Dealing with dust in GRD II

[gerbilthemistake]

Since acquiring my ricoh grd II i have had to send it in once for what im assuming is dust on the sensor. All images had the same gray dot and got worse with the smaller aperture. My ricoh is now out of warranty and is experiencing the same issue again. i carry it in a case always and dont leave the battery door open, but this doesn't seem to matter.

What i would like to know is if anyone still suffers from this issue outside of warranty and if there is any solution to it other than paying to get it cleaned. I am no master of photoshop but is there like a script or action i can run to have it fix that? Any other suggestions would be well appreciated.

Thanks

 

[peterc]

Dust on the sensor is pretty unusual in P&S digicams. Most I've seen are fairly well sealed units and dust would not reach the sensor unless they were used in exceptionally dusty environments.

 

[kdemas]

I have had a GRD and GRD II and never had any dust issues. Being as you had it in once for the same issue I'd talk to Ricoh, they should take care of you as it's really an ongoing issue which they have documented.

Interestingly the zoom P&Ss can sometimes have this issues as their telescoping function acts like a little vacuum and pulls in dust. I hope you get this resolved.

Kent

 

[gerbilthemistake]

Thanks, looks like criscam is the contact email for the USA so i will email them my claim and see what they have to say about it.

I have had a GRD and GRD II and never had any dust issues. Being as you had it in once for the same issue I'd talk to Ricoh, they should take care of you as it's really an ongoing issue which they have documented.

Interestingly the zoom P&Ss can sometimes have this issues as their telescoping function acts like a little vacuum and pulls in dust. I hope you get this resolved.

Kent

 

[gerbilthemistake]

OK so i called cris camera repair and explained to the representative that i purchased the camera in feb '08 and that few months after had the sensor cleaned for dust. she adv me it was out or warranty and that chances are very slim it would be covered under warranty now that its happened again. She explained that this happens a lot and unfortunately theres nothing they can do. Repair estimate is around $200. I am not sure what my next course of action is, she says theres no real way of contacting ricoh directly in the US, they practically don't exist. does anyone have a way of dealing with dust in their p&s?

 

[kdemas]

Interesting. I would try to get a hold of someone in Japan and really complain a bit, they might work to satisfy you.

As for trying to clean a P&S.... good question. I might use a rocket blower to try to move some air between the lens and body joint in the hopes it would dislodge the dust.

Best of luck!

Kent

 

[tan131]

I have a GRD and I faced the same problem with dust in the sensor too.. Mine was under warrenty and the service centre took care of the problem(the service centre changed a new sensor for me). But barely a few months after and more shooting done, now I face the issue of a few dead pixels in the sensor.

Oh well, I just got to keep shooting while it lasts.

 

[Dante_Stella]

I had the same thing happen only about a week before the warranty expired (persistent dust spot - looked like a fuzzy bird). They covered it, but oddly, they noted "replaced lens."

Since acquiring my ricoh grd II i have had to send it in once for what im assuming is dust on the sensor. All images had the same gray dot and got worse with the smaller aperture. My ricoh is now out of warranty and is experiencing the same issue again. i carry it in a case always and dont leave the battery door open, but this doesn't seem to matter.

What i would like to know is if anyone still suffers from this issue outside of warranty and if there is any solution to it other than paying to get it cleaned. I am no master of photoshop but is there like a script or action i can run to have it fix that? Any other suggestions would be well appreciated.

Thanks

 

[gerbilthemistake]

thanks for all the responses. From what i gather, i think i will just continue to use it as it is and learn to deal with it. i just have to accept it that digital p&s no matter how fancy or pricey 😀 are not meant to last forever, or at least not as long as most 35mm cameras.

 

[jke]

I have a GX100 with a similar issue. I think that the lenses on these cameras are not sealed well enough. While the GRD is not a zoom, the lens still extends when the camera is powered on, and like any extendable lens, that creates a bit of suction that drags crud into the lens if it isn't sealed well enough. If I get brave, I may try to open mine and see what can be done, other than getting even more dust inside it. 🙂

 

[reuno]

Same issue here on a GRD... 🙁