Dust!

[PeterJohnson]

Great to see a forum specifically for the PMW-F3.

This is the first camera I've used with interchangeable lens and I wasn't sure what to expect. Well, I didn't expect dust, or 'micro lint.' Within the first hour of unpacking a new PMW-F3 there it was on the outside glass cover. After tediously removing it I shone a bright light to check it and noticed more minute particles on one of the ND filters, which is behind the glass. Frustrating! I could see it but do nothing about it. It's still there but fortunately it doesn't appear in any footage I've taken. I hate to be pedantic, but when you spend five figures on a camera you'd expect better than that!

Anyway it is a brilliant camera although I have some reservations. I think the ND wheel is flimsy, the view finder is certainly very ordinary and the menu scroller is a little difficult to manipulate. I did however read of a fellow who used one in Nigeria recently in hot and dusty conditions and was very impressed. That's promising! I wonder how it would stand up to some real inhospitable locations; too early to tell.

If the dust becomes a real issue I'll have to get it cleaned professionally at around AU$100. I wonder if anyone else has experienced issues with dust, particularly behind the glass. I also wrote to Philip at HDWarrior about his impressions. This inspired an article about keeping the sensor area clean.