# Canon 70D - DEAD SENSOR PIXELS! Im not happy :(



## MichaelTheMaven (Aug 30, 2013)

So I got my Canon 70D yesterday, started my initial tests, learning many interesting things about it. Go through my ISO tests, upload images....every single image has this horizontal line on it. Camera is brand spanking new. Hopefully it is just a bad copy. I bought one for my Dad too, so looks like we will be swapping out tomorrow as I can't really do my tests with this camera. 

Image is ISO 12800 & is promising, but I certainly hope no one else is seeing this:

http://www.michaelthemaven.com/?postID=2893&canon-70d-issue-dead-sensor-pixels


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## neuroanatomist (Aug 30, 2013)

Did you try remapping it? With a lens mounted and capped, or the body capped, initiate a manual sensor cleaning and let that run for 30 seconds or so, then power off then on and try again. 

Edited: iPhone's Siri doesn't like the word 'capped'.


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## MichaelTheMaven (Aug 30, 2013)

Ill try that. Thanks for the tip!


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## MichaelTheMaven (Aug 30, 2013)

Remapping didn't work. Thanks for the suggestion though! -MM


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## spinworkxroy (Aug 30, 2013)

Are my eyes that bad?
I honestly can't see the dead pixel…
I wonder if Canon is like mobile phone manufacturers where under 5 dead pixels is "acceptable" and they won't change..
Can anyone really tell 1 dead pixel out of a large photo? I personally can't..


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## dhachey77 (Aug 30, 2013)

It's defective. Return it and get a new one. Doesn't happen often, but it does happen. In my day job I've had to return three $500k scientific instruments that were damaged or DOA. Reputable manufacturers have insurance to cover such eventualities.


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## dhachey77 (Aug 30, 2013)

spinworkxroy said:


> Are my eyes that bad?
> I honestly can't see the dead pixel…
> I wonder if Canon is like mobile phone manufacturers where under 5 dead pixels is "acceptable" and they won't change..
> Can anyone really tell 1 dead pixel out of a large photo? I personally can't..



It's not one dead pixel, it's a whole line. The line amplifier that feeds the pixel array to the ADC is probably dead.


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## vlim (Aug 30, 2013)

beside that line these 12800 iso dont' look so bad ;D


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## alexturton (Aug 30, 2013)

I'd take it back if you are not happy.

I bought a 60d a few years ago which had a dead pixel on the sensor. I took a video (largely in a dark room) which showed the bright red dead pixel on the camera screen. Showed it to the store who then acknowledged it was faulty and gave me a new one.

I'd take it back and get a new one.

I don't know where you are based, but In the UK if you saw something is faulty, consumer law dictates they have to prove it isn't before they refuse a replacement or a refund (sales of goods act). I'm sure there must be something similar in america (is the lemon law a real thing?).

I never pay this kind of money for something that isn't perfect out the box. I bought a canon 135 f2 2 weeks ago that front focussed, had to go through 2 more copies to get a good one.


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## Joe M (Aug 30, 2013)

Definitely a dud and has to be swapped. As an aside, I have to wonder what Canon's policy is on the number of working pixels is on a sensor coming down the line. When you have 20+ million, are each and every one on every sensor working perfectly? Off to google I go.


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## atodzia (Aug 30, 2013)

I think this may be a major problem with this sensor. I had two on order and was going to cancel the second one after the first one arrived. The first one had a stuck red pixel, (or one and a cluster of a few), that showed up in every picture. I returned it. The second one arrived the day after and has at least one stuck red pixel. This is shooting in live view mode at ISO's 800 and 1600. I mainly bought this camera for bird shooting using live view and my 1.4 and 2x extenders on my 400mm 5.6 lens. It's focusing is great with this combination. I need to do some more shooting in better light to sort this out but it looks like a problem with the new sensor. 

To see if your camera has this issue shoot at something with shadows or something small in the foreground with a darker out of focus background in RAW and then view at 100% and scan all sections of the frame. It shows up in Jpegs also but it is easier to find with the Raw image at 100% viewing. It will show up all the time but it is easier to spot in a darker picture that does not have a lot of detail.


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## tolusina (Aug 30, 2013)

Please, take a dark shot with a lens cap on. If the line shows then, please post.


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## Etienne (Aug 30, 2013)

Take it back and get a new one, you'll just get stressed trying to figure this one out. 

BTW ... I don't think pixel mapping works properly for video, so even one stuck red pixel can ruin video


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Aug 30, 2013)

All sensors have dead pixels, a tiny amount of NR removes them. Canon will remap them if its a issue. You might be able to exchange the camera, but they may be short on supply.


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## atodzia (Aug 30, 2013)

I tried the pixel remapping suggested above and it fixed my red stuck pixel issue, looking at a few shots and a 3 minute movie. Thanks for that info.


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## EddieG (Aug 30, 2013)

Thats clearly a column error, yes Canon should be able to map it, however I would be demanding a replacement. 
Its technically a DOA, in other words not up to manufactures specification out of the box.


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## Etienne (Aug 30, 2013)

atodzia said:


> I tried the pixel remapping suggested above and it fixed my red stuck pixel issue, looking at a few shots and a 3 minute movie. Thanks for that info.



In video, the red pixels are easier to identify by videotaping a dark scene (no black), and moving or panning the camera. Any stuck pixels will be obvious as they pass across the scene (the pixels don't move).

Did the remapping fix the red pixels in video? I am really curious because I have read that it doesn't work for video. I haven't run into the problem myself, but if I do I'm hoping this is a realistic fix.


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## atodzia (Aug 30, 2013)

The remapping looks like it did fix it for video but I need to view it on my larger TV screen to be sure. On my 27" monitor (NEC PA271W), full screen, everything looks fine to me.


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## MichaelTheMaven (Aug 30, 2013)

Im returning the camera, luckily I was able to pick up the other one I bought for my Dad. The testing moves forward. 

Hey...anything specific you guys want to see?

M


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## atodzia (Aug 30, 2013)

The red stuck pixel is back. I guess manual sensor cleaning will not get rid of it. Luckily, I got this camera at Amazon so I can order another and send this back when they get it back in stock or wait until the local BestBuy gets it in stock so it's easy to return if I get another one like this. I have a feeling it may be a common problem that people aren't seeing because of the subject matter or where the bad pixel(s) are located. It's been in a different place on the two cameras I have has.


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## MichaelTheMaven (Aug 30, 2013)

In addition to my dead row of pixels, I also saw a few random dead ones as well. It will be interesting to see if others have the same issue.


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## atodzia (Aug 30, 2013)

The first cleaning did not fix it. Looking back at the photos in the same spot the pixel was white instead of red. I think it depends on the surrounding color whether it will show up white or red. When it was white the surrounding color is light green. When it is red the surrounding color is very dark green, going towards black. I don't know if it is a dead pixel or stuck, but it is definitely not a good pixel. I suppose I could just clean it like a dust spot in pictures that I am going to print large, if I can't get a 70D with no bad pixels.


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## Etienne (Aug 30, 2013)

atodzia said:


> The red stuck pixel is back. I guess manual sensor cleaning will not get rid of it. Luckily, I got this camera at Amazon so I can order another and send this back when they get it back in stock or wait until the local BestBuy gets it in stock so it's easy to return if I get another one like this. I have a feeling it may be a common problem that people aren't seeing because of the subject matter or where the bad pixel(s) are located. It's been in a different place on the two cameras I have has.



Is it just in video or both video and pics?
I had to return two 5DIII's because of this problem. I had bright red pixel's at low ISO. 

My 5DIII (third one) has no stuck pixels. I am really happy with it, but I find it disturbing that I had to go through several cameras to get a good one. I've had quality problems with 6 of the 7 Canon DSLR's that I've had/have :

40D Bad LCD
40D Bad lens mount
60D diopter wheel very loose and will not stay put. Also the rubber grip peels at the edges after about 1 year.
5DII bad electronic board, replaced on warranty
5DIII two bodies with red pixels on the sensors

My current 5DIII is pretty much perfect.


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## bleephotography (Aug 30, 2013)

atodzia said:


> The red stuck pixel is back. I guess manual sensor cleaning will not get rid of it. Luckily, I got this camera at Amazon so I can order another and send this back when they get it back in stock or wait until the local BestBuy gets it in stock so it's easy to return if I get another one like this. I have a feeling it may be a common problem that people aren't seeing because of the subject matter or where the bad pixel(s) are located. It's been in a different place on the two cameras I have has.



Just call Amazon customer service and they'll send you out a replacement immediately (assuming it's in stock) whilst your defective one is being returned. Their return policy (and rewards program) is the main reason why I purchase all of my electronics from them.

However, this dead pixel issue has me worried that there might be something wrong with the first batches; mine's shipping in less than a week :-\


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## 9VIII (Sep 1, 2013)

Every camera will accumulate dead pixels over time.
After about six months my T3 got a bad dead pixel in the middle of the screen, the manual cleaning trick didn't work so I sent it in (under warranty) with a list detailing all the dead pixel locations (and I mean an exhaustive listing with precise locations). It came back producing nearly perfect black images (a few new ones developed after mapping, only minor though).
On my 5D2 there's still about half a dozen dead pixels that won't go away. It's only a problem with long exposures though (about five seconds or longer) so I don't worry about it. My other camera often goes into long exposures for macro stuff so a clean sensor is more critical there.
At this point I consider sending your camera in for mapping a part of regular maintenance, though that's probably only necessary if you like to do long exposures.


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