G12: red dot in pics

[canonpix]

Hello: I have had my G12 since 2012 or so, and have taken great care of it. I've loved this camera.

I recently noticed, particularly in pictures taken at night, that a red dot shows up on my LCD screen and also in the pictures themselves on the computer. Is this something that could be resolved by a sensor cleaning? Or, is it something else?

I wrote Canon to ask about service, but none exists (through Canon, anyway) for this camera anymore.

For some background, I am a very occasional photographer, but love having a camera option as opposed to using my phone as a camera all the time. Thank you very much for any suggestions you might have! 

[Waddizzle]

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@canonpix wrote:

Hello: I have had my G12 since 2012 or so, and have taken great care of it. I've loved this camera.

I recently noticed, particularly in pictures taken at night, that a red dot shows up on my LCD screen and also in the pictures themselves on the computer. Is this something that could be resolved by a sensor cleaning? Or, is it something else?

I wrote Canon to ask about service, but none exists (through Canon, anyway) for this camera anymore.

For some background, I am a very occasional photographer, but love having a camera option as opposed to using my phone as a camera all the time. Thank you very much for any suggestions you might have! 

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I do not have a G12.  But, is the red dot always in the same place in the frame?  What software are you using to view the photos on your computer?  It could be that you're seeing the active AF point, which locked focus when the shutter was pressed.

Can you post a sample photo of what the red dot looks like?  Go outside and take picture of a tree, or a bush, or something.

[canonpix]

[canonpix]

Thanks so much for the reply. I use an iMac and this photo was uploaded to the Photos app on my computer. The red dot is always in the same place, but really only shows up in darker photos. I am pretty sure I see dust in other areas when I look closely, but I'm not sure. When I take photos of, say, a white wall, I don't see the red dot as clearly, but it's there if I really look for it.

[Waddizzle · Accepted solution]

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@canonpix wrote:

Thanks so much for the reply. I use an iMac and this photo was uploaded to the Photos app on my computer. The red dot is always in the same place, but really only shows up in darker photos. I am pretty sure I see dust in other areas when I look closely, but I'm not sure. When I take photos of, say, a white wall, I don't see the red dot as clearly, but it's there if I really look for it.

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Nope.  Not an AF point.  Zooming in on the web page, it looks like a stuck pixel on the Image Sensor.  

You could be seeing dust.  But, your type of camera, while not weather sealed, is still sealed up fairly well.  Your lens cannot be removed in normal use, so the inside will not as dirty as would a DSLR.  When you see dust on the sensor, it will show up as a dark blob on the image.  Take a picture of the blue sky, and they really show up.  They have no color of their own, and you can see through them.

As for your little red dot, it may cost more to inspect, clean, and repair the camera than it would to by a used one, or even a new one.

[canonpix]

Thanks so much for taking a look and for the feedback. I'll take a look around at what's out there now. I got this camera before owning a smartphone, but I think it's handy to have something with more features when taking pictures. Many thanks and happy new year!

[ScottyP]

Yes. A hot pixel. Problem in the sensor. 

I think you could use Lightroom to automatically clone that out for you; that is a feature intended to map out and hide dust spots on the sensor between cleanings.