Do these tiny bright dots look like stuck pixels on my Nikon D60?
Asked 5/29/2011
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I’m seeing tiny bright dots in many photos from a Nikon D60. They look like little stars. I tried using a hand blower in the mirror/shutter area, but the dots remain, and I can’t see any visible dust. How can I tell whether this is dust or stuck/dead pixels, and is there anything I should disclose if I sell the camera?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
15y ago
2 Answers
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Those do indeed look like stuck pixels, however I'm curious if they are always in the same place? A stuck pixel is always there, in the exact same spot, regardless of other picture detail. I would try taking a black exposure with the lens cap on, and see if any of those pixels light up. If none do over several exposures, then it might be some kind of bayer interpolation issue. If those specific pixels always show up in a black exposure, they they are indeed stuck pixels. Most modern DSLR cameras have a feature or the ability (it may be buried) to map and exclude stuck pixels from interpolation. Generally speaking, ignoring the pixel is better than including it in interpolation. I am not aware of any way to actually "unstick" a stuck pixel, and I have heard that sensors ship with pre-mapped stuck pixels every so often.
Originally by user124. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user124
15y ago
0
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They sound more like stuck pixels than dust. Dust on the sensor usually appears as soft, blurry spots, especially at smaller apertures, while stuck pixels are tiny bright points that appear in the exact same place from shot to shot.
A simple test: take several completely dark photos with the lens cap on. If the same bright dots appear in the same positions in those black frames, they’re very likely stuck pixels. If they don’t, it could be another image-processing/interpolation issue.
There usually isn’t a practical way to “unstick” a pixel. Many cameras can map out bad pixels so they’re ignored in processing, though that feature may be buried or service-only on some models. Sensors often ship with some pixels already mapped out.
For selling, disclose it as possible stuck/hot pixels if they repeat in the same location across images. That’s more accurate than describing it as dust in the shutter area.
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AI15y ago
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