Missing Pixel...What Can I Do?

[Shifletjl]

What causes a missing pixel? I was doing some checking for dust on my sensor and general testing of my lenses and noticed an empty pixel in all my images. What can I do? TIA

 

[DVC Jen]

What causes a missing pixel? I was doing some checking for dust on my sensor and general testing of my lenses and noticed an empty pixel in all my images. What can I do? TIA

I can't help you with your question but -

Can you post a photo so we (those of us who have never seen one before) know what it looks like.

 

[Shifletjl]

Thanks Jen...I hope this works. I can see the pixel when zooming in close, so I had to zoom and crop the image. Here are two views.

"white" spot, 1/3 from top just right of center.

closer zoom, easier to see

The "white" pixel seems to be in the same approximate spot with each lens. Any ideas?

Jen

 

[DVC Jen]

I have no idea if I am right about this - but I have a feeling the only thing to "fix" it is to get a new sensor. It really doesn't seem to be that noticable. If it were mine I would simply clone it out with photoshop.

 

[jfulcer]

Are you sure that's a missing pixel and not just a really tiny UFO that's following you around?

 

[JR6ooo4]

I think you can map the sensor and it will recognize that the pixel is bad. THen blend the surounding colors/info to fill the bad pixel.

I do not know if the consumer can do it or if it has to be sent back to a service center.

I think it is not uncommon to have two or three bad pixels that are "mapped" away, even on a new camera. But that may be old info...

Mikeeee

 

[garate55]

I have heard that a white pixel like that one you have is called a "Hot" pixel-always on. A "dead" pixel is always off and will appear black. Good news is that "hot" pixels can sometime correct themselves over time.

 

[Shifletjl]

Thanks for the replies. I'm almost certain the dot isn't a UFO following me around. If it is, they haven't tried to contact me yet.

The problem did worry me enough to take my camera to the dealer to try to find some answers. The staff seemed pretty certain that my cameras problem is called "hot" pixels. They told me that it is not uncommon. We discussed "mapping" and different solutions. The store manager, who has experienced this problem himself with his own camera, advised me to send it to Pentax (my camera is a Pentax K100D) to see if they will fix the problem under their warranty agreement. My one-year warranty was about to expire, so I decided it would be best to at least pursue repairs under warranty.

If anyone else is interested in pixel mapping and hot pixel, the store staff gave me a copy of this document:

http://www.yvs.eu.com/documentation/pixelmapping.html

So my camera is on it's way to the service center and I am waiting to hear if Pentax will cover the repair under warranty. Wish me luck!

Jen