop or some other program and enlarge it to 100%. Maybe increase the contrast a little too. Now examine the image for spots and blobs. All of this stuff is on your CCD and needs to be cleaned off occasionally. Sometimes fluff and dust will get behind your focussing screen and the view through the viewfinder will get pretty grubby. Once again, it will not effect the images.

Thanks Matt K - I will try them over the weekend - have been busy working that have not had a chance to look at it.

Georgie
Don't work. It wastes your time.