In a vertical color image sensor including an array of pixel sensors with multiple color channels, a method of classifying and correcting defects utilizing defective pixel information, the method comprising: capturing at least two dark images on the vertical color image sensor using a dark flat field; capturing at least two bright images on the vertical color image sensor using a bright flat field light source; examining the output of each color channel of each pixel sensor for the captured dark and bright images; defining for each color channel ranges of output level of normal pixel sensors from the at least two bright images and the at least two dark images; from the at least two dark images identifying and entering into a first defective pixel map pixel sensors having an output in at least one color channel that is lower than the output level at a low end of a range of output levels of a normal pixel sensor; from the at least two dark images identifying and entering into a second defective pixel map pixel sensors having an output in at least one color channel that is higher than the output level at a high end of the range of output levels of a normal pixel sensor; from the at least two bright images identifying and entering into a third defective pixel map pixel sensors having an output in at least one color channel that is lower than the output level at the low end of the range of output levels of a normal pixel sensor; from the at least two bright images identifying and entering into a fourth defective pixel map pixel sensors having an output in at least one color channel that is higher than the output level at the high end of a range of output levels of a normal pixel sensor; from the first through fourth defective pixel maps classifying the defects in each of the defective pixel sensors by defect type (186, 196, 198, 200) and identifying defective pixel sensors that can be corrected using data from normal neighboring pixel sensors; determining (234, 244, 254) whether the number of defective pixel sensors that can be corrected using data from normal neighboring pixel sensors exceeds a threshold number of defective pixel sensors; if the number of defective pixel sensors that can be corrected using data from normal neighboring pixel sensors does not exceed the threshold number of defective pixel sensors, generating and entering into a calibration memory associated with the vertical color image sensor correction values for identified defective pixel sensors that can be corrected (236, 246, 256); and if the number of defective pixel sensors that can be corrected using data from normal neighboring pixel sensors exceeds the threshold number of defective pixel sensors, rejecting (240, 248, 258) the vertical color pixel sensor as defective. capturing at least two dark images on the vertical color image sensor using a dark flat field; capturing at least two bright images on the vertical color image sensor using a bright flat field light source; examining the output of each color channel of each pixel sensor for the captured dark and bright images; defining for each color channel ranges of output level of normal pixel sensors from the at least two bright images and the at least two dark images; from the at least two dark images identifying and entering into a first defective pixel map pixel sensors having an output in at least one color channel that is lower than the output level at a low end of a range of output levels of a normal pixel sensor; from the at least two dark images identifying and entering into a second defective pixel map pixel sensors having an output in at least one color channel that is higher than the output level at a high end of the range of output levels of a normal pixel sensor; from the at least two bright images identifying and entering into a third defective pixel map pixel sensors having an output in at least one color channel that is lower than the output level at the low end of the range of output levels of a normal pixel sensor; from the at least two bright images identifying and entering into a fourth defective pixel map pixel sensors having an output in at least one color channel that is higher than the output level at the high end of a range of output levels of a normal pixel sensor; from the first through fourth defective pixel maps classifying the defects in each of the defective pixel sensors by defect type (186, 196, 198, 200) and identifying defective pixel sensors that can be corrected using data from normal neighboring pixel sensors; determining (234, 244, 254) whether the number of defective pixel sensors that can be corrected using data from normal neighboring pixel sensors exceeds a threshold number of defective pixel sensors; if the number of defective pixel sensors that can be corrected using data from normal neighboring pixel sensors does not exceed the threshold number of defective pixel sensors, generating and entering into a calibration memory associated with the vertical color image sensor correction values for identified defective pixel sensors that can be corrected (236, 246, 256); and if the number of defective pixel sensors that can be corrected using data from normal neighboring pixel sensors exceeds the threshold number of defective pixel sensors, rejecting (240, 248, 258) the vertical color pixel sensor as defective.