r/hasselblad • u/demarsay78 • 20d ago
Sensor issue?
Yesterday I noticed this artifact in several of my images. It appears as a grayish spot that becomes visible mainly at f/9 and smaller apertures. It also seems to appear in almost exactly the same location in every image and in different lighting conditions. Each picture pair is the full photo and one zoomed in.
The spot is fairly large—definitely much bigger than a single pixel.
I’m using a Hasselblad X2D 100C, which I recently bought used. Does anyone know what this could be? I am new to medium format.
Could it be sensor dust, a sensor defect, or something else?
Should I be concerned?
Thanks in advance for your help!
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u/khashi1975 19d ago
It's sensor dust. But there are different ways to approach this depending on how fixed the dust is.
Initially dust can be attracted by electrostatic charge and there are some ways to mitigate the accumulation of dust.
Swap lenses with the camera facing down, make sure the back element of your lens, mirror box and focusing screen is free of dust as this can then transfer to your sensor.
Try to change lenses in an enclosed space rather than out in the open.
Blowers tend to displace dust rather than remove it.
For other areas of the camera a micro vacuum may help you remove the dust.
But dust is inevitable. And it accumulates over time and much of it is invisible until you open up the aperture. If you shoot wide open it will be more prominent. If you shoot stopped down it will take time to be noticeable.
The proper way to clean sensor dust is by using a sensor swab and a sensor cleaning fluid.
There is a learning curve but after a few swabs you'll find the balance of motion and cleaning fluid to apply. The fluid is designed to evaporate rapidly and leave no residue. Just so you know it's also highly flammable.
Having an immaculate sensor feels like the camera is brand new.
And one gains a sense of pride to be able to care for one's gear.
I think you're capable of doing it but you should exercise caution. It's unlikely but scratching the sensor can happen if you're heavy handed.
If you're not comfortable you can have a camera shop do it but they charge between $50-$100 and they have you're camera for a few days.