Noob question about sensor damage

[Davyd Melnyk]

I realise that I shouldn't point any camera, let alone this light-sensitive creature, at the sun, but is there any danger of damaging the sensor through having a wide open iris in bright conditions? I ask because I wanted to film something in our back garden, the sun was at the other side of the house, so behind and above the camera, but the garden was quite bright, including light reflected by white walls. I tried opening the iris with the NEX 24/f1.8 Zeiss lens to get more shallow DOF, but it soon became clear that it was way too bright for this without an ND filter. My question: when experimenting like this can you damage the sensor, and how quickly, and at how wide an aperture might it occur? Or would mere reflected light never cause damage? I've heard that what doesn't hurt your eyes won't hurt a sensor, and this scene certainly didn't bother my eyes. But I would be grateful for any insight. Thanks.

 

[Jim Ritscher]

I think you are unlikely to damage the sensor in this situation. However, as soon as the image starts to look well overexposed, stop down or put on a ND filter. There is nothing to be gained by looking at an overexposed picture (Unless you are doing it in moderation for effect).

 

[Kraut69]

Would think it is more the heat of the sun that does the damage, not the light.

 

[mainstreetprod]

My new FS700 has a note in the manual about never shooting the sun. I think Sony is just trying to cover themselves- I've shot hundreds of stock clips of sunrises, sunsets, sun mid day, etc. on both an HVX200 and an AF100 with no problems. I ALWAYS used the ND filter though.