View Full Version : Canon 5D Mark-II Stuck Pixels...


Lorry Smyth
January 23rd, 2009, 07:44 AM
On my quest to purchase a new 5D-MKII, I went to 2 retailers and tried to bodies with random exposure with the lens cap on from 800 ISO to 6400 ISO at about 1 sec. exposure time only to be devastated when analyzing the results both cameras had stuck pixels. one body had 4 stuck pixels (3 large white ones covering the surrounding area of approx. 4 pixels total and one single red one). The other body had 2 white stuck pixels. The stuck pixels are even perfectly visible at 400 ISO and a normal exposure time when looking for them and also when shooting video. This is quite unbelievable.

I performed this test specifically to try out the cameras before a purchase but was expecting clean results honestly. has anyone experienced similar problems? is there a simple way to fix them or doing a CMOS remap?

I am totally appalled at this! I own (2) 1Ds-MkII and (1) 1Ds-MkIII and they are pitch perfect!

Daniel Browning
January 24th, 2009, 02:51 AM
is there a simple way to fix them or doing a CMOS remap?

Do "manual sensor clean" in the menu. Wait a little while then turn off the camera. For most people, this gets rid of the dead pixels.

The reason is that Canon has an undocumented feature: The mirror will slap up, take an exposure to find dead/hot pixels, update the dead pixel map. This is obviously done at the factory, and gets updated anytime you clean the camera.

Unfortunately, hot pixels do not seem to be quite so easy to fix for video. There are many reports of hot/dead pixels in video that don't get fixed by the manual sensor clean.

Lorry Smyth
January 24th, 2009, 05:28 AM
Do "manual sensor clean" in the menu. Wait a little while then turn off the camera. For most people, this gets rid of the dead pixels.

The reason is that Canon has an undocumented feature: The mirror will slap up, take an exposure to find dead/hot pixels, update the dead pixel map. This is obviously done at the factory, and gets updated anytime you clean the camera.

Unfortunately, hot pixels do not seem to be quite so easy to fix for video. There are many reports of hot/dead pixels in video that don't get fixed by the manual sensor clean.Thanks very much for information! If this works for still pictures why doesnt it work for video though? Doesn't the camera keep an updated info of the mapped CMOS and the location of the hots pixel's location?... just curious... I am a bit dissapointed at the quality control of Canon on this camera. the more people I talk to the more reports I have of virtually no one having a perfect one. Pretty astonishing! :(

Tony Torres
July 20th, 2009, 02:23 PM
So taking the camera to Canon Factory it will fix this problem, they also told me that it could run up to the 900 dollars to change a cmos or Low pass Filter.
on the sensor.

Tony Torres
July 20th, 2009, 02:25 PM
Do "manual sensor clean" in the menu. Wait a little while then turn off the camera. For most people, this gets rid of the dead pixels.

The reason is that Canon has an undocumented feature: The mirror will slap up, take an exposure to find dead/hot pixels, update the dead pixel map. This is obviously done at the factory, and gets updated anytime you clean the camera.

Unfortunately, hot pixels do not seem to be quite so easy to fix for video. There are many reports of hot/dead pixels in video that don't get fixed by the manual sensor clean.

So meaning if I take the camera to the Jamesburg factory they would fix it, also if they need to change the cmos sensor they told me that it would run up to the 900 dollars to get it fix.

Bill Binder
July 21st, 2009, 10:53 AM
I personally had a stuck pixel in video that could not be fixed via the user remap, it required Canon servicing (I also had other lockup problems err something or other). I sent it in, they fixed it, door to door was 2 weeks, it's been fine ever since. Not a good thing for a brand new camera, but I must say I love the thing and it's been working flawless ever since, so there you have it. You're doing the right thing though, much better to never have the problem to begin with.

Chris Barcellos
July 21st, 2009, 11:14 AM
double post, please remove/

Chris Barcellos
July 21st, 2009, 11:16 AM
I haven't sent mine in for the one that I have, and probably should. However, it is only apparent in low light shooting, and can be readily edit out easily in most situations. Seems like it is happening less and less, though I don't know why

I agree, I should still send it in.

Nigel Barker
July 21st, 2009, 10:44 PM
How can you be sure that what you are seeing is stuck pixels without cleaning the sensor or even the lens?

Chris Barcellos
July 21st, 2009, 11:14 PM
I my case it has been in the same place since I got it. It is also brighter that other pixels. I would expect dust or dirt to be black.

Nigel Barker
July 22nd, 2009, 06:12 AM
I my case it has been in the same place since I got it. It is also brighter that other pixels. I would expect dust or dirt to be black.I really meant if just picking up a camera in a store one couldn't be sure that the problem was a stuck pixel without further investigation.

William Nicolau
October 11th, 2009, 11:32 AM
Canon EOS T1i with less than 100 clicks already has 7 dead pixel and 4 stuck pixel!
Quality control CANON bad!

Look the uploads:

original image: ORIGINAL (http://www.chevetteiros.com.br/eos/IMG_0092.JPG)
defective posted image: DEFECTIVE (http://www.chevetteiros.com.br/eos/IMG_0092_.JPG)

My other camera Canon PowerShot S5IS had the same problem after 2 years of use and cost me $ 220.00 to do a mapping of the CCD with a Canon authorized Brazil.

I'm starting to be disappointed with Canon, Nikon also has these problems common?!

William Brazil

Sean Parker
October 11th, 2009, 02:25 PM
My first 5D Mk II definitely had an issue with this — it was either a stuck or dead pixel, but pretty darn visible, especially in dark/night shoots, there would be a bright violet pixel in the lower right quadrant. It was correctable in post, but oh, what a pain...

It was under Canon warranty but I ended up taking it back to BestBuy. Fortunately, they gave me a new one, without voiding the existing warranties. I feel VERY lucky, but I am indeed concerned about something like this happening again. I hope Canon addresses this problem more publicly in the near future.

Steev Dinkins
November 3rd, 2009, 07:43 PM
I hadn't seen the dots connected here. I found this in another forum and thread. Fix stuck pixels in post. I just wanted to share the solution I'm using on footage with stuck pixels, thanks to Adam Wilt and Andy Mees links.

http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/1302329-post8.html

ProVideo Coalition.com: Apple | Vendor Blog (http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/apple/story/fxscript_fcps_most_under_appreciated_feature/P2/)

http://www.adamwilt.com/downloads/AJW's%20Filters.zip