too much light harmful for sensor ?

[david_altmann]

i dont know where this assumption comes from, but i wouldnt easyli shoot an

image of the sun or into a bright light. i meand like directly into a strobe.

 

is this just a myth or is there some truth in it ?

 

D.

[calculuspanda]

I think the assumption is a matter of light -> heat -> damage. The sun probably can cause damage, I'm not sure about anything else though.

[david_altmann]

ok thats a point.

maybe UV rays have a negative effect on sensor materials ?

 

D.

[rainer_t]

Obviously, the camera used makes a difference here. In a dSLR the sensor

is only exposed to the sun while the image is taken. So, given your exposure is set to something reasonable no damage is to be expected.

 

P&S cameras are a different story, since their sensors are exposed to the sunlight all time. Still I think a picture with the sun in frame, at tele end, overexposed some stops will not harm the sensor as long as you cover the lens before and after the shot.

 

Given you install a camera fixed on a tripod, and you automatically take one image the minute. Lets assume this camera does this for some hours, and within this time the sun will be in the frame. If exposure is set reasonable, the sensor of a dSLR will be unharmed, but damage within the lens can still not be excluded. With P&S sensor damage is not unlikely, because the sensor was exposed to the sun all time, so the sun had it's chance to "burn in".

[david_altmann]

you say "reasonable exposure"... theres the problem. im doing HDRI images and need to overexpose by several stops, until there is almost anything completely white. camera used is a 400D

 

 

D.

[danielleetaylor]

There's probably more danger to your eye while trying to compose the shot.

 

You would have to leave the sun in view of the sensor long enough to overheat the thing. For a DSLR, that would mean a pretty long exposure, probably several seconds. I doubt you'll be shooting an exposure that long in daylight, even for HDR.

 

When I include the sun using a long telephoto I use a tripod; setup the shot with the sun outside the frame; use min aperture and DOF preview while moving the sun into the frame, but still compose quickly; take my eye away, set my desired aperture, and shoot. Then I move the camera on the tripod so that the sun is back out of the frame so I can review on the LCD without risk to the viewfinder, AF, or AE sensors.

 

I've taken plenty of exposures this way at 200mm and 300mm with no damage.

[david_altmann]

well yesterday i shot the first exposure at 30 seconds. it was no bright sunlight. but if there are dark areas id have to.

 

D.

[mars c]

Your eyes are more likely to be hurt by shooting very bright lights than the sensor.

[danielleetaylor]

David - How do you end up with a 30 second exposure in daylight? Even with the sun in front of you?

 

Even with the sun near the horizon and filtered through clouds or fog I can't imagine needing that much time.

 

I would consider 30 full seconds with the sun in the frame of a telephoto, in broad daylight, to be potentially damaging to the sensor. Filtered through clouds...hard to say, depends on the impact of the clouds.

[phule]

You will not harm the sensor.

[david_altmann]

the shoot will be next week. ill start at the dark end and go up with the exposure just as far as needed.

 

D.