Hot pixels, pixel mapping, and the Pentax Warranty?

sklathill · 12-17-2006, 05:02 PM

Yeah I have a hot pixel. Yeah I know that I could live with it and deal with it myself in photoshop or what not. It is noticeable to me at handheld shutter speeds and mid-ISO on the shots I've taken recently...

So I was wondering if it is possible to get this mapped out in the camera some how, if it's end user serviceable, and if it is not, if it's possible to get Pentax to do it under warranty service.

I saw a forum post that said that in some countries Pentax service does do software mapping while in Pentax UK specifically they actually change out the sensor.

What's the solution in the US?

joele · 12-17-2006, 06:38 PM

I don't think it is user fixable, but I had a dozen or so at ISO 200 on my ist DS and I took it back to the Pentax service center and they mapped it out for me under warranty.. They kept my camera for a couple of days, I think I took it in on a Monday and got it express posted out to me on the Thursday...

Flaco · 12-17-2006, 09:08 PM

I'm going to sound like a newb, which I am to the dslr world. But what exactly is hot pixels/pixel mapping?

joele · 12-17-2006, 09:15 PM

I actually had stuck pixels which are pixels that show as constant red (or blue) dots.. so I could take a picture of white wall and had little red dots...

Hot pixels do a similar thing but tend to only happen under longer exposures and higher ISOs... Whereas stuck pixels occur no matter the length of the exposure or ISO..

Pixel mapping means they tell the processor in the camera to dump (ignore) these few pixels (out of the 6 million it means very little to dump a few)..

trog100 · 12-17-2006, 09:22 PM

its a shame they dont make it user fixable.. some think duff pixels are normal but i dont on a new camera.. my son took two back for exchange till he found a sample that didnt have the problem..

trog

mcm · 12-17-2006, 09:24 PM

Question: What test can you do to determine this.

Doesn't seem like an easy thing to spot if you had say, less than 10 bad pixels total.

If you had several thousand well sure.. maybe that would be more noticeable.

joele · 12-17-2006, 09:36 PM

Put the cap on your lens and set to manual and 1/30 and whatever apeture, now take a shot, should be black (no stars)... lower ISOs should be none, ISO 1600 it is possible we all have some..

If you don't notice them in pics (I did as I had a cluster) it is better not to know they are there, as once you notice them you can't forget..

trog100 · 12-17-2006, 09:53 PM

they show up worse at slow shutter speeds 1/30 is way to fast a test.. low light shutter speeds of around 1/15 of a second against darkish background will bring them out..

and it only take one pink dot against a darkish background and once u know its there it sticks out like a saw thumb and irritates u each time u see it.. he he

but if u cant see any u dont have a problem.. i have never noticed any on my camera but then again i aint gone looking for em..

trog

joele · 12-17-2006, 10:02 PM

But to show stuck (not hot) pixels they still show up at ISO 200 and 1/30 (mine did anyway, thats why they fixed it under warranty)..

slip · 12-17-2006, 10:08 PM

Originally posted by trog100

its a shame they dont make it user fixable.. some think duff pixels are normal but i dont on a new camera.. my son took two back for exchange till he found a sample that didnt have the problem..

trog

weird thing is... my wife's old 3mp olympus stylus 300 has pixel remaping.
she never had a problem in the years she owned it with hot pixels, so I have no idea how well it works, if at all.

randy

joele · 12-17-2006, 10:35 PM

Yes pixel mapping is on the top of my firmware update wish list ;-)

sklathill · 12-18-2006, 12:12 AM

12 hot pixels is pretty bad! Right now, I have just one pixel that shows up at handheld speed...and I think it's the only one. Pretty annoying, though. Does Pentax set a threshold for number of hot pixels before they do anything with it?

trog100 · 12-18-2006, 06:51 AM

i think they fix them under warrantee.. what puzzles me is why so many 100ds seem to have them.. i have seen them in a few review nightshots.. my sons second k100 was worse than his first.. he then spent an hour in the shop testing out the third one before accepting it..

he has an olympus E20 which has user available pixel mapping.. either pentax need to start shipping cameras with less of them in the first place or biuild something in the firmware so that people can get rid of them their selves..

he did ask the pentax people about pixel mapping but didnt get much of an answer.. but they do fix them under warrantee and accept they shouldnt be there..

my camera has a much later production run number than any of the three my son has had.. it might be an early run thing and they might have improved things i dont know.. this one comes down to how long the camers have sat on the shop shelves probably..

trog

superfuzzy · 12-18-2006, 08:00 AM

I should have my k100d in a day or so, and will do the test.

I never thought I'd be taking photos with the lens cap ON

trog100 · 12-18-2006, 11:10 AM

"I never thought I'd be taking photos with the lens cap ON"

dont worry too much about it.. its just a beginning.. hours of similar pointless pixel peeping will inevitably follow.. its just part of the game..

trog

12-17-2006, 05:02 PM	#1
sklathill Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Photos: Gallery Posts: 64	Hot pixels, pixel mapping, and the Pentax Warranty? Yeah I have a hot pixel. Yeah I know that I could live with it and deal with it myself in photoshop or what not. It is noticeable to me at handheld shutter speeds and mid-ISO on the shots I've taken recently... So I was wondering if it is possible to get this mapped out in the camera some how, if it's end user serviceable, and if it is not, if it's possible to get Pentax to do it under warranty service. I saw a forum post that said that in some countries Pentax service does do software mapping while in Pentax UK specifically they actually change out the sensor. What's the solution in the US?

12-17-2006, 10:02 PM	#9
joele Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Melbourne, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,308	But to show stuck (not hot) pixels they still show up at ISO 200 and 1/30 (mine did anyway, thats why they fixed it under warranty).. Last edited by joele; 12-17-2006 at 10:33 PM.

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12-17-2006, 06:38 PM	#2
joele Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Melbourne, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,308	I don't think it is user fixable, but I had a dozen or so at ISO 200 on my ist DS and I took it back to the Pentax service center and they mapped it out for me under warranty.. They kept my camera for a couple of days, I think I took it in on a Monday and got it express posted out to me on the Thursday...

12-17-2006, 09:08 PM	#3
Flaco Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Outside Chicago Posts: 218	I'm going to sound like a newb, which I am to the dslr world. But what exactly is hot pixels/pixel mapping?

12-17-2006, 09:15 PM	#4
joele Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Melbourne, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,308	I actually had stuck pixels which are pixels that show as constant red (or blue) dots.. so I could take a picture of white wall and had little red dots... Hot pixels do a similar thing but tend to only happen under longer exposures and higher ISOs... Whereas stuck pixels occur no matter the length of the exposure or ISO.. Pixel mapping means they tell the processor in the camera to dump (ignore) these few pixels (out of the 6 million it means very little to dump a few)..

12-17-2006, 09:22 PM	#5
trog100 Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: UK Posts: 642	its a shame they dont make it user fixable.. some think duff pixels are normal but i dont on a new camera.. my son took two back for exchange till he found a sample that didnt have the problem.. trog

12-17-2006, 09:24 PM	#6
mcm New Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Pollock Pines, CA Posts: 12	Question: What test can you do to determine this. Doesn't seem like an easy thing to spot if you had say, less than 10 bad pixels total. If you had several thousand well sure.. maybe that would be more noticeable.

12-17-2006, 09:36 PM	#7
joele Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Melbourne, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,308	Put the cap on your lens and set to manual and 1/30 and whatever apeture, now take a shot, should be black (no stars)... lower ISOs should be none, ISO 1600 it is possible we all have some.. If you don't notice them in pics (I did as I had a cluster) it is better not to know they are there, as once you notice them you can't forget..

12-17-2006, 09:53 PM	#8
trog100 Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: UK Posts: 642	they show up worse at slow shutter speeds 1/30 is way to fast a test.. low light shutter speeds of around 1/15 of a second against darkish background will bring them out.. and it only take one pink dot against a darkish background and once u know its there it sticks out like a saw thumb and irritates u each time u see it.. he he but if u cant see any u dont have a problem.. i have never noticed any on my camera but then again i aint gone looking for em.. trog

12-17-2006, 10:08 PM	#10
slip Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: 2 hours north of toronto ontario canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,535	Originally posted by trog100 its a shame they dont make it user fixable.. some think duff pixels are normal but i dont on a new camera.. my son took two back for exchange till he found a sample that didnt have the problem.. trog weird thing is... my wife's old 3mp olympus stylus 300 has pixel remaping. she never had a problem in the years she owned it with hot pixels, so I have no idea how well it works, if at all. randy

12-17-2006, 10:35 PM	#11
joele Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Melbourne, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,308	Yes pixel mapping is on the top of my firmware update wish list ;-)

12-18-2006, 12:12 AM	#12
sklathill Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Photos: Gallery Posts: 64 Original Poster	12 hot pixels is pretty bad! Right now, I have just one pixel that shows up at handheld speed...and I think it's the only one. Pretty annoying, though. Does Pentax set a threshold for number of hot pixels before they do anything with it?

12-18-2006, 06:51 AM	#13
trog100 Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: UK Posts: 642	i think they fix them under warrantee.. what puzzles me is why so many 100ds seem to have them.. i have seen them in a few review nightshots.. my sons second k100 was worse than his first.. he then spent an hour in the shop testing out the third one before accepting it.. he has an olympus E20 which has user available pixel mapping.. either pentax need to start shipping cameras with less of them in the first place or biuild something in the firmware so that people can get rid of them their selves.. he did ask the pentax people about pixel mapping but didnt get much of an answer.. but they do fix them under warrantee and accept they shouldnt be there.. my camera has a much later production run number than any of the three my son has had.. it might be an early run thing and they might have improved things i dont know.. this one comes down to how long the camers have sat on the shop shelves probably.. trog

12-18-2006, 08:00 AM	#14
superfuzzy Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: NJ, USA (close to NYC) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 278	I should have my k100d in a day or so, and will do the test. I never thought I'd be taking photos with the lens cap ON

12-18-2006, 11:10 AM	#15
trog100 Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: UK Posts: 642	"I never thought I'd be taking photos with the lens cap ON" dont worry too much about it.. its just a beginning.. hours of similar pointless pixel peeping will inevitably follow.. its just part of the game.. trog