I just read something disturbing. . .

[christopher_platt]

. . .and I need you guys to tell me if it's true. Is it true that I can't take pictures of the sunrise/sunset with my D70 because it'll burn/ruin the CCD? I just read that on a review on this site. . .help. . .

Thanks,
Chip

[sifurat]

you got me interested so i did a little googling and this was posted on another forum.....

** summary of thread ** http://www.photozo.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1587
yes it can damage your camera, not just yours but any camera film or digital can be damaged by taking photos of the suns / sunset etc
** eof summary **

they also go on to talk of some different ways to avoid damage etc...

hope this helped... this was just the first link off of my google search, if anyone has some more experience i would love to hear how you kept your camera from being damaged while taking pictures of eclipses or sunsets etc.... we have a cool picture at my house of an eclipse and it would be sweet to know what was done to prevent the damage ( the way the pros do it?? )

[Sebastian]

. . .and I need you guys to tell me if it's true. Is it true that I can't take pictures of the sunrise/sunset with my D70 because it'll burn/ruin the CCD? I just read that on a review on this site. . .help. . .

Thanks,
Chip

Absolutely not. As long as it's SUNRISE or SUNSET. THe thread linked has a lot of references of people damaging their cameras by shooting into an eclipse or the midday sun. Of course that will damage a camera. If you want to do daytime sun photography, a solar filter is necessary. Those are also necessary for daytime viewing of the sun through telescopes.

Sunrise and sunset shots, anything that you can comfortably look at with the naked eye, won't damage your camera.

[SmartWombat]

Is it true that I can't take pictures of the sunrise/sunset with my D70 because it'll burn/ruin the CCD?

If the sun is behind the clouds, no problem
If the sun is only just above the horizon, and it doesn't hurt to look at it, probably OK.

Otherwise you'll damage the camera, as well as your eyes looking at it.

Remember that when carrying your camera about on a sunny day, if the lens cap is off in the anticipation of a nice candid shot - then your CCD is exposed.
Unlike a SLR where the light hits the mirror and goes through prism to the viewfinder, the CCD is permanently exposed.
You'd only need to accidentally point it at the sun for a while and it's toast. Just think about having the camera around your back perhaps, while bending down to get something out of a bag. Sure the camera doesn't swing about in front of your face - but is it getting too much sun???

[azonicbruce]

you'll go blind, etc. etc. etc.

Let's put this in perspective. LOTS of little things can damage you or your camera. Looking at the sun with your eyes can damage your eyes. Inhaling second hand smoke or paint fumes will kill brain cells, leaving your camera out in the heat will ruin it. Oils from your hands and face will degrade the plastic on your camera and ruin it. Perhaps on a really hot day your camera can spontaneously combust and the fumes from the burning magnesium can kill you.

While any of this may or may not be true, does this mean you should walk around in fear because something bad might happen to you or your camera? If that's the case then the best way to keep your camera working perfectly and running like new would be to never take it out of the box.

When I got into videography countless people kept telling me the same thing: that by shooting time lapses of sunsets/sunrises that I would kill my CCD. Hmm, well, I've had my camera for a little over a year now and still don't notice any image degradation. Does it mean that my camera won't last as long as one whose owner never pointed it at the sun? Perhaps, but why in the world am I going to let that stop me from getting an awesome shot?

Sure, it's not the BEST idea to shoot directly toward the sun, but it's not the end of the world like everyone makes it out to be, especially when it involved small to moderate amounts of exposure. Of course a 2 minute bulb shot might do some serious harm, but snapping off a quick shot or two isn't.

You also have to put into perspective the expected life of such product. They always said about computer monitors that if you don't use a screensaver you'll kill the monitor. OK, so maybe instead of it lasting 30 years it will only last 15. Are you really going to keep it THAT long? I've had my 20" Hitachi monitor for about 3 years and leave it on w/ no screensaver or powersaver settings (needed to prevent encoding problems when working with video) and it's fine.

If your goal is for your camera to last forever, then yes, beware of the sun demons that will attack your precious CCD. Otherwise, just use common sense and go out there and capture some stunning shots!

[azonicbruce]

btw christopher, which part of Monterey bay are you from? I was there just over a week ago and I'm SO glad I took my D30. The landscape and beach front was stunning, not to mention the weather!

[another view]

With slide film, I shoot occasionally with the mid-day sun in the frame. With a wide prime, it can look pretty cool (stop down a ways and compose the shot with the DOF button pressed, easier on the eyes!). My 20 f2.8 was great for this but (like a moron) I sold it when I got my 20-35 zoom. Zooms have more glass so there's more flare.

So naturally I tried it with the DSLR but it doesn't work very well. I think that the problem has to do with the reflectivity of the sensor being different than film but not sure - just know the results are all washed out. Even after trying it a bunch of times with different lenses, it just doesn't work for me - but has been OK with my Coolpix for some reason.

I've never had a problem with any camera regarding this. OTOH, I haven't done much of it - it's like a photographic special effect, you don't want to use it all the time or it gets boring.

[mikishots]

"OK, so maybe instead of it lasting 30 years it will only last 15. Are you really going to keep it THAT long?"

"If your goal is for your camera to last forever, then yes, beware of the sun demons that will attack your precious CCD. Otherwise, just use common sense and go out there and capture some stunning shots!"

So you're saying that exposing your camera to conditions that cut its useful life by 50% is o.k.? And I don't recall anyone saying they wanted it to last forever. Dramatics aren't going to help anyone. Shoot the sun, and you can compromise the sensor, the shutter, your eyes. Do like your mommy told you.

[Sebastian]

For what it's worth, I accidentally looked at the midday sun with a 90mm f/2.8 once, and it HURT. So bad I almost dropped the camera. The eye was sore for a few days afterwards, and the first day or so I had a distinctive spot in my field of view. You should seriously worry more about your eyes than the equipment.

[azonicbruce]

"OK, so maybe instead of it lasting 30 years it will only last 15. Are you really going to keep it THAT long?"

"If your goal is for your camera to last forever, then yes, beware of the sun demons that will attack your precious CCD. Otherwise, just use common sense and go out there and capture some stunning shots!"

So you're saying that exposing your camera to conditions that cut its useful life by 50% is o.k.? And I don't recall anyone saying they wanted it to last forever. Dramatics aren't going to help anyone. Shoot the sun, and you can compromise the sensor, the shutter, your eyes. Do like your mommy told you.

Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying. If you know the risks that are involved and you realize that a camera is a tool and not a keepsake, then yes, it is ok to do that. I never implied that you're foolish if you don't shoot in the sun, I simply said don't let the notion stop you from getting an amazing shot. Some risks have worse consequences than others. If you wanted to get a shot of a moving train going under a low bridge while being on top of the train, then obviously you're putting more than your camera in harm's way. I'm simply not of the opinion that taking a shot directly towards the sun for 1 or two seconds warrant as much risk as that of other situations.

Btw, I see you edited your post. Glad to see we can all just get along

[Sean Dempsey]

Playing with your camera won't make you go blind, but it might make you grow hair on your palms.

It's true.