[peteer01]

I got my D80 two weeks ago, and I recently notice that I'm seeing grey and red dots in the same place on images shot in low light. Is this is problem with the sensor or dust or something else?

I've already returned my D80 once (I exchanged the lens kit for a body only and bought a better lens) but the new body is creating these red and grey dots in the same place. (depending on the lighting they are either one pixel or a + that is three pixels high by three pixels wide)

I've uploaded three images with red squares around the pixels in question. If the area is bright enough, the problem doesn't manifest itself, but if the area is dark, the problem is consistantly in the same place. There are atleast 4 places this is occuring.

Can someone help me understand what is going on? Is this normal for a 2 week old camera?

Here are links to the three full size images where I've marked the pixels. (the three main ones are all on the left hand side (or top for portrait))

Flickr Photo Download: red and grey dots 2
Flickr Photo Download: red and grey dots 3
Flickr Photo Download: red and grey dots

[JMitchell]

because of the way you describe the positioning of the dots changing when you go to portrait, it sounds like it is either the sensor of the lens. It could be some moisture or something on the front of the lens, or some hot pixels on the sensor.
Have you tried it with one of your other lenses?

Not sure what this is, very odd, but most likely to be hot pixel, which I am afraid I don't know what to do about aside from returning the body...

[peteer01]

Trying to isolate the cause, I took two 10" shots of my wall, hand held, lit only by the TV. One with each of my lenses (70-300 VR and Sigma 17-50 macro). The same four spots show up in both of these images as well.

Again, red squares to aid in finding them:

Flickr Photo Download: red and grey dots 4
Flickr Photo Download: red and grey dots 5

The strange thing is that on the 10" exposures, the dots seem to move ever so very, very slightly, but I wasn't making any effort to hold the camera still at all, and in the same image the dots don't all move in the same direction. I'm wondering if this might have something to do with the D80's noise reduction that it does at long exposures? Regardless, the problems seems to be the EXACT same four areas...

It seems like they are "hot pixels"

According to Ken Rockwell:
Hot Pixels
"Every camera does this.

Even if it's OK today, your camera may start doing it tomorrow.

Don't worry about it. If you look hard enough you'll always find them.

DON'T return a camera because of hot pixels. The replacement will, too, over time.

Likewise, don't bother hand-picking a camera. I used to do this, and even the ones I picked as clean eventually picked up some hotties."

But is FOUR like this normal? Any help, the more the better, would be really, really appreciated. I'd really rather not have to try to return my D80 AGAIN, but I definitely don't want those dots there!

[stepheno]

Join the club - everybody has them. The point is can you live with them. Just for the record

Stuck Pixel - a pixel that always reads high (maximum) on all exposures
Hot Pixel - a pixel that reads high on longer exposures
Dead Pixel - a pixel that reads zero (black) on all exposures

You are only likely to see them with a blown up crop and they can be removed in PS. OK - you can return your camera and ask for a replacement but you might get one with more hot/dead pixels than you had before - who is to say you aren't getting someone else's returned camera

[namllihs]

to a lesser or greater extent we all have this problem, it would seem that by using long expoure times the effect is magnified. How are your shots at shorter exposures?