Today I took the train to Timmendorfer Strand because I wanted to hike to Travemünde, from where I did take the train back home. It was a 12 km hike and I planned this because the route is pretty interesting as there is a long stretch of steep coast on the way. But before that point is reached, there is of course a long stretch of sandy beach, and that is where I messed up my camera. No, the camera is still working but it seems as if I do have a transparent dust spot in the viewfinder of my D7100. I started to notice it on the way, but I can’t say for sure if it really happened today. I think…
- it could be that the spot is already there since days but I noticed it today because it was more apparent with the blue heaven as a background
- it could be that it happened today because of my bad habit to hold my camera in the hand close to the ground while walking (extra stupid if done at the beach)
- it could be that it happened today after I foolishly swapped the lens at the beach
If it happened days before, I am pretty sure it’s dust. If it happened today, I am pretty sure that the wind might have blown a tiny grain of sand into the viewfinder. When I noticed the spot, I was afraid that I had something in the lens, but I tried another lens and the spot was visible too. Now it was clear that it is in the camera. I looked at the sensor and mirror, but that didn’t look bad. At home I looked at the photos that I shot at 18mm and couldn’t spot any dust spots. I am now a bit convinces that it’s really in the viewfinder. To be sure, I will take a photo of a white paper at daytime tomorrow to check it for dots.
If it’s just the viewfinder, I am not too concerned, although the dot looked a bit annoying in the viewfinder but I could get used to it. Maybe something can even be down, like purchasing a bulb blower, but I will research first if that makes sense at all. Well, I use this camera since 2 years now, the dust speck would be the first war wound for the camera (laugh).
Diary of Dennis 
I am glad these things happend to others, although not glad that it happened at all. I once had some strange stains on the right side of some of my photos on the D7000 Nikon that I have. I took everything apart and found nothing. And now they have disappeared, all on their own it seems. I also have a D3000 which I now prefer as it is considerably less heavy than my D7000. I have to take my camera in one hand when taking photos as I need support when walking (MS) but have got used to my new system and it works well. Hope your spot disappears, you have to be so careful with those cameras.
I think if it’s just in the viewfinder, it’s more of a annoyance but less of a problem for image quality. I could life with that,… but if I find out it’s the sensor or mirror, I’d research how to clean it.
We used to have a camera shop where they’d take the camera apart and clean it. Have these places disappeared?
Most of the stores here are kinda big and they sell all kind of electronics but don’t have special services like that. However, back then I purchased the camera in a smaller specialized photography shop and the sales person told me that Nikon would do the first cleaning for free if they send it in, but I can’t imagine it. I will visit the shop next week and remember them about the statement. I could imagine that the shop is doing sensor cleaning because this seems not to be too difficult, but I bet they don’t take cameras apart to clean the viewfinder system but I will know more next week. It would be cool if they can do that, because the spot in the viewfinder is pretty annoying 😀