Hot / stuck pixels on new 5d II

[PixelReaper]

Hi all,

I am new to posting on CR but have enjoyed and learned a lot from reading all of your post, so thanks!

I bought the 5d2 / 24-105 kit over Christmas and have been really loving it!! I also added the 35L to my nifty fifty and am very satisfied withy current kit. I would love to add a tele zoom, but that will be another post.

Today I started noticing some hot pixels showing as either solid red, white or blue. I did a shot of lens cap at both high and low ISO and counted a total of about 7 stuck pixels on the LCD on the camera. I also tried the manual sensor cleaning trick, but had no luck. I am still in my amazon return period and I am thinking about just sending it back for a new one.

Does anyone have experience with this issue and have any adivice?

Thanks in advance for your help!

[jstn]

My 7D has a very large green/red (depending on aperture?) hot pixel that is pretty darn evident when shooting video, especially in low light. I've never really seen it pop up in any of my still images, so since I don't do much video it wasn't of much concern. I could definitely live without it though.

If you can see 6-7 of them on a still image, through the small lcd, I would definitely get that thing replaced. If you don't and start shooting video in the future, you will be very angry with yourself. I know it sucks having to send back your new pride and joy, but sometimes you need to demand what your paid for.

[Michael_pfh]

Send it back as long as you are within the return period!

[Tan]

Agreed! Send it back! I had to go through two 7Ds before I got a decent one, and it *still* has a couple of hot pixels! But they are only evident on extremely long exposures (or video) so I can live with them.
Nevertheless, it does make you concerned about the Canon quality control... 

[PixelReaper]

Thanks for the direction. Like you said, I hate to send my baby back but at least I caught it with a few days to spare. Thank you both for your replys.
 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

Hot pixels on the LCD will only get worse with time.  I'd exchange it for a different one.  I've had many digital cameras and never had hot LCD pixels, so it is somethinng out of the ordinary, and a Quality issue.

[bvukich]

I'd return it for sure.

But just to make sure we're all talking about the same thing...  Is this hot pixels on the sensor, that you can see when reviewing on the LCD, or is this pixels on the LCD that are stuck on?

On an LCD of that size, there is no excuse for a stuck on pixel.  Stuck on is significantly more distracting than stuck off, and it is obviously defective.

On a sensor, there will always be a few hot pixels, and will usually get worse as sensor temp increases (video, long exposure, live view).  You just have to determine if the number present on your sensor are acceptable to you.  If you are asking the question, then it probably isn't.

Like I said at the top, return it.

[sb]

Hot pixels on the sensor are quite normal, there is no need to exchange the camera because you will get them over and over again no matter how many cameras you go through. It's not a problem with quality control, unless you're talking about scores of pixels every time you take a picture of a black backdrop.

Number of hot pixels goes up with longer exposures, and are more noticeable when your background is black. The lens cap test you did is the perfect example of this. Take exposures of different durations and compare the results on the screen. BTW, on the computer screen you will notice many more pixels than you do on the LCD on the camera :-) I can tell you that my 5Dmk2 behaves exactly the same, and so do all my other bodies. It's just a fact of life.

Just make sure you're not getting too many hot pixels during shorter exposures though (i.e. shorter than 1 sec)

[motorhead]

Sorry to say as pixel counts go ever higher, so do the number of hot/dead pixels. It's a fact of life.

Unless they impinge on a print they get ignored, even if I need to clone one out during post processing its such a simple job I often don't realise I've done it.

[PixelReaper]

I am referring to hot pixels on the sensor, not the LCD. If it were happening only after prolonged sensor usage or only at very high ISO, I would be more understanding, but in this case they show up right away and at very low(200) ISO settings/relatively low shutter speeds (1/10).

So I just ordered a new 5dII / 24-105 kit from amazon, still at $2799 and sending the first kit back. I know I might just be pixel peeping, but hopefully the new body doesn't exhibit the same issue ? 

I will have to remove the giottos LCD screen protector off the one I'm sending back.  I have read you have to use a hair dryer to loosen the adhesive.  Does any one know if it can then be reapplied to another LCD?

Thanks again to all that have posted.
+1 CR community!!

[well_dunno]

To my knowledge, hot pixels on the sensor is normal and something we need to live with - as it was mentioned earlier in the thread, their number would increase with longer exposures...

I also recall reading individual pixels might be "hot" for some time and then stop being hot (even at the same level of exposure). Nothing regular I imagine... I have been trying to avoid looking at images at 100% so no first hand experience on that.

I do not think a hot pixel on the sensor could be visible on the LCD though. Can anyone confirm?

Cheers!

[PixelReaper]

To my knowledge, hot pixels on the sensor is normal and something we need to live with - as it was mentioned earlier in the thread, their number would increase with longer exposures...

I also recall reading individual pixels might be "hot" for some time and then stop being hot (even at the same level of exposure). Nothing regular I imagine... I have been trying to avoid looking at images at 100% so no first hand experience on that.

I do not think a hot pixel on the sensor could be visible on the LCD though. Can anyone confirm?

Cheers!

They show up on the same spot on the frame/image every time. I am not sure what % of full magnification the LCD preview provides compared to viewing at 100% on the computer, but they can definatley be seen on the LCD preview.

I also spoke to Canon support and they said the sensor can be fixed by turning those pixels off (remapped sensor?) but when I mentioned I was still in the return period, I was surprised that the canon rep seemed to encourage replacing the camera vs sending it in for repair under warranty.

[well_dunno]

I'd get it replaced! After all, if those pixels are attracting your attention and the cam is still in return period, why not?..

[sb]

Manufacturing variations will cause certain pixels to exhibit more leakage than others. This is why you always see the same pixels light up - because they are "inferior" compared to the rest and give out (leak charge) sooner.

When you get your new camera you'll see that different pixels will light up , but you will ALWAYS have this problem to a certain degree (even if you jump to Nikon :-))

Remapping will remove the problem because your camera will simply stop using those "weak" pixels (instead it will clone the data from a surrounding pixel), but if you then attempt an longer exposure, you will notice that some other new pixels are starting to light up. It comes down to what you can live with. You will become more lenient with time, trust me :-)

[PixelReaper]

Manufacturing variations will cause certain pixels to exhibit more leakage than others. This is why you always see the same pixels light up - because they are "inferior" compared to the rest and give out (leak charge) sooner.

When you get your new camera you'll see that different pixels will light up , but you will ALWAYS have this problem to a certain degree (even if you jump to Nikon :-))

Remapping will remove the problem because your camera will simply stop using those "weak" pixels (instead it will clone the data from a surrounding pixel), but if you then attempt an longer exposure, you will notice that some other new pixels are starting to light up. It comes down to what you can live with. You will become more lenient with time, trust me :-)

Thanks sb. I am sure you are right on both the body and the leniency over time.  I have been shooting as an amateur for about 7 yrs, I started with a 350d. This was my first upgrade other than buying a 50 1.8 to replace the kit on the 350d. As you can tell from the small fortune I have spent in the last 2 months on new equipment, I have clearly fallen deep down the rabbit hole!! I will say the 5DII and L glass IQ has really moved me to learn more about how to be a better photographer from both a tech  and artistic / composition standpoint