I got a problem with my XDCAM F335 concerning dead pixels. There were 12 dead pixels in various places of the matrix. The masking process has been conducted by the use of Point 18 in the service menu (Measures) but there was still at least one pixel left. Than I decided to delete almost all memories in the service menu, which resulted in just one pixel being left after a similar process as the aforementioned. It is a blue pixel visible on black background. Noise reduction was set in 1. The pixel is visible starting from gain 3.

The question is: does the camcorder have a limited pixel masking memory? Is there a possibility of saving this masking process permanently in the CCD block?

Does any of you posses a RPN masking manual? Or any manual for the service menu?

The software in the camcorder is: AT 1.10 PACKAGE 1.93.

Thanks a lot.

I have the same camera and dead pixels are easily fixed

do a couple of black balances in a row and the pixels are fixed

A pixel that is only visible with gain switched in may not get masked. I would allow the camera to warm up by leaving it on for a few hours and then do multiple black balances to see if that helps.

Several black balances, which you suggest, have been done at the beginning with satisfactory results, until the dead pixels stopped vanishing. Therefore I decided to analyze the service menu to find a solution. So I used the already mentioned Point 18. But there is still this blue pixel appearing in the conditions I described.

Does any of you know how should I do the masking manually? Where I should click with the cursor to fix the pixel?

Thanks Aliston for your proposal, I will certainly try it.

You can't manually mask with the F335. A good Sony service agent should be able to re-map the pixel for you. As I said auto masking often won't mask pixels that only show up when you have gain switched in.