Help - 600D has started to produce blocky images - Dead sensor?

I just took my camera out and took some images, and everything looks fine until I zoom in and then it's blocky and looks almost interlaced... See below....

I know it's a blurry image (panicking because I am worried about my camera now), but the image below shows a zoom in using camera raw in Photoshop....

What's going on? Dead sensor? Anyone seen anything like this?

Some investigations.... For some reason, when I take a photo using Live view, everything is okay (top image) and when I take a photo using the viewfinder (live view off) then it shows these jaggies again (bottom image).

Does this mean anything to anyone?

At first I though that the camera had somehow switched into a low rez/high compression image but looking closer at the image, it looks more like rf noise. Some part may be failing and oscillating like a clock. Just on the off chance that it's some setting, maybe start with a factory reset and get all settings back to some known state.

Another though, not sure if the 600D has sensor cleaning but if so, maybe it's stuck on? Just a left field guess.

john crossley wrote in post #19259830
Don't view the images at 165%

Even at 160% it should not be doing that.

Please post a raw file from each mode so we can see the data in an unadulterated manner.

john crossley wrote in post #19259837
Maybe he's using a very low resolution monitor.

I would suggest that the OP uploads the original image to Drop Box or somewhere similar so that the clever people on this forum can analyse it.

The issue is also visible on the camera screen after taking the image once I zoom in.

The issue is, really, if I take a photo like this, I can't zoom in to do any edits, so Portrait photography is a non-starter.

Not sure how to post a RAW file as the file is to big for the image upload function...

Download link

https://we.tl/t-ylEoVZMpHZ

2 items

Live view.CR2 20.8 MB
View_Finder.CR2 21.1 MB

I have taken a photo in better light this morning of an object that shows the problem a little more clearly. (screen caps below), and the above WeTransfer link contains the files. These are copied straight from the camera body to my computers desktop and have not been imported via Lightroom or any other photo app. I have renamed the files for clarity.

The screen grabs are below. Image taken with Live View is at the top and the image taken with the view finder is at the bottom.

Things I have tried with no success:

Different lens
2 different memory cards (different makes)
Resetting the firmware

LarryPlane wrote in post #19259819
Some investigations.... For some reason, when I take a photo using Live view, everything is okay (top image) and when I take a photo using the viewfinder (live view off) then it shows these jaggies again (bottom image).

Does this mean anything to anyone?

So realisticly, is the main difference between operation with liveview that the mirror is already up?
Wonder what happens when you use mirror lock-up mode, if the problem goes away like when using liveview.
Won't fix the issue of course but possibly narrows it down to the mirror operation electrics and/or the main board that drives it.
Can we take it that state of battery charge doesn't make any difference?

Personally I would contact Canon and send them the link to the images.

Unless someone on here has actually had the same problem, then it is all guess work.

john crossley wrote in post #19260008
Personally I would contact Canon and send them the link to the images.

Unless someone on here has actually had the same problem, then it is all guess work.

Not really pure guessing, it is more educated in nature, since as you point out, the same sensor and process is used to record the raw. So to echo what was said before, the only difference in a still photo and live view is that the mirror box electronics are being used at the time of a still. The AF system is also different, so that could be another part of this. It is electronic in nature however, obviously, so it has to be one of these other systems not employed during live view.

In the end though, the only entity that can likely fix this is Canon, but will the expense even be worth it? It is likely out of warranty, and about any repair is $300+ not including delivery. A 600D isn't even worth that much on a used market. So it may be better to just use the 600D for video work or live view, and take those funds to put toward a newer camera.

Yeah, exactly, if I have to contact Canon, they will just ask me to send it in, and the cost will defeat the process.

That's why I chanced to ask here in case anyone had seen this before and knew of a quick fix.

But thank you anyway, everyone who has posted. I appreciate at least you reading my problem.

joeseph wrote in post #19260002
So realisticly, is the main difference between operation with liveview that the mirror is already up?
Wonder what happens when you use mirror lock-up mode, if the problem goes away like when using liveview.
Won't fix the issue of course but possibly narrows it down to the mirror operation electrics and/or the main board that drives it.
Can we take it that state of battery charge doesn't make any difference?

Yep that's exactly it. Haven't tried mirror locked up yet, except of course this is similar to Live View and I still couldn't use the viewfinder.

I guess this camera gets retired now and used only in situations where I can comfortably use Live View.

I was hoping someone would say, oh its the AA filter, you just need to slip it back into place, but sadly that doesn't appear to be the case.

It really is a strange one.