5D Mark III Black vertical lines (Sensor damage?)

[HugoFilipe]

Hi,

I've had the camera stored for about one month and suddenly these black vertical lines appeared.
Check out the photo.

I've reset everything, unistalled ML lantern, updated for the latest nightly, removed bootloader,  reinstaled the 1.2.3, then the 1.1.3, restored about everything and problem pressists.
It shows on live view and video also.

Please tell me that my camera isn't damaged.. :/

[Levas]

Maybe you already did, but did you try a "reset to factory default " ?
It's somewhere in the Canon menu, resore to factory default or something.

[a1ex]

The pattern repeats every 8 pixels. The 5D3 has 8 readout chips that work in parallel, so one of them might be in trouble.

Can you upload a CR2?

[Frank7D]

This happened to me with my 7D once. Unfortunately, I can't recall the details (I should document these things since my memory is bad).
As best I can remember, it happened when I accidentally left the camera turned on in its bag for a long time. I can't remember what I did to fix it, but the reset to factory default suggestion sounds vaguely familiar. At any rate, the issue was resolved without needing to send it to the factory for repair.

[HugoFilipe]

I did make the factory reset but no luck.
The camera did not remain on, but knowing that your 7D fixed by itself makes me feel better.
I'm away from the PC but will upload a CRF as soon as I get there.

Thank you all
Hugo

[a1ex]

@Frank7D: that's a great hint.

@HugoFilipe: can you also upload a few silent pictures from LiveView? (1080p, 720p and 5x zoom).

[HugoFilipe]

@a1ex here it goes.
There are the 3 Slient Pictures and 2 CR2's. One I took right now and one from the day the issue appeared.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/3c9nmh346cn3s6f/AABbp5rb8pyGTQ7xuLFq2LU7a?dl=0

Thanks for your help

[DeafEyeJedi]

Have you tried using different cards? all same results?

*Just checked your files... I'm pretty surprise to see this kind of stuff.

Hope it gets resolved soon.

[HugoFilipe]

Tried different cards, CF and and SD, even without card the issue is visible on Live View.
It's clear that it's not a writing error, something is wrong with the processing.

I removed the small battery in hope to do a full reset, but did not resolved the issue.

I'm afraid I'll have to take it to Canon :/

Any help is welcome!
Thanks

[DeafEyeJedi]

btw, what was your total shutter count if you can recall that from the ML menu?

[HugoFilipe]

85K

I feel bad that this problem did appear while the camera was stored. It did a full wedding before and the issue does not appear on any of the photos. The first photo after storage reveals the issue.

[DeafEyeJedi]

Was it humid in the area where you stored?

[hugosilva]

Unfortunately that is not the problem, it was stored in a camera bag with silica bags.
I believe it was some fried out processor or software error.
I'm holding going to Canon with the hope that this would eventually fix by it self, or maybe someone here knows what it is.

Thanks

[a1ex]

Can you do a RAM dump (from Debug menu) and send it to me by PM?

(please zip it first, I'm on a slow connection)

[HugoFilipe]

Sorry for late reply a1ex, did not get the reply notification and though no one did reply.
RAM dump had been send to you, I hope to could get this sorted.

Thanks a lot

[a1ex]

Since the vertical stripes appear the same in both 1080p and 1:1 modes, the issue is clearly after pixel binning is done. This doesn't help much, though.

What's interesting is that our black columns seem to contain some sort of image data, but it appears to be filtered somehow. I've split the images in 2x8 parts:




Complete samples and octave script here.

Sensor parameters (those that we identified from ISO research) appear to be OK. I've tried to reproduce the error by setting one of the column gains to 0, but the result is different (the black column obtained that way contains all pixels equal to 2048, no image data at all).

The filter appears to be some sort of derivative. If anyone can write the "black" column as a function of the good ones, it would help.

@HugoFilipe: can you take a picture of a resolution chart?

Worst case, I can create a postprocessing tool that interpolates the missing columns.

[HugoFilipe]

@a1ex I understand, I'm still trying to figure out the source of the issue.
Since it has some information on the columns, could it be some sort of error associated with dual iso?
I found that when I zoom the photo quickly it briefly previews as "dual iso" dark preview. When I load a picture from another 5D3 on the camera with the issue, the preview is normal (without dark frames)
This "dark" preview shows some information on highlights (just like dual iso).
If you try to load one of the .CR2 on your camera and zoom quickly on the photo you'll see what i refer to.

Regarding the resolution chart, I don't have one, I believe that if I print one, the bottle neck would be the printer resolution.
I can print it anyway and shoot.

Hope this helps in someway

[a1ex]

I doubt it's related to dual ISO, but you never know. It's not the same artifact.

A printed chart is totally fine. If you find the printer resolution too low, you could use a wider lens or move the camera backwards.

[HugoFilipe]

Here it goes a1ex.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/hqdnjonc0sh0g23/Chart.CR2?dl=0

Let me know if I can do anything else. Thank you

[a1ex]

Can you try to take one at ISO 100? This one is too noisy.

[HugoFilipe]

Sorry, did not have enought light.

Will do it again.

[erhanmad]

The Problem is the converter....
use raw2cdng.1.7.4.exe and activate vertical banding.... and the lines are gone....

[dmilligan]

The Problem is the converter....
use raw2cdng.1.7.4.exe and activate vertical banding.... and the lines are gone....

Nope. This is a totally different and much more severe problem that happens on regular CR2 stills. raw2cdng is program for processing raw video, and this thread is not about raw video at all. Please read the thread fully.

[jtvision]

I recently tried to test dual ISO and pictures on my 5Dm3 were similar to that. But they were ok after dual ISO was switchet off.

[HugoFilipe]

A little update..

I've sent the camera to Canon, they quoted me about 800€ for a sensor replacement. Not sure if they actually evaluated the problem.
Anyway, too expensive to justify the repair.

a1ex, I'm hopping you could do your magic, I've uploaded a resolution chart with better lighting and ISO 100.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/njr6r51p8i9v1rs/EY9A8214.CR2?dl=0

Please let me know if I can do anything to help.
Worst case scenario, is it too difficult to make the post processing tool to interpolate the missing pixels?

[HugoFilipe]

One last update,

Bought a used sensor and adventured myself into the process of changing it.
Conclusion: The problem was somewhere in the sensor assembly. Got everything back together, focus adjusted and voila!

Camera is working as before the problem.

I'd like to thank everyone that posted here, specially a1ex for his support!

[DeafEyeJedi]

Great news @HugoFillpe!

Smart move on your part, how much was the used Sensor (with how many shutter counts?) and I am glad you got it resolved for your precious 5D3!

[Kharak]

You are very brave!

Congrats on getting your camera back.