My Canon 5dmk2 is headed back in for service! I am having bad luck with this great camera.

I just got it back after having the Compact Flash pin socket replaced. Read up on my broken pin blog by clicking here.

I worked on a music video shoot in Worcester, Massachusetts a few days ago and shot it guerrilla style. Using a glidecam 4000, I shot the “action” portion of the music video in 1080p 30p in available light. A few scenes were so dark, that I had the 55mm f1.2 Nikon lens wide open and the camera set to 6400 ISO!

I could have never shot this video project with any other video camera under these conditions and time restraints.

The client was very happy with the footage and the music video is in post production right now…. BUT… I was told by the editor that there are a three burnt pixels (or hot pixels) on my camera. I was taken by surprise. I did not notice them whilst shooting.

Below are a few screen grabs straight off the 1080p video. I cannot show you any footage until the music video is released.

There was also a behind the scenes documentary crew working this production, so I hope to post that video soon.

PRODUCTION UPDATE: August 5th: First look at “Sleep Alive – Put it on my tab” music video trailer. Click here to watch it.

VIDEO BLOG:
I shot a short little video showing you the bad pixels on the camera. I zoomed into the sensor 10x and could see the three red dots on the LCD screen. The Canon 5Dmk2 was capped and running at ISO 6400. The pixels got brighter as the sensor stayed on and heated up.

Dead Pixels on Canon 5dmk2 Image Sensor

I will be sending the Canon 5Dmk2 in for repair next week. I will keep you posted with a repair status (date and time) so that you can better understand the process to fix this problem if you are experiencing bad pixels on your Canon image sensor.

REPAIR UPDATE:

August 3rd, 2009 @9am: I contacted the New Jersey Canon Service Center via phone (732)521-7007 and spoke to a tech. I told him about my bad pixel problem and he quickly stated that this would be covered under my warranty. He told me that I would need to send just the camera body with a cap to the service center. He also told me to include a copy of the warranty card and the sales receipt. He suggested leaving a letter with the camera detailing the problem with my name, address and email address. He also added that it would be helpful if I included a cd with pictures showing the bad pixels. I told him I would include a link to this blog entry.

Now that my serial number is in the system, I will be sending the camera in via UPS for service Friday August 7th. I will keep you up to date as the camera goes through the repair process.

UPDATE AUGUST 10, 2009 @10am:
I have packed up the camera and sent it off to New Jersey using UPS GROUND. I included a note with details of the problem, a copy of my warranty card and Adorama receipt and a cd with pictures taken at high ISO showing the bad pixels. I just sent the camera body, capped, in a small Pelican Case.

UPDATE AUGUST 12, 2009 @5:30pm:
I got an email from Canon. They have accepted my repair.

Dear Thomas:
We have received your equipment for evaluation and repair. Based on our initial examination, we will start the necessary repairs at no charge to you. You can expect the repair to be completed and returned back to you within approximately 7 business days* from the date shown above. There is no need to respond to this notice.

Please note that in the unlikely event that any additional internal damage is found due to liquid/water, sand, corrosion, battery leakage or impact (such as dropping the unit), a revised estimate will be sent for your authorization, since these conditions are specifically excluded from warranty coverage.

Thank you for purchasing Canon products and for allowing us this opportunity to serve you.
Best Regards,
Canon Factory Service Center

UPDATE: August 13 @9:30am:
The camera has been fixed and is being shipped back to me via Fed Ex. This is the message that was emailed to me this morning:

Dear Thomas :
We are pleased to confirm that the service you requested on your EOS 5D MARK II has been completed and your equipment has been shipped to you on 13-AUG-09 . The tracking number for your package is xxxxxxx . If you wish to track the status of your shipment through Federal Express, click here, or visit www.FedEx.com and use the tracking number listed above.
Please note that a signature is required for delivery!

Thank you for purchasing Canon products and for allowing us this opportunity to serve you.

Best Regards,
Canon Factory Service Center

There was no charge for this repair. I am VERY happy with Canon Customer Support. I will let you know if they completely fixed the problem when the 5dmk2 arrives.

REPAIR UPDATE AUGUST 14 2009 @5pm
Fed EX just delivered the package to me via Express. Thank you Canon for sending me my camera back to me using a very fast method. This is what the paperwork said when I opened up the box.

“Service Details:
All adjustments and corresponding testing have been completed to Canon factory standards. Firmware was updated to latest version. Remapped dead pixels.”

Not certain why the firmware was updated, I was running the latest version. Happy to hear that the dead pixels were “remapped”. Now it is time to test it out.

REPAIR UPDATE AUGUST 14 2009 @9pm:
I have turned on the Canon 5dmk2 and capped the front. I set the ISO to 6400 and set the shutter to 1/30th. I hit record and let the sensor heat up for 10 minutes. At this point, I stopped the recording and zoomed into the black image 10x. I scanned the entire image and found it completely clean, except for a small dead pixel in the extreme lower left of the sensor. I am happy with the results of the repair! It cost me only to ship it to Canon, about $9 at UPS (ground).

BLOG UPDATE! BLOG UPDATE!
I have included a before and after picture of the capped sensor at ISO 6400 for you to examine. Please click on the below images and use the scroll feature on your browser to look closely at the dead and hot pixels. I increased the video levels in Photoshop to amplify the noise and problematic pixels to make it easier to see.

I was without my 5dmk2 for just four days. THAT IS INCREDIBLE SERVICE. I wonder if this blog thing helps?

I have used my Canon 5Dmk2 twice. Once to shoot a movie called “Burial Site” and the second time to snap off a few RAW stills while hiking in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Things went well, I got the camera a little wet while hiking, but everything checked out fine.

I tried to use it for the third time and now the camera is a paperweight. NICE!

This has nothing to do with the light rain that I was shooting in while hiking in the mountains. It was something else all together. I slid the Kingston Compact Flash memory card into the socket on the Canon 5Dmk2 and found the camera to be malfunctioning. Nothing out of the ordinary, the card went in fine. The camera took about ten seconds to fully power up and it displayed the words, “Card Must Be Formatted” on the LCD.

I was surprised at this, so I went into the menu and selected “FORMAT”. Instantly, the camera stated on the viewfinder, “CARD CANNOT BE FORMATTED”.

I removed the card and looked at it. I noticed a slight indentation between two of the holes in the interface. I immediately thought that one of the pins in the camera must have bent and that was the cause of the mark. I did not force the card into the camera, I just pushed it in like I had done in the past.

Next, I grabbed a flashlight and a magnifying glass and looked into the CF interface cavity of the 5dmk2. I saw that one of the center pins was pushed down into the socket. I swore.

That is pretty much it. If you own this camera, be careful! I did nothing wrong. I did not insert the card incorrectly. I simply ejected it, used it in a external memory card reader and then reinserted it into the Canon camera. The CF card was carried inside the little plastic case so that it would stay clean. I tested the suspect CF card in my external reader and it works fine. I cannot explain why this happened, but I will be contacting Canon tomorrow and I plan to add updates to this page as I go through the repair process.

REPAIR UPDATES:
July 6, 2009 @11am – Called Adorama in NY at 800-223-2500. They told me to call 800-OK-CANON. Called Canon, they told me to call the service center in New Jersey at (732) 521-7007. I waited on hold for twenty minutes and when call was answered I was told I was in wrong department. The guy then told me that there was a long wait for repair. I told him I had been on hold for twenty minutes already. He said, then try registering for repair on Canon’s web site at http://www.usa.canon.com/repair. I am now trying that.

July 6, 2009 @11:15am – I have submitted a new repair request through the Canon website. I filled out all the info and this is what I posted when asked to explain the problem.

July 6, 2009 @2pm – I have packed up the camera and placed it in a small pelican case. I placed the peli-case inside a slightly larger box and sent if to the Canon Service Center in Jamesburg, New Jersey. It is due to arrive tomorrow.

Inserted a Compact Flash card into Canon 5D mark 2 for just the third time and powered up the camera, the camera did not initialize. Camera LCD stated that the “CARD MUST BE FORMATTED”. The card was already formatted.
I looked at the card and there was a mark between two of the contact holes.
I looked into CF camera cavity and found that one of the center pins in the interface was bent.
Camera will not format or recognize the CF card.
I posted pictures to my blog that might help you understand the situation better.
Link: http://bit.ly/OuIDd
Thanks and please help me get this fixed ASAP! I use this equipment on jobs as my source of income.

July 8 2009 @2pm – The camera arrived in New Jersey and I immediately received this email:

Dear Thomas :
We have received your equipment for evaluation and repair. Based on our initial examination, we will start the necessary repairs at no charge to you. You can expect the repair to be completed and returned back to you within approximately 7 business days* from the date shown above. There is no need to respond to this notice.
Please note that in the unlikely event that any additional internal damage is found due to liquid/water, sand, corrosion, battery leakage or impact (such as dropping the unit), a revised estimate will be sent for your authorization, since these conditions are specifically excluded from warranty coverage.
Thank you for purchasing Canon products and for allowing us this opportunity to serve you.
Best Regards,
Canon Factory Service Center

Great customer service thus far. Thank you Canon.

July 14 2009 @9am – Received this email:

Dear Thomas :
We are pleased to confirm that the service you requested on your EOS 5D MARK II has been completed and your equipment has been shipped to you on 14-JUL-09 . The tracking number for your package is 9************** . If you wish to track the status of your shipment through Federal Express, click here, or visit www.FedEx.com and use the tracking number listed above.
Please note that a signature is required for delivery!

Thank you for purchasing Canon products and for allowing us this opportunity to serve you.

Best Regards,
Canon Factory Service Center

July 15 2009 @1pm – Fed EX arrived at my home with Canon Package
I was not charged any money for the repair. The repair took just 12 days from the time of damage to the time of repair delivery.

The paper included with my repaired 5dmk2 stated:

BENT PIN. 1X COURTESY REPAIR. REPAIR TO GOOD WORKING ORDER.

Canon also added:

We have examined the product according to your request and upon close inspection the exact cause could not be identified but it was found that the memory card slot pins were broken. The internal component was replaced. Other electrical adjustments, inspection and cleaning and parts replacements were carried out. REPLACED MAIN PCB ASS’Y.

I hope this helps you if you are going through the same inconvenience. I have replaced my Kingston Compact Flash cards with Sandisk Extreme III cards. I am not sure if the camera had a bad pin from the factory or if my Kingston cards were to blame.

Based on what I have gotten back in writing from Canon, it appears that you get a one time “courtesy repair” on the PCB assembly. Not sure how much it will cost me if this happens again.