IPVM Tests Laser Impact on Security Cameras

IPVM publishes the results of its testing of lasers impact on surveillance cameras:

"Our testing showed it is difficult to permanently damage surveillance cameras because:

• Close range required: Permanent damage did not occur from distance of ~50 feet or further from the camera, regardless of the strength of the laser we tested.
• Aiming by hand difficult: Targeting a laser towards a camera is difficult from more than ~10' away. Attaching the laser to a stationary object for aiming makes sensor damage much more likely.

Striking or shooting a camera is far more likely to damage a camera than using a laser.

Finally, at close range (5-10'), even small, less than 5 mW laser pointers using AAA batteries (e.g., the ones used to play with pets) were able to damage sensors, albeit only a few pixels at a time. High powered 30,000 mW lasers more quickly damaged sensors and in larger "chunks" of pixels, but were also able to effectively "cook" the camera, creating smoke within a few seconds of steady aiming."

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