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01-03-2009, 05:00 PM   #1
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K20 Hot Pixels, what to do?

what are the suggestions for any hot pixels occurring on the k20?

thanks

01-03-2009, 09:40 PM   #2
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Are you using the latest firmware? Firmware version 1.01 included a fix for hot pixels that were randomly showing up in some long exposures. If you're still using version 1.00 (check by holding down the Menu button while switching the camera on), then this update may fix your issue.

If you are on the latest firmware and getting hot pixels, try using the pixel map feature in the set-up section of the menu. That will help eliminate any stuck or hot pixels.

- Jason
01-04-2009, 01:58 AM   #3
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Shoot RAW? If I do a long exposure on my K10D, the JPGs are pretty much unusable from all the bright hot pixels that make it through. use the RAW and Lightroom completely eliminates them with color noise reduction on just the default or 25/100.
01-04-2009, 02:16 AM   #4
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Page 235 of the K20D Owners manual.

It works.

Cheers.

01-04-2009, 08:07 AM   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by rdrum76 Quote
what are the suggestions for any hot pixels occurring on the k20?

thanks
pixel mapping.
01-05-2009, 03:49 PM   #6
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QuoteOriginally posted by rdrum76 Quote
what are the suggestions for any hot pixels occurring on the k20?

thanks
Map them out with the built-in hot pixel mapping function.
01-06-2009, 01:05 AM   #7
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Nothing

QuoteOriginally posted by rdrum76 Quote
what are the suggestions for any hot pixels occurring on the k20?

thanks
There is nothing you can do. The latest firmware is still hot and no software can cure an hardware issue, effectively and without any side effect.

01-06-2009, 01:16 AM   #8
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From what I read in the other photo forums, even the high end nikon/canon/sony models also exhibit hot pixels, in one way or another. So I guess this issue is not limited to just the k20D only. I would say just take RAW and use software to map out the hot pixels.
01-06-2009, 05:01 AM   #9
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Not Exactly

QuoteOriginally posted by raider Quote
From what I read in the other photo forums, even the high end nikon/canon/sony models also exhibit hot pixels, in one way or another. So I guess this issue is not limited to just the k20D only. I would say just take RAW and use software to map out the hot pixels.
Uncle Phil's men told us that the K20D is particular hotter!

Pentax K20D Review: 34. Conclusion: Digital Photography Review

And, it has the *unique* complusory NR mode that can never be turned off!
01-06-2009, 05:41 AM   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by RiceHigh Quote
Uncle Phil's men told us that the K20D is particular hotter!

Pentax K20D Review: 34. Conclusion: Digital Photography Review

And, it has the *unique* complusory NR mode that can never be turned off!
Unique as in.. Sony doesn't do that at all with any of their cameras?

QuoteQuote:
There is nothing you can do. The latest firmware is still hot and no software can cure an hardware issue, effectively and without any side effect.
The voice of experience
01-06-2009, 08:00 AM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by ftpaddict Quote
The voice of experience
Unfortunately, I agree w/ RiceHigh that it's a hardware issue (like the moire and x-mas lights problem w/ the K10D was because of the AA filter). In other sensors, hot pixels don't jump around...it's usually a manufacturing issue I think (deposition of material not being uniform). In the Samsung CMOS sensor, it does.

The firmware fix is to take care of these issues w/ MLU (they probably don't turn on the sensor to warm it up so quickly as a workaround would be my guess). With longer exposures, they're still there (and are also in other sensors to some degree, but in the same spots)...
01-06-2009, 08:13 AM   #12
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Pretty much every RAW converter maps out the hot pixels during conversion. With ACR, I have never seen a hot pixel on a K20 image.
This is not to say they aren't there at the time of the capture, but as long as they go away during RAW processing, I don't really care.
The meandering hot pixel issue is well documented, I'm just not willing to get my shorts in a knot about it.
01-06-2009, 08:25 AM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by RiceHigh Quote
Uncle Phil's men told us that the K20D is particular hotter!

Pentax K20D Review: 34. Conclusion: Digital Photography Review

And, it has the *unique* complusory NR mode that can never be turned off!
If by particularly hotter you mean still well below a hundreth of a percent of the available pixels. Think about it, even with 1000 hot pixels out of 14000000, that's 0.007%, with 100, 0.0007%. Honestly, here's the best solution RH, I'll list the steps in order:

1) Turn on camera.
2) Depress shutter.
3) Rinse and repeat.

The above steps can be completed using any camera of your choice, so if you don't like one brand, move along and try another. The rest of us will happily use what we have..

In all seriousness though, in reply to the OP, I haven't noticed many hot pixels. Been using 1.01 firmware shooting raw exclusively, and using ufraw to convert & begin postprocessing exporting to the gimp. I haven't had to remove any stuck/hot pixels, even with some night stuff e.g. this at ISO800, 1/4s:



I can see a few, but most of what you'd think are hot pixels are snow flakes refracting the light. Take a look, full version here:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3104/3145303073_62fb18a622_o.jpg

Maybe I'm just being cavalier or have a better copy than some people. I haven't tried over 2s long exposures.
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