Dead pixels - is this a common problem?

[Superbaldguy]

I just ordered a new G6, this morning, excited as can be, but I keep reading about how many digicams end up getting dead pixels. Is this a really common problem? Seems to be an issue with quality control or maybe a result of misuse - please clarify how I can avoid it.

Do the G-series cameras have this problem any worse/better than other models?

[JohnnyE]

What do you mean by common?

[sdommin]

I just ordered a new G6, this morning, excited as can be, but I keep reading about how many digicams end up getting dead pixels. Is this a really common problem? Seems to be an issue with quality control or maybe a result of misuse - please clarify how I can avoid it.

Do the G-series cameras have this problem any worse/better than other models?

I wouldn't lose too much sleep over it. I've owned many digital cameras, and only one ever had a dead pixel. I haven't heard that one camera brand has a problem more than any other. If yours should have a problem, just send it back for a replacement. When you think about it, it's pretty amazing that all cameras don't have many dead pixels - the G6 has 7 million pixels, and we expect them ALL to work!

Sometimes dead pixels just appear after awhile, too. That happened to my G3, about 5 or 6 months after I got it. I sent it back to Canon, and they replaced the CCD for free.

[dbump]

I'd guess that almost all new cameras do ship with malfunctioning pixels, but that the manufacturer maps them out in firmware before shipping them out. Much like brand new hard drives probably have bad blocks, which are mapped out similarly.

When you get your new G6, you might take a series of images at different exposure times in a dark room, with the lens covered, in RAW mode, and just save them for future reference, as a baseline of any bad pixels. Repeat on a regular basis--maybe every 6 months? You could probably check again before the camera warranty expired, and actually run a program (Google for 'hot pixel analysis' or the like) to detect them, and decide if you want to send it in for repair. But if you don't see them in your images in normal circumstances (ie, not 400% zoom), why worry? It's an easy thing to blow out of proportion (literally :) ).

[Superbaldguy]

Thanks, folks. Good suggestions. Is CCD replacement often uneconomical?

[mjdill]

I've had my G5 for almost a year now. My wife took some low light pic's about a week ago and they all had what appears to be a dead pixel (blue dot at approx. same location). I've taken several pic's since then and can not see the same blue dot. Are dead pixels more apparent in low light situations?

[dbump]

Check http://www.tawbaware.com/pixelzap.htm for an alternative to CCD replacement. There are other programs to do this, and if you use Photoshop, I know there are automated ways of mapping your hot/stuck/dead pixels and removing them with batch processing.
This site also has a reasonably simple description of hot, stuck, and dead pixels.

mjdill, most, if not all cameras will show some hot pixels in the long exposures needed for low-light photography. If you can't see them in "normal" pictures taken in bright light, that's good news. As your camera ages, it may develop more of these, and you may even see them in faster exposures. It sounds like air travel (from either security x-rays or increased cosmic radiation at extremely high altitudes) can also accelerate this deterioration.

[Canoneophyte]

Oh nooooooooooo. :cry: I have also seen other people saying that after air travel their cameras have developed hot pixels :( I guess nothing can be done to protect the digital cam from cosmic radiation? I just bought my G6 and it seems to be all right. No dead pixels noticeable in the outdoor shots so far. I did not even know how to properly check for them other than staring at the pictures on the monitor. I was planning on taking my G6 on a long flight soon. Any of you experienced dead pixels after flying???????? :shock:

[Superbaldguy]

The dead/stuck pixel issue looks a lot like dust on film negs. It seems almost inevitable if you own your digital camera long enough.......At least there are programs out there that can help.

I'm not going to lose sleep over it. :D

[dbump]

Re: air travel, it doesn't sound like every single flight results in degradation, so I wouldn't sweat occasional flying. I'd certainly rather have the images from a vacation AND a damaged pixel than no images and a pristine camera. You might consider packing your camera in carry-on though, which is likely to be subjected to less intense radiation from security than your checked luggage--just due to human proximity and health concerns.
I think hot pixels are sort of like wrinkles on your skin. They're going to happen, the only question is whether you accept them gracefully or obsess about them. :)

[Canoneophyte]

Thanks for the info guys. LOL that was funny dbump (about the wrinkles).

[danielb]

can someone confirm these are dead pixels? they are always there.


http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-2/954788/Dontdelete.jpg

[archhill]

Those look like hot (or stuck) pixels to me. I have one in my G3. Pain in the arse.

LT