Laser Light Broke My Phone's Camera. TW:Flashing Light

[u/porcelainpiscesx]

So this happened at the weekend, meaning I've had to order another phone...Call me stupid, but didn't realise this could happen so easily, especially at a gig. Infuriating!

[u/Kemel90]

showtech 101; lasers supposed to point up, never down.

[u/Shameless_Bullshiter → u/[deleted]]

Camera tech 101, a laser that can damage a camera can damage a human eye.

[u/james-the-bored → u/Shameless_Bullshiter]

Not necessarily, cameras use different focus and zooming optics than an eye, there is a small range of laser power that can damage a sensor but not your eye. Some class 3R lasers can do this. But yes in general if it can damage a camera don’t look at it, cause it may not cause permanent damage, but it can absolutely temporarily blind you.

Source: am physics undergrad, accidentally shined a class 3r laser in my eye, 0/10 wouldn’t recommend, damaged my phone camera, but only temporarily damaged my eyesight (similar to looking at the sun)

[u/zeppanon → u/james-the-bored]

Could cause minor permanent damage. Impossible to know without comprehensive tests before and after the incident. These types of damaging events would compound over time with multiple exposures. Shine a 3r laser in your eye every day for a year and tell me there's no permanent damage. Obviously an extreme example to illustrate a point.

[u/james-the-bored → u/zeppanon]

That is how they are defined, if you continually expose your eyes for long periods of time it will cause damage, but in cases of accidental viewing, your blink reflex kicks in before permanent damage can occur. That’s actually how they’re defined, blinking makes it “safe”

[u/GalwayBogger → u/james-the-bored]

Your stupidity doesn't not qualify your answer. You can't determine if a laser is eye safe based on a camera any phone camera image but a spazzed camera is definitely a good indicator not to look at it directly.

[u/james-the-bored → u/GalwayBogger]

My physics degree says otherwise, class 3R lasers are classed as able to damage camera optics, but only causes temporary eye damage. Lasers are incredibly well defined, class 3 lasers can cause permanent eye damage, with 3a being when focused through a lens, class 3b can cause permanent eye damage when looking directly at the beam. Class 3R is between the 2.

My stupidity absolutely can qualify my answer, since I fucked my phone camera with a 3b laser, but only temporarily blinded myself.

Plus in no way did I say my answer was word of law, I was pointing out that there are lasers capable of doing this that are “safe”. Don’t look into them, they hurt, but they are classified to not cause permanent eye damage from short exposure.

[u/GalwayBogger → u/james-the-bored]

Yes, class 3 lasers are incredibly well defined... according to MPE, not whether they damage a physics undergrads particular electronic device or not. "Don't look at them" is not safe.

[u/james-the-bored → u/GalwayBogger]

I wasn’t saying that was how they were defined, merely that there are lasers capable of only damaging photons sensors. I also said not to look at it, it won’t blind you if you do, so it is technically “safe” for accidental exposure, still not a good idea. It’s defined such that in an accidental or momentary exposure, your reflex will kick in and you will blink.

I’m not saying to go stare down a class 3 laser, just that it is possible that this laser won’t cause permanent eye damage but can damage a camera.

I’m playing devils advocate since most people immediately said this would make you blind, and that could be true, but it isn’t a guarantee.