green LASERS damage cameras?!? at DVinfo.net

Ozan Biron · November 12th, 2003, 02:18 AM

A couple of days ago I filmed a huge Ibiza party with my DVX100. I was told by a few people that the party LASERS can damage the camera. I went and talked to the LASER technician at the party and he told me there was nothing to worry about. With his reassurance... i went and filmed!

Is that true? Can lasers really damage the camera? Was that dangerous what I did?

here’s that quick 20 second shot i did of the lasers. Copy past link...

www.illconcepts.com/rave.mpeg

Peter Jefferson · November 12th, 2003, 07:45 AM

like any bright concentrated light, it MAY cause some damage... just like shooting into the sun without a UV filter...

next time use a filter..

Dan Lahav · November 12th, 2003, 01:54 PM

sorry, cant help you on your question. But how did you create that ill concepts spinning action? I really like that affect!

Ozan Biron · November 12th, 2003, 03:40 PM

opsy... logo wasnt to be on there forgot to take it out! I animated the illconcepts LOGO in after effects... The sound effects took me awhile to do though... eh sound editing!

Chris Hurd · November 12th, 2003, 05:53 PM

For what it's worth, I had a Canon L1 camcorder (back in the Hi-8 days, circa 1995) which had a few CCD pixels fried by a green laser at a rave party. Halfway through the tape, bingo, there it was. Be careful not to put the lens directly in the beam path -- stay a little above or below. Hope this helps,

Peter J Alessandria · November 12th, 2003, 06:00 PM

I watched your clip and now I can't see anything! (Just kidding. But forget CCD's - I always wondered about the effect of laser light on the human eye.)

I thought your clip was cool. I too wondered about the spinning logo. Great effect! Also, what'd you use for the slow motion? It seemed pretty tight. Did you shoot 24 or 30p or 60i?

Ozan Biron · November 13th, 2003, 12:31 AM

For that party I filmed in regular mode... 60i!

For the "SMOOTH" slow motion effect ... i used the frame blending botton in after effects! simple as pie!

Dale Anthony Smith · November 17th, 2003, 02:42 AM

Depending on the Laser... they can be dangerous to cameras, pets and people...
I used to incorporate industrial laser shows into my corporate multimedia extravaganzas. We did a NYNEX show in New York inside and the New York Laser Safety Officer came into the ballroom (at the Vista in the base of the twin towers) and made sure that our beams were a certain distance above peoples heads and that all the beams were terminated with black wrap. She then took the keys to the laser board and returned the next day for the show. We were doing an outdoor show in Palm Springs and had to file with the FAA and they re-routed flights around the direction of our show for the small window of the showtime!! This experience has given me a great respect for the concentrated light...(I don't even like to have it hit me in the eye at the check out counter). Chris is right... try to avoid direct contact into the lens... the chips are so sensitive to light it could harm them. I can remember when (in the mid 70s) you could damage a camera simply by pointing it at a studio light. A streak of burn in would be on the chip. And the Sun? Fuggedabowdit!!
Todays cams are a lot more robust but Lasers are to be respected.

Jeff Donald · November 17th, 2003, 06:14 AM

In the seventies and most of the eighties all video cameras used tubes (not solid state chips like CCDs) that could be damaged by exposure to direct light. All of the consumer video cameras used tubes until the mid 80's when inexpensive CCD's became available. Tube continued in pro cameras until the late 80's.

I owned a repair company for close to ten years and we did warranty repairs for many major manufactures. During that time I never replaced a CCD for laser damage. I suppose it's possible, but highly unlikely.

November 12th, 2003, 02:18 AM	#1
Ozan Biron Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Vancouver, CANADA Posts: 137	green LASERS damage cameras?!? A couple of days ago I filmed a huge Ibiza party with my DVX100. I was told by a few people that the party LASERS can damage the camera. I went and talked to the LASER technician at the party and he told me there was nothing to worry about. With his reassurance... i went and filmed! Is that true? Can lasers really damage the camera? Was that dangerous what I did? here’s that quick 20 second shot i did of the lasers. Copy past link... www.illconcepts.com/rave.mpeg

November 12th, 2003, 05:53 PM	#5
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,366 Images: 513	For what it's worth, I had a Canon L1 camcorder (back in the Hi-8 days, circa 1995) which had a few CCD pixels fried by a green laser at a rave party. Halfway through the tape, bingo, there it was. Be careful not to put the lens directly in the beam path -- stay a little above or below. Hope this helps, __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

November 17th, 2003, 02:42 AM	#8
Dale Anthony Smith Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: New Orleans Posts: 44	Depending on the Laser... they can be dangerous to cameras, pets and people... I used to incorporate industrial laser shows into my corporate multimedia extravaganzas. We did a NYNEX show in New York inside and the New York Laser Safety Officer came into the ballroom (at the Vista in the base of the twin towers) and made sure that our beams were a certain distance above peoples heads and that all the beams were terminated with black wrap. She then took the keys to the laser board and returned the next day for the show. We were doing an outdoor show in Palm Springs and had to file with the FAA and they re-routed flights around the direction of our show for the small window of the showtime!! This experience has given me a great respect for the concentrated light...(I don't even like to have it hit me in the eye at the check out counter). Chris is right... try to avoid direct contact into the lens... the chips are so sensitive to light it could harm them. I can remember when (in the mid 70s) you could damage a camera simply by pointing it at a studio light. A streak of burn in would be on the chip. And the Sun? Fuggedabowdit!! Todays cams are a lot more robust but Lasers are to be respected. __________________ Multi-Media

November 17th, 2003, 06:14 AM	#9
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	In the seventies and most of the eighties all video cameras used tubes (not solid state chips like CCDs) that could be damaged by exposure to direct light. All of the consumer video cameras used tubes until the mid 80's when inexpensive CCD's became available. Tube continued in pro cameras until the late 80's. I owned a repair company for close to ten years and we did warranty repairs for many major manufactures. During that time I never replaced a CCD for laser damage. I suppose it's possible, but highly unlikely. __________________ Jeff Donald Carpe Diem Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Where to Buy? From the best in the business: DVinfo.net sponsors

November 12th, 2003, 07:45 AM	#2
Peter Jefferson Inner Circle Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Aus Posts: 3,884	like any bright concentrated light, it MAY cause some damage... just like shooting into the sun without a UV filter... next time use a filter..

November 12th, 2003, 01:54 PM	#3
Dan Lahav Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: CA Posts: 172	sorry, cant help you on your question. But how did you create that ill concepts spinning action? I really like that affect!

November 12th, 2003, 03:40 PM	#4
Ozan Biron Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Vancouver, CANADA Posts: 137	opsy... logo wasnt to be on there forgot to take it out! I animated the illconcepts LOGO in after effects... The sound effects took me awhile to do though... eh sound editing!

November 12th, 2003, 06:00 PM	#6
Peter J Alessandria Major Player Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 293	I watched your clip and now I can't see anything! (Just kidding. But forget CCD's - I always wondered about the effect of laser light on the human eye.) I thought your clip was cool. I too wondered about the spinning logo. Great effect! Also, what'd you use for the slow motion? It seemed pretty tight. Did you shoot 24 or 30p or 60i?

November 13th, 2003, 12:31 AM	#7
Ozan Biron Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Vancouver, CANADA Posts: 137	For that party I filmed in regular mode... 60i! For the "SMOOTH" slow motion effect ... i used the frame blending botton in after effects! simple as pie!