Pixels. GL1. ugghhhhhhh. at DVinfo.net
DV Info Net

Go Back   DV Info Net > Canon EOS / MXF / AVCHD / HDV / DV Camera Systems > Canon HDV and DV Camera Systems > Canon XL and GL Series DV Camcorders > Canon GL Series DV Camcorders

Canon GL Series DV Camcorders
Canon GL2, GL1 and PAL versions XM2, XM1.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old July 7th, 2003, 04:06 PM   #1
New Boot
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: ft. myers, FL
Posts: 6
Pixels. GL1. ugghhhhhhh.

Sigh... dead pixels. $800 repairs.

I got my GL1 used. The person I bought it from made me a video showing what the GL1's quality looked like. No pixels. I get the camera two weeks later, a red pixel, and a dark green pixel near it.... showing up on all footage, not just the LCD. I know the seller didn't screw me, because the video he made special for me does not show any pixels. He insured the package, and it had a pixel problem straight out of the box.

I called Canon, they cannot give me an exact estimate unless I send the cam. So say I send it. Could get more damaged on the way to Canon, and on the way back. Then I have to prove to the post office that it's their fault. Then I have to send it to Canon again, and be without my camera for months. Who knows if the post office will even pay for repairs.

The video is good proof that there were no problems prior to shipping. But I dunno, everything seems like a huge hassle.

Another option I was thinking about is to just leave the damn pixels there... and call my indie film company Two Pixel Films or something. might make a good story if I ever become successful and had to explain the name: "couldn't afford to pay for an $800 repair". In the end, it's the content that matters, not the quality, right? But at the same time... friggin' pixels....

The punk inside me says to keep the GL1 and say screw even trying for the insurance claim. The punk inside me says make my films despite the pixels.

Has anyone had any pixel problems. dead or hot pixels? I know you GL1/GL2 users probably have. I've read several posts on other message boards about people having the same problems. It pisses me off, it sucks so bad... but what can you do? Use what you got? Ignore the pixels?

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading this post, and please respond with any stories or advice.

-Skip
Skip Frederiksen is offline   Reply With Quote
Old July 7th, 2003, 04:24 PM   #2
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: North Pole, Alaska
Posts: 197
not insured?

I had a good cam sent to me a long while ago and it arrived dead.It was insured. the post office paid up and I got it repaired. worth trying.
__________________
on the Internet, when you get where you're going you still don't know where you are
Bud Kuenzli is offline   Reply With Quote
Old July 7th, 2003, 04:26 PM   #3
Outer Circle
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Hope, BC
Posts: 7,524
The cam just might have been damaged during shipping, or maybe not. Since the seller claimed the cam was working perfectly, without "hot" pixels, and he offered proof, I would go ahead and make a claim.
Frank Granovski is offline   Reply With Quote
Old July 7th, 2003, 06:12 PM   #4
Wrangler
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Northern VA
Posts: 4,487
How do you know the sample tape was new and good?

BTW, hot pixels that show up at +12 dB gain may not show up as such at 0 dB of gain. Alternatively, they may be masked by image content. Hard to see a bad pixel in a busy well lit image.
__________________
dpalomaki@dspalomaki.com
Don Palomaki is offline   Reply With Quote
Old July 7th, 2003, 06:27 PM   #5
Inner Circle
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Albany, NY 12210
Posts: 2,652
I vote for just living with the dead pixels. It's not worth $800 to fix this camcorder. If you can isolate exactly where the pixles are, you can cover the dots with a less obvious color in post.
Marco Leavitt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old July 7th, 2003, 06:29 PM   #6
New Boot
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: ft. myers, FL
Posts: 6
ok, I thought of that...

but wouldn't it be REALLY hard to cover up the pixel in post? at 30 frames per second, using frame movie mode? If I shoot an 80-minute indie full-length... how long and how much rendering would it take to cover up that red pixel (and the less bright pixel near it)? please reply... man, all these posts are totally messing me up... i'm so torn. haha.

-skip
Skip Frederiksen is offline   Reply With Quote
Old July 8th, 2003, 07:14 AM   #7
Inner Circle
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Albany, NY 12210
Posts: 2,652
Okay, I've never had to do this, so I won't pretend to know a lot about it, but from what I understand from posts on message boards such as this one, it isn't that hard. You just make an overlay the same way you would if you were letterboxing your movie. I wouldn't bother trying to match the exact pixel color for each shot. That would take forever. Just pick a neutral color that won't jump out at the viewer. I assume you will have to render all of your footage, but I always seem to have to do that anyway. What kind of NLE do you have? I would recommend posting in a forum that deals with editing to find out how much of a hassle this will be.
Marco Leavitt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old July 8th, 2003, 08:31 AM   #8
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Tooele, UT
Posts: 78
The best way I've found to deal with hot pixels is to make a track matte in Photoshop that match the locations of your hot pixels. Duplicate your footage in the timeline and shift it over 1 of two pixels. Every now and then I'll have to tweak things a bit, but you get a much closer match by shifting the footage than by trying to color the hot pixels.

It is quite possible that the hot pixels developed during shipping. Normal radiation experienced on airline flights has been known to damage the CCD blocks, so unless the camera was shipped by ground transportation, I wouldn't be surprised if the shipper was the culprit.

Rick
__________________
There is no problem so large that can't be solved with a suitable application of high explosives.
Rick Foxx is offline   Reply
Reply

DV Info Net refers all where-to-buy and where-to-rent questions exclusively to these trusted full line dealers and rental houses...

B&H Photo Video
(866) 521-7381
New York, NY USA

Scan Computers Int. Ltd.
+44 0871-472-4747
Bolton, Lancashire UK


DV Info Net also encourages you to support local businesses and buy from an authorized dealer in your neighborhood.
  You are here: DV Info Net > Canon EOS / MXF / AVCHD / HDV / DV Camera Systems > Canon HDV and DV Camera Systems > Canon XL and GL Series DV Camcorders > Canon GL Series DV Camcorders

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

 



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 01:51 PM.


DV Info Net -- Real Names, Real People, Real Info!
1998-2024 The Digital Video Information Network