So of course I’ve been out and about a little bit, testing and tweaking the new camera. On the weekend I transferred some pics and here’s an example of the results:

See the pretty black spot in the top right area? All the shots I took had it. :O(

I checked the skylight filter and mirror for dust or spots. There were none. Tried out a different lens and the spot was still there. Then I referred to the manual info about the CMOS sensor, where it’s recommended you first take the camera to a Canon dealer for cleaning. Um, right. I can’t imagine needing to do that just a few days after getting the camera… Anyway there’s a sensor cleaning mode that lifts the mirror so you can inspect the sensor and sure enough there was a substantial piece of gunk on it. Apparently it’s common that these sensors actually attract dust.

Since Canon specifically recommends you use only one of those squeezy air blowers to clean it I set out to find one. This is the part where I say it sucks to be in a small town. I drove around on my mission, failing to find the blower thingy including at photo shops, Radio Shack, Best Buy, Target, Race Office Supply, KMart and Staples. Other shops I might have checked were closed.

While at KMart however, out of the corner of my frustrated eye, I saw a giant pinata - painted and shaped in part like a mutant Minnie Mouse. I nearly felt compelled to buy it, take it home and happily demolish it to tiny bits in an effort to vent my irritation. But no.

At Staples the computer department guy asked, “Do you mean like a little turkey baster type thingy?”

Yaaaaaaaa, that’s what I mean.

With my hunt ending in disappointment, I ventured over to the dollar store on the Commons. And bought a turkey baster. I cleaned the dust off the CMOS sensor with a turkey baster.

By the way that guy in the computer department at Staples really knows his stuff.

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