Can photgraphing lasers damage your camera sensor?

MikeHunt79 · 22 Jul 2009 at 16:51

I ask because it can damage your eyes... I've got the special glasses, but I was hoping to try some long exposure shots of a 100mW green laser.

Is it safe to do so?

sid · 22 Jul 2009 at 17:38

It will overexpose tbh if you do long exposures

do you want to shine it on the sensor or in clubs?

I have shot power pulse lasers on a 350D before for a project. The power delivered was around 0.35J and it needed NDs.

That was with a green laser btw.

What exactly do you want to do with a continuous laser?

sid

MikeHunt79 · 23 Jul 2009 at 13:15

sid said:
It will overexpose tbh if you do long exposures

do you want to shine it on the sensor or in clubs?

I have shot power pulse lasers on a 350D before for a project. The power delivered was around 0.35J and it needed NDs.

That was with a green laser btw.

What exactly do you want to do with a continuous laser?

sid

I wasn't planning on shining in the sensor, it's not a club type laser, it's just a small handheld laser and I wanted to try some of those "painting with light" type photo's with a laser.

I don't have any filters, but I think I may have some ND gel which I can try and experiment with...

neil_g · 23 Jul 2009 at 13:18

should be fine in my opinion, your sensor is probably a little more resiliant than the back of your eyeball

shot with an ixus 70:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/neilgates/2919036853/in/set-72157607141457687/

sid · 23 Jul 2009 at 14:47

MikeHunt79 said:
I wasn't planning on shining in the sensor, it's not a club type laser, it's just a small handheld laser and I wanted to try some of those "painting with light" type photo's with a laser.

I don't have any filters, but I think I may have some ND gel which I can try and experiment with...

oh if you are not shining it on the sensor then theres nothing to worry about

EnglishMack · 23 Jul 2009 at 18:39

lol, oh my god..

MikeHunt79 · 23 Jul 2009 at 19:05

neil_g said:
should be fine in my opinion, your sensor is probably a little more resiliant than the back of your eyeball

Yep, I guess there are UV and IR filters on most DSLR's, I was concerned as I got a leaflet with my laser thing saying it could make you blind if you didn't wear the glasses so I thought it would be better to ask first as D60'd aren't cheap! :eek:

sid said:
oh if you are not shining it on the sensor then theres nothing to worry about

I was more worried about the laser it reflecting off something and going in the sensor...

EnglishMack said:
lol, oh my god..

sid · 23 Jul 2009 at 20:13

DW mikehunt I'd be more worried about the laser going into your eyes rather than the camera.

As long as you don't focus it on the sensor, it should be ok.

sid

MikeHunt79 · 23 Jul 2009 at 20:16

sid said:
DW mikehunt I'd be more worried about the laser going into your eyes rather than the camera.

As long as you don't focus it on the sensor, it should be ok.

sid

Cheers, I'll have a go at some long exposures tonight...