Steve'sDigicams

Tdetroit · May 25, 2009, 9:54 PM

Hey folks,
I just recently purchased an Olympus E-520, and am fairly new to DSLR's. I've had several SuperZooms and other prosumer machines, and never had this issue before.

I've shot about 500 pics with my camera since I bought it two weeks ago and this problem just appeared today while I was taking pictures of a waterfall (from a safe distance). I see a black spot on the top right quarter of my viewfinder. This spot does NOT appear on my LCD IF I use LiveView (which I hate using), and it also doesn't appear in my pictures, but it's clearly there in the viewfinder.

At first I thought it may have been the lens, but it wasn't. I ran to my car and swapped through four different lenses, and the spot was still there. When I got home, I took the lens off and held the camera into a light to see if I could see anything in the mirror, but I didn't see anything.

Any clue as to what this could be? Like I said, it doesn't impact pictures, but it's annoying as heck when trying to focus on what I'm doing....the dang spot just keeps pulling my attention from what I'm trying to do.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

dwig · May 25, 2009, 10:12 PM

Dust or dirt in the viewfinder. It could be on the bottom of the focusing screen, in which case it might be dislogged with a puff of air from a blower. If its deeper in the VF, it may require shop service to remove, something I wouldn't generally recommend bothering with.

sdromel · Jun 9, 2009, 5:22 PM

Dust or dirt. But never blow into a viewfinder as there is a good chance that you will also blow more dust into it. Ive had much better luck using vacuum.

Wil Davis · Jun 9, 2009, 6:24 PM

…well, shiver me timbers lad, but it seems to me that someone 'as tipped 'ee The Black Spot; well, me young friend, I'd stay clear of sea-faring folk, and pirates and the like, and in particular, look out for a sailor with a wooden-leg calling himself Long John Silver (the sailor that is, not the leg…), argh…

…but seriously, have you tried gently shaking it to see if it moves? I think perhaps dust or a speck of dirt.

Good luck…

- Wil

May 25, 2009, 9:54 PM	#1
Tdetroit Junior Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 1	Black spot in Viewfinder ONLY Hey folks, I just recently purchased an Olympus E-520, and am fairly new to DSLR's. I've had several SuperZooms and other prosumer machines, and never had this issue before. I've shot about 500 pics with my camera since I bought it two weeks ago and this problem just appeared today while I was taking pictures of a waterfall (from a safe distance). I see a black spot on the top right quarter of my viewfinder. This spot does NOT appear on my LCD IF I use LiveView (which I hate using), and it also doesn't appear in my pictures, but it's clearly there in the viewfinder. At first I thought it may have been the lens, but it wasn't. I ran to my car and swapped through four different lenses, and the spot was still there. When I got home, I took the lens off and held the camera into a light to see if I could see anything in the mirror, but I didn't see anything. Any clue as to what this could be? Like I said, it doesn't impact pictures, but it's annoying as heck when trying to focus on what I'm doing....the dang spot just keeps pulling my attention from what I'm trying to do. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

Steve'sDigicams

Recent Camera Reviews

Most Active Forums

Most Popular Deals

Latest Feature Articles

May 25, 2009, 10:12 PM	#2
dwig Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 133	Dust or dirt in the viewfinder. It could be on the bottom of the focusing screen, in which case it might be dislogged with a puff of air from a blower. If its deeper in the VF, it may require shop service to remove, something I wouldn't generally recommend bothering with.

Jun 9, 2009, 5:22 PM	#3
sdromel Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 134	Dust or dirt. But never blow into a viewfinder as there is a good chance that you will also blow more dust into it. Ive had much better luck using vacuum.

Jun 9, 2009, 6:24 PM	#4
Wil Davis Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 47	…well, shiver me timbers lad, but it seems to me that someone 'as tipped 'ee The Black Spot; well, me young friend, I'd stay clear of sea-faring folk, and pirates and the like, and in particular, look out for a sailor with a wooden-leg calling himself Long John Silver (the sailor that is, not the leg…), argh… …but seriously, have you tried gently shaking it to see if it moves? I think perhaps dust or a speck of dirt. Good luck… - Wil