Is dust in a zoom lens a problem which should be addressed?

Question

I have accumulated some amount of dust inside one of my zoom lenses, visible through the front glass.

It does not appear to affect picture quality as far as I can tell, but I wonder if this is something that can or should be addressed? Who would carry out such a cleaning?

Answer

Dust inside the lens shouldn't be a problem, as it will always be thrown out of focus enough as not to make a difference. Even on the smallest apertures, the depth of field won't extend far enough forwards to make it visible.

If it really bothers you, take it to an independent photo shop and see if they offer lens servicing.

Check more discussion of this question.