Canon S60 - hot pixels

Hello everybody,

After a long wait I finally received my Canon Powershot S60. Now, after
about one week, I noticed a red spot on the LCD in low light condition. I
ran a test and the program found five hot pixels on the CCD sensor (not on
LCD!), luminance 65-75, in the lower side of the picture. I can see the red
spot on the LCD in low light conditions, I can see it on A4 prints if a dark
detail is in that area and I look carefully, I'll surely see it if I need to
crop a detail from that area and print it A4, I can't really see it on
10x15 prints and surely not if the detail in that area is relatively
bright.

How bad is it? I am tempted to send the camera back and get the new one, but
I am afraid that the new one might be worse, i.e. more hot pixels and/or
worse placed (towards the center of the CCD). I read some opinions on the
net, some would send it back immediately. Others would wait almost until
waranty is about to expire, then send it for repair. My understanding is
that repair is not by changing the CCD, but by re-mapping the pixels so that
bad ones don't show. I understand how this is possible for not showing them
on the LCD, but I don't understand how it works for the real picture, if for
example those pixels are disabled somehow, then there will be a dark spot on
bright details, right? Other wrote that they live with the problem and that
60-70 luminance is not really a hot pixel.

Any advice?

Thank you,

Mike

"mike" wrote in message ...
Hello everybody,

After a long wait I finally received my Canon Powershot S60. Now, after
about one week, I noticed a red spot on the LCD in low light condition. I
ran a test and the program found five hot pixels on the CCD sensor (not on
LCD!), luminance 65-75, in the lower side of the picture. I can see the red
spot on the LCD in low light conditions, I can see it on A4 prints if a dark
detail is in that area and I look carefully, I'll surely see it if I need to
crop a detail from that area and print it A4, I can't really see it on
10x15 prints and surely not if the detail in that area is relatively
bright.

How bad is it? I am tempted to send the camera back and get the new one, but
I am afraid that the new one might be worse, i.e. more hot pixels and/or
worse placed (towards the center of the CCD). I read some opinions on the
net, some would send it back immediately. Others would wait almost until
waranty is about to expire, then send it for repair. My understanding is
that repair is not by changing the CCD, but by re-mapping the pixels so that
bad ones don't show. I understand how this is possible for not showing them
on the LCD, but I don't understand how it works for the real picture, if for
example those pixels are disabled somehow, then there will be a dark spot on
bright details, right? Other wrote that they live with the problem and that
60-70 luminance is not really a hot pixel.

Any advice?

Thank you,

Mike

Hello Mike,

I just recently bought an S60. My first one had two clusters of 5
pixels each that were hot, around the same luminance values as yours.
It's really not the end of the world and could be corrected in
Photoshop quite easily. Your luminance value is 60-70 out of a
possible 255, so it's not that bad. Just annoying. But for me, it
bothered me enough to have it exchanged. It was easy for me, as I
drove to my local dealer and he swapped it out on the spot. The
replacement, 2 serial numbers newer, had zero hot pixels so I'm happy
now. Sooner or later, hot pixels will develop and one can't just keep
swapping out cameras. So, at that point I will have to correct the
problem in Photoshop, no biggie really. But, I can your
disappointment. The thing that bothers me more is the soft corners.
On my sample, it is more prominent on the right side of the picture.
But again, it's not really noticeable unless you view the picture at
100% on the screen or print 8x10. That is not the purpose of this
pocket camera for me. This one is my vacation camera that will
basically print 4x6 size pictures. The soft corners seem to be either
a problem for most or concidered normal for this camera. Many of the
major online reviewers mention it in their review. But, back to your
question whether you should send it back - well, it depends how much
it bothers you. Any yes, you could end up with one even worse! Tough
call. Good Luck. -Norm

"mike" wrote in message ...
Hello everybody,

After a long wait I finally received my Canon Powershot S60. Now, after
about one week, I noticed a red spot on the LCD in low light condition. I
ran a test and the program found five hot pixels on the CCD sensor (not on
LCD!), luminance 65-75, in the lower side of the picture. I can see the red
spot on the LCD in low light conditions, I can see it on A4 prints if a dark
detail is in that area and I look carefully, I'll surely see it if I need to
crop a detail from that area and print it A4, I can't really see it on
10x15 prints and surely not if the detail in that area is relatively
bright.

How bad is it? I am tempted to send the camera back and get the new one, but
I am afraid that the new one might be worse, i.e. more hot pixels and/or
worse placed (towards the center of the CCD). I read some opinions on the
net, some would send it back immediately. Others would wait almost until
waranty is about to expire, then send it for repair. My understanding is
that repair is not by changing the CCD, but by re-mapping the pixels so that
bad ones don't show. I understand how this is possible for not showing them
on the LCD, but I don't understand how it works for the real picture, if for
example those pixels are disabled somehow, then there will be a dark spot on
bright details, right? Other wrote that they live with the problem and that
60-70 luminance is not really a hot pixel.

Any advice?

Thank you,

Mike

Hello Mike,

I just recently bought an S60. My first one had two clusters of 5
pixels each that were hot, around the same luminance values as yours.
It's really not the end of the world and could be corrected in
Photoshop quite easily. Your luminance value is 60-70 out of a
possible 255, so it's not that bad. Just annoying. But for me, it
bothered me enough to have it exchanged. It was easy for me, as I
drove to my local dealer and he swapped it out on the spot. The
replacement, 2 serial numbers newer, had zero hot pixels so I'm happy
now. Sooner or later, hot pixels will develop and one can't just keep
swapping out cameras. So, at that point I will have to correct the
problem in Photoshop, no biggie really. But, I can your
disappointment. The thing that bothers me more is the soft corners.
On my sample, it is more prominent on the right side of the picture.
But again, it's not really noticeable unless you view the picture at
100% on the screen or print 8x10. That is not the purpose of this
pocket camera for me. This one is my vacation camera that will
basically print 4x6 size pictures. The soft corners seem to be either
a problem for most or concidered normal for this camera. Many of the
major online reviewers mention it in their review. But, back to your
question whether you should send it back - well, it depends how much
it bothers you. Any yes, you could end up with one even worse! Tough
call. Good Luck. -Norm

Hello Norm,

Thank you for your answer. Well, this is in short my story:

The first S60 went back due to the hot pixels problem I wrote about.

The second S60 has no hot pixels but has, in my opinion, some strange
noise when zooming in/out (I believe you saw my other post).

I went to test the zoom in some other shops and concluded that the
zoom noise in my unit is a bit strange.

I decided to exchange the second S60 as well. At the shop they had
luckily three units on stock (normally they bring them only when one
orders), I tested those units, they all had hot pixels. Two of them
had even noisier zoom, the third one had marginally less noise.
Conclusion: I didn't give back my unit, I'll keep it for now as a
'clean' CCD seems difficult to find.

This brings the questions what happens with cameras returned due to
e.g. hot pixels, are they re-circulated without removing the problem,
perhaps not by the retailer but by importer?

Anyway, I'm sure that for any camera purchase I'll only use a local
store with reliable return policy, no mail order.

Mike


(Norm) wrote in message . com...

Hello Mike,

I just recently bought an S60. My first one had two clusters of 5
pixels each that were hot, around the same luminance values as yours.
It's really not the end of the world and could be corrected in
Photoshop quite easily. Your luminance value is 60-70 out of a
possible 255, so it's not that bad. Just annoying. But for me, it
bothered me enough to have it exchanged. It was easy for me, as I
drove to my local dealer and he swapped it out on the spot. The
replacement, 2 serial numbers newer, had zero hot pixels so I'm happy
now. Sooner or later, hot pixels will develop and one can't just keep
swapping out cameras. So, at that point I will have to correct the
problem in Photoshop, no biggie really. But, I can your
disappointment. The thing that bothers me more is the soft corners.
On my sample, it is more prominent on the right side of the picture.
But again, it's not really noticeable unless you view the picture at
100% on the screen or print 8x10. That is not the purpose of this
pocket camera for me. This one is my vacation camera that will
basically print 4x6 size pictures. The soft corners seem to be either
a problem for most or concidered normal for this camera. Many of the
major online reviewers mention it in their review. But, back to your
question whether you should send it back - well, it depends how much
it bothers you. Any yes, you could end up with one even worse! Tough
call. Good Luck. -Norm

Hello Norm,

Thank you for your answer. Well, this is in short my story:

The first S60 went back due to the hot pixels problem I wrote about.

The second S60 has no hot pixels but has, in my opinion, some strange
noise when zooming in/out (I believe you saw my other post).

I went to test the zoom in some other shops and concluded that the
zoom noise in my unit is a bit strange.

I decided to exchange the second S60 as well. At the shop they had
luckily three units on stock (normally they bring them only when one
orders), I tested those units, they all had hot pixels. Two of them
had even noisier zoom, the third one had marginally less noise.
Conclusion: I didn't give back my unit, I'll keep it for now as a
'clean' CCD seems difficult to find.

This brings the questions what happens with cameras returned due to
e.g. hot pixels, are they re-circulated without removing the problem,
perhaps not by the retailer but by importer?

Anyway, I'm sure that for any camera purchase I'll only use a local
store with reliable return policy, no mail order.

Mike


(Norm) wrote in message . com...

Hello Mike,

I just recently bought an S60. My first one had two clusters of 5
pixels each that were hot, around the same luminance values as yours.
It's really not the end of the world and could be corrected in
Photoshop quite easily. Your luminance value is 60-70 out of a
possible 255, so it's not that bad. Just annoying. But for me, it
bothered me enough to have it exchanged. It was easy for me, as I
drove to my local dealer and he swapped it out on the spot. The
replacement, 2 serial numbers newer, had zero hot pixels so I'm happy
now. Sooner or later, hot pixels will develop and one can't just keep
swapping out cameras. So, at that point I will have to correct the
problem in Photoshop, no biggie really. But, I can your
disappointment. The thing that bothers me more is the soft corners.
On my sample, it is more prominent on the right side of the picture.
But again, it's not really noticeable unless you view the picture at
100% on the screen or print 8x10. That is not the purpose of this
pocket camera for me. This one is my vacation camera that will
basically print 4x6 size pictures. The soft corners seem to be either
a problem for most or concidered normal for this camera. Many of the
major online reviewers mention it in their review. But, back to your
question whether you should send it back - well, it depends how much
it bothers you. Any yes, you could end up with one even worse! Tough
call. Good Luck. -Norm

Hello Norm,

Thank you for your answer. Well, this is in short my story:

The first S60 went back due to the hot pixels problem I wrote about.

The second S60 has no hot pixels but has, in my opinion, some strange
noise when zooming in/out (I believe you saw my other post).

I went to test the zoom in some other shops and concluded that the
zoom noise in my unit is a bit strange.

I decided to exchange the second S60 as well. At the shop they had
luckily three units on stock (normally they bring them only when one
orders), I tested those units, they all had hot pixels. Two of them
had even noisier zoom, the third one had marginally less noise.
Conclusion: I didn't give back my unit, I'll keep it for now as a
'clean' CCD seems difficult to find.

This brings the questions what happens with cameras returned due to
e.g. hot pixels, are they re-circulated without removing the problem,
perhaps not by the retailer but by importer?

Anyway, I'm sure that for any camera purchase I'll only use a local
store with reliable return policy, no mail order.

Mike


(Norm) wrote in message . com...

Hello Mike,

I just recently bought an S60. My first one had two clusters of 5
pixels each that were hot, around the same luminance values as yours.
It's really not the end of the world and could be corrected in
Photoshop quite easily. Your luminance value is 60-70 out of a
possible 255, so it's not that bad. Just annoying. But for me, it
bothered me enough to have it exchanged. It was easy for me, as I
drove to my local dealer and he swapped it out on the spot. The
replacement, 2 serial numbers newer, had zero hot pixels so I'm happy
now. Sooner or later, hot pixels will develop and one can't just keep
swapping out cameras. So, at that point I will have to correct the
problem in Photoshop, no biggie really. But, I can your
disappointment. The thing that bothers me more is the soft corners.
On my sample, it is more prominent on the right side of the picture.
But again, it's not really noticeable unless you view the picture at
100% on the screen or print 8x10. That is not the purpose of this
pocket camera for me. This one is my vacation camera that will
basically print 4x6 size pictures. The soft corners seem to be either
a problem for most or concidered normal for this camera. Many of the
major online reviewers mention it in their review. But, back to your
question whether you should send it back - well, it depends how much
it bothers you. Any yes, you could end up with one even worse! Tough
call. Good Luck. -Norm