Re: Airport and Building X-Ray machines and Digital Cameras
- From: Clark Martin <cmnews@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 05 Oct 2005 00:28:08 GMT
In article <4328E8FA.4040408@xxxxxxxxx>,
"Roger N. Clark (change username to rnclark)" <username@xxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
> Alan Meyer wrote:
>
> > winhag@xxxxxxxxx wrote:
> >
> >>Folks,
> >>
> >>Recently, a friend took her Canon 20D into a building with high
> >>security. She was forced to put it through their X-ray machines. There
> >>did not seem to be any ill effects, but in general, can this damage the
> >>camera/sensor or memory card?
> >
> >
> > I believe digital cameras CAN be damaged by Xrays, but perhaps
> > only under special circumstances.
> >
> > During treatment for postate cancer I made the mistake of
> > bringing my brief case into the xray treatment room, which
> > had my Canon S30 in it.
> >
> > When I came out of the room I took out the camera to take
> > photos of the staff. The camera took photos okay, but the
> > LCD display didn't work. It showed parts of the image
> > superimposed over other parts and was completely unreadable.
> >
> > After some days, the problem appeared to correct itself.
> >
> > Then I took the camera with me on a trip. After passing
> > through the xray scanners the same problem recurred, and
> > then eventually went away again.
> >
> > Coming home I tried to get the airport security officials
> > to inspect my camera by hand, but they refused and threatened
> > to confiscate the camera, keep me off the plane, or, if I
> > persisted in my protests, arrest me. So I put the camera
> > through the scanner again and the LCD has never worked since.
> > The cop at the airport insisted that the scanners don't
> > hurt digital cameras and his only response to my story was
> > to shut his ears, tell me I was wrong, and threaten me.
> >
> > So my $430 digital camera was toasted.
> >
> > Before taking the camera into the high energy xray room
> > I had had no problems with airport scanners, and I assume
> > that the problems I had later were entirely due to
> > serious damage done earlier that was compounded by the
> > airport scanners.
> >
> > Alan
> >
> Alan,
> I believe you.
>
> To all those who say NO to x-ray hurting cameras, you are wrong.
>
> Radiation damage is well established in the spacecraft world, where
> one typically has to use expensive radiation tolerant components.
> X-rays do damage electronic components, but usually the effect
> would be small in the case of airport scanners and consumer
> cameras. It is likely that after many trips through
> an x-ray machine that the sensor noise will increase. Because
> many people upgrade to new cameras we probably have not seen the
> problem too much, but I predict in the future, high end cameras
> mature and when the owner travels a lot they will begin to show
> harmful effects. As camera sensor noise is reduced with better
> designs, this problem will likely show up sooner. I do travel
> a lot with my cameras (e.g. 1D Mark II) and I will monitor
> the noise.
>
> Alan, in your case, it was probably a marginal LCD that the X-rays
> harmed. In some cases, after exposure to radiation, electronics
> can "anneal" and self repair, especially if warmed up, just as
> you observed. Perhaps some warming might help it? But the original
> hospital X-ray machine should not have had x-rays leaking out,
> or did you put it in the machine?
>
> Roger
The spec for X-Ray field strength outside the primary beam is 1% of the
primary beam which is low but still substantial. There isn't much point
trying to lower it, X-Ray scatter will prevent it.
--
Clark Martin
Redwood City, CA, USA Macintosh / Internet Consulting
"I'm a designated driver on the Information Super Highway"
.
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