"Nightshot" mode in daylight

4 replies [Last post]
RichardJ
Offline
Joined: May 7 1999

I'm experimenting with nightime timelapse monitoring of the garden for wildlife, taking advantage of "nightshot" mode on a Sony D8 camcorder. So far things are going quite well, but I'm a trace concerned about damage to the camera.

Nightshot switches out the IR filter and locks the aperture full open, which is great in the dark, but the camcorder remains like this until well after sunrise, until I get up and switch it off. The image is obviously completely burnt out at this stage, but can this damage the CCD at all?

There doesn't appear to be any damage after 2 or 3 times, but long term? I know the old hot tubes could retain burnt-in images, but AFAIK CCDs don't - I'm just not sure if I'm right!

Anyone got an authoritative answer - Alan, is this another one for you?

------------------
Richard Jones, http://www.activeservice.co.uk
Home of the new MediaStudio Pro 6 Tutorial

Richard Jones, http://www.activeservice.co.uk
Home of the MediaStudio Pro Tutorial - Edition 3 for MSP 7

jove
Offline
Joined: Aug 18 2000

Richard, sorry this is NOT authoratative, but I believe that CCDs are damaged by heat. An over-exposed image from a scene of reflected light should not damage the CCD (unless you are poiting east and get the rising sun in the picture). I also assume that the circuitry would limit without damage from the total white image.
Cheers, JOVE

Scuba
Offline
Joined: Jul 13 2001

Put the camera on a timer that will shut off the electricety at 5 or 6 am.

------------------
www.highvid.com

MapleCottage
Offline
Joined: Mar 12 2001

quote:Originally posted by Scuba:
Put the camera on a timer that will shut off the electricety at 5 or 6 am.

Don't know that I would do that, some mechanisms, and SONY are not immune here, do not respond favourably to power outages without the proper shut down procedures

RichardJ
Offline
Joined: May 7 1999

Thanks for the thoughts so far.

I had thought about a timer, but even if it didn't harm the camera it might not have the desired effect, as the aperture would probably stay wide open, and the IR filter would certainly still be off. So the CCD would still be exposed to bright daylight.

I'll carry on with it for a while and keep an eye on the camera for signs of degradation - though that's leaving it a bit late

More opinions welcome.

------------------
Richard Jones, http://www.activeservice.co.uk
Home of the new MediaStudio Pro 6 Tutorial

Richard Jones, http://www.activeservice.co.uk
Home of the MediaStudio Pro Tutorial - Edition 3 for MSP 7