Help-What is wrong with my camera/lens???

Overread · Nov 11, 2009

I would say its one of two possible problems
1) duff memory card
2) duff/dirty sensor.

The first is easily tested and you cna do that by formatting the card in camera (not in the computer). Then see if the shots keep repearting the effect. If you have a second card try using that instead as well.

2) If its dirt on the sensor (like oil possibly from internal components squirting a bit onto the sensor - the 5D had this problem) then you can have it professionally cleaned out (best done since oil is a swine to get of well). However I would rather send thecamera off for a proper servicing in this case otherwise your likley to end up spending even more should the clean not prove effective (unless you have a friend who can clean the sensor well for you)

Garbz · Nov 12, 2009

1) In order to consistently cause a colour shift in an area the memory card would have to have every group of bits wrong in the same place. More likely diagnostic of this would be if the image didn't open, or had horribly corruption.

2) Dirty sensor would be unlikely to produce this since this image is dark. If you shoot with the lens cap on you don't see black spots or grease on the sensor, unless there's a light source in the camera body, but really who would design something like that.

Unfortunately that really only leaves one problem, and that is something is wrong with the sensor, or the analogue to digital converter. Now it's time to call Canon

Also yes those are dead pixels, but that is a given. If you increase the sensitivity and increase the time the pixels are on, it all turns into a question of when and how many pixels will be dead. They are reset on the next exposure though. My first dead pixel appears as soon as 1/10th at ISO800, or about 2 min at ISO100.