Noise on sensor

Noise on sensor - compact

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Jon Combe - 29 May 2007 23:05 GMT

I have a Fuji Finepix E900 that is a little over a year old. I took some
pictures with it over the weekend but noticed a black blob appear near
the centre of one of them. Assuming some dirt or perhaps a fly had got on
the lens I cleaned it, but it is still there and I'm sure it's not something
on the outside of the lens as I can't see anything and have cleaned it several
times.

You can see some pictures here, the first before the dark spot appeared the
second after:-

http://www.combe.plus.com/dscf6790.jpg
http://www.combe.plus.com/dscf6792.jpg

The black spot appears to be as far as I can tell on the *inside* of the
lens as the sharpness and density of the spot changes depending on focus and
zoom setting. Between taking the shots I didn't drop the camera or anything
so not sure what it is or where it has come from. I've tried shaking the
camera to try to dislodge whatever is in there, but it seems to be stuck.
Is it something stuck to the sensor or (as I suspect) on the inside of the
lens? Given that shaking it and blowing into the camera doesn't seem to have
made a difference I'm wondering what to do. It's out of warranty (about 18
months old) and I suspect the cost of repair would not be cheap. Anything
else I could try? I though of taking it apart to try to get at the inside
of the lens, but I'm not sure if that would be possible and if it would ever
work again after that !

Jon.

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Charles Gillen - 29 May 2007 23:30 GMT

> Fuji Finepix E900

Google is your friend. If you had searched, at

https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=15800760&postID=
116104028003933940

you would have found:

Do not buy the FujiFilm FinePix E900 digital camera. In fact, don't buy
anything from FujiFilm, the maker of this and other digital cameras
because the basic design has a flaw and even worse, they don't stand
behind their warrantee.

I purchased my Fuji FinePix E900 digital camera in the end of November of
2005. In the late spring of 2006 I noticed a speck of dust inside my
camera's lens. This would sometimes show up on an image and move around
from spot to spot. I contacted Fuji technical support. They said for me
to send it in when I had time but there was no rush. Usually the speck of
dust was off center and not a problem although mildly annoying. It was
rather odd that it had gotten in there. Since I use the camera every day
I didn't want to send it in. The warrantee does not run out until the end
of November 2006 so it is still well within its covered period.

Over the summer it started giving the occasional error message. In the
early fall the camera fully stopped working, giving a "Zoom Error"
message that would not go away by resetting the camera. I contacted Fuji
and they assured me they could turn it right around in 10 days although
their normal time was 4 to 6 weeks (gasp!). I sent it in and reverted
back to using my son's Casio.

After about 10 days I got a letter from FujiFilm saying they will not
service it under the warranty. Instead they insisted on charging $159
because there was some dust inside the camera. Actually, initially they
said $150 but more on that later.

Comment: there's more on the blog site, and the Fuji story gets worse

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JohnR66 - 31 May 2007 02:18 GMT

>I have a Fuji Finepix E900 that is a little over a year old. I took some
> pictures with it over the weekend but noticed a black blob appear near
[quoted text clipped - 30 lines]
>
> Jon.

IMO, it is too fuzzy to be sensor dust. It looks like dust on the rear
element or inner lens surface. It does not necessarily have to be external
dust, it could be dust from normal wear of moving parts of the camera. I do
not recommend opening the camera without service manuals or training unless
you want to take the risk.
John

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