Pink dots on the sensor at DVinfo.net

James Hollingsworth · July 22nd, 2013, 06:42 AM

Hello to all,

Has anyone else heard of this problem and have any idea what might be causing it. I have a number of pink dots on my sensor, as if my little girl has put pink felt tip pen on it. She obviously hasn't but that is what it looks like. I have checked with different lenses and the problem is still there. If you point the camera at a white wall, you see the pink dots quite clearly. Help! Does anyone know what I can do to rectify this problem or clean the sensor?

Chris Harding · July 22nd, 2013, 07:03 AM

Hi James

Noa had dirt on his sensor so firstly read this thread

http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/sony-nex...rt-sensor.html

I just checked both my sensors and they definitely don't have pink dots on them!! I also did a quick search and they seem to be common on still cameras where the owners have done long exposures especially at the sun. They seem to be called either hot pixels or stuck pixels and usually need the sensor replaced. Keep us updated but I would do a clean first.

Chris

James Hollingsworth · July 22nd, 2013, 07:39 AM

Believe me, I don't think this is dirt, I reckon it is something to do with pixels!

James Hollingsworth · July 22nd, 2013, 08:33 AM

Here are the dots for you all to see.

Noa Put · July 22nd, 2013, 08:48 AM

That's no dirt on the sensor, I have managed to keep my sensor clean untill now by using that arctic butterfly thing before every shoot but what I see here looks more like a sensor problem, the camera needs to be send in I think. Has the sensor been exposed to direct sunlight for a longer period? Or maybe some laser lights? Just guessing.

James Hollingsworth · July 22nd, 2013, 09:44 AM

Don't think it is dirt.

James Hollingsworth · July 22nd, 2013, 10:20 AM

Still no idea what caused it.

Noa Put · July 22nd, 2013, 10:20 AM

That doesn't sound very promising, I"m also not sure if this is covered in the warranty as it's not a camera malfunction but caused by external factors. I only hope for you it won't be such a case because otherwise you"ll be looking at a expensive repair if the sensor needs to be replaced, let's hope Sony can fix it by just resetting something in the soft- or hardware..

Noa Put · July 22nd, 2013, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by James Hollingsworth

Here is 30 seconds or so of the footage that might have caused the problem

Yup, I"m almost sure that's what did it.

James Hollingsworth · July 22nd, 2013, 10:37 AM

I guess this guy's mythbusting must be wrong then:

Noa Put · July 22nd, 2013, 11:01 AM

There is quite a few examples on vimeo and-/or youtube showing exactly the opposite what this guy is claiming with clear damage to the sensor, I"m sure it must have to do with the intensity of the beam, I also read reports from people with damaged eye sight after been exposed to a strong laserlight.

see here:
http://www.youtube.com/results?searc...be.MtQS1osK2MU

Marlon Martins · July 22nd, 2013, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by James Hollingsworth

I guess this guy's mythbusting must be wrong then:

judging by the blooming, its a CCD sensor, so different technology from EA50 CMOS

James Hollingsworth · July 22nd, 2013, 03:00 PM

I feel seriously let down by this incident, I wonder if all the other people in the room that were videoing the event on their iPhones, ipads and handicams had the same problem - I think not. It's not like I pointed the light at the lens or pointed the camera at the sun. There is something seriously wrong here, so beware all EA50 users. To quote another user, 'All that is gold definitely does not shine'

Noa Put · July 22nd, 2013, 03:06 PM

pls let us know how it turns out (I guess you'r sending the camera in for repair now?)

Chris Harding · July 22nd, 2013, 07:19 PM

That is a bit scary! On your footage James, you do see quite an intense flash (sorta like a white laser or strobe) I wonder if that was the issue?

As I do stills too and have two Nikon DSLR's there were quite a few posts on Nikon forums about both pink dots and red dots and those were mainly caused by exposing the sensor for too long at a single light source.

I guess when we do the dancing we had better keep our backs to the DJ's lighting kit at all times. It will be interesting to discover what the cause was so it can be avoided in the future.

Good luck

Chris

July 22nd, 2013, 06:42 AM	#1
James Hollingsworth Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Leicester Posts: 119	Pink dots on the sensor Hello to all, Has anyone else heard of this problem and have any idea what might be causing it. I have a number of pink dots on my sensor, as if my little girl has put pink felt tip pen on it. She obviously hasn't but that is what it looks like. I have checked with different lenses and the problem is still there. If you point the camera at a white wall, you see the pink dots quite clearly. Help! Does anyone know what I can do to rectify this problem or clean the sensor?

July 22nd, 2013, 07:03 AM	#2
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: Pink dots on the sensor Hi James Noa had dirt on his sensor so firstly read this thread http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/sony-nex...rt-sensor.html I just checked both my sensors and they definitely don't have pink dots on them!! I also did a quick search and they seem to be common on still cameras where the owners have done long exposures especially at the sun. They seem to be called either hot pixels or stuck pixels and usually need the sensor replaced. Keep us updated but I would do a clean first. Chris

July 22nd, 2013, 07:39 AM	#3
James Hollingsworth Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Leicester Posts: 119	Re: Pink dots on the sensor Believe me, I don't think this is dirt, I reckon it is something to do with pixels!

July 22nd, 2013, 08:33 AM	#4
James Hollingsworth Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Leicester Posts: 119	Re: Pink dots on the sensor Here are the dots for you all to see. Attached Thumbnails

July 22nd, 2013, 08:48 AM	#5
Noa Put Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Posts: 9,510	Re: Pink dots on the sensor That's no dirt on the sensor, I have managed to keep my sensor clean untill now by using that arctic butterfly thing before every shoot but what I see here looks more like a sensor problem, the camera needs to be send in I think. Has the sensor been exposed to direct sunlight for a longer period? Or maybe some laser lights? Just guessing.

July 22nd, 2013, 09:44 AM	#6
James Hollingsworth Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Leicester Posts: 119	Re: Pink dots on the sensor Don't think it is dirt. Last edited by James Hollingsworth; July 23rd, 2013 at 02:44 AM.

July 22nd, 2013, 10:20 AM	#7
James Hollingsworth Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Leicester Posts: 119	Re: Pink dots on the sensor Still no idea what caused it. Last edited by James Hollingsworth; July 23rd, 2013 at 02:43 AM.

July 22nd, 2013, 10:20 AM	#8
Noa Put Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Posts: 9,510	Re: Pink dots on the sensor That doesn't sound very promising, I"m also not sure if this is covered in the warranty as it's not a camera malfunction but caused by external factors. I only hope for you it won't be such a case because otherwise you"ll be looking at a expensive repair if the sensor needs to be replaced, let's hope Sony can fix it by just resetting something in the soft- or hardware..

July 22nd, 2013, 10:37 AM	#10
James Hollingsworth Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Leicester Posts: 119	Re: Pink dots on the sensor I guess this guy's mythbusting must be wrong then: What happens when a high power red laser light hits your camera or camcorder sensor? - YouTube

July 22nd, 2013, 11:01 AM	#11
Noa Put Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Posts: 9,510	Re: Pink dots on the sensor There is quite a few examples on vimeo and-/or youtube showing exactly the opposite what this guy is claiming with clear damage to the sensor, I"m sure it must have to do with the intensity of the beam, I also read reports from people with damaged eye sight after been exposed to a strong laserlight. see here: http://www.youtube.com/results?searc...be.MtQS1osK2MU

July 22nd, 2013, 03:00 PM	#13
James Hollingsworth Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Leicester Posts: 119	Re: Pink dots on the sensor I feel seriously let down by this incident, I wonder if all the other people in the room that were videoing the event on their iPhones, ipads and handicams had the same problem - I think not. It's not like I pointed the light at the lens or pointed the camera at the sun. There is something seriously wrong here, so beware all EA50 users. To quote another user, 'All that is gold definitely does not shine'

July 22nd, 2013, 03:06 PM	#14
Noa Put Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Posts: 9,510	Re: Pink dots on the sensor pls let us know how it turns out (I guess you'r sending the camera in for repair now?)

July 22nd, 2013, 07:19 PM	#15
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: Pink dots on the sensor That is a bit scary! On your footage James, you do see quite an intense flash (sorta like a white laser or strobe) I wonder if that was the issue? As I do stills too and have two Nikon DSLR's there were quite a few posts on Nikon forums about both pink dots and red dots and those were mainly caused by exposing the sensor for too long at a single light source. I guess when we do the dancing we had better keep our backs to the DJ's lighting kit at all times. It will be interesting to discover what the cause was so it can be avoided in the future. Good luck Chris