Suggestions for Testing a New Camera

[eve]

My new Mark III arrived today.  I'm a relative beginner so I want to have someone knowledgeable test the camera or have some clue how to test it to make sure there's not some defect from the start.  Can anyone suggest things I should have tested?  Will probably try myself then take it to the camera store for a double check.  Very very excited!  Thanks in advance for your help. 

[bdunbar79]

My new Mark III arrived today.  I'm a relative beginner so I want to have someone knowledgeable test the camera or have some clue how to test it to make sure there's not some defect from the start.  Can anyone suggest things I should have tested?  Will probably try myself then take it to the camera store for a double check.  Very very excited!  Thanks in advance for your help.

Canon's notorious for dirty sensors out of factory.  Shoot the sky at proper exposure at f/22.  Look for dust specs in the photo.

[eve]

Will do -- thanks! I'm guessing if I see spots I should exchange it?  Just saw that the camera has a built in sensor cleaner that goes on with the camera...

[matukas]

Dust is not an excuse to exchange it. Usually integrated cleaning is enough, but sometimes it needs blower and sometimes "heavy artillery". Just google "SLR sensor cleaning" or similar.

[RuneL]

It's really hard to avoid sensor dust. And shooting into the sky at f 22, well... If there's noticeable dust on your regular pics then think of getting it cleaned. I just clone away the few spots I have and get it cleaned once or twice a year or if I've been changing lenses in really S___ conditions or been in heavy dust storms. Love that sound when your focus ring crunches...

As for testing... Well... use it as you're supposed to use it? Take pictures with it.

[CharlieB]

I'd check for excessive hot pixels on the sensor, try to "clear" them.

You're going to have a few, thats the way it is.  If there's a boatload, then I'd exchange.

A few - I've got one "big red" on my 5d2, and dimmer red, and two dim blues, and one dim green.

I'm waiting until warranty is almost up, then I'll send it in to have them mapped out.  Right now, they show up at moderate (800-1600) ISO and long exposure, low ISO and very long exposure, or high iso (3200+) at anything over 1/8 sec or so.