The smartphone they are more and more protagonists of live shows: there isn’t concerto without phones held in the air by hordes of young and old who want to capture the performance of their favorite artist. Yet many risk having to throw away their mobile phones right at the end of the live show. The alarm started from TikTokwhere fans of the Neapolitan rapper Oilier they complained that they had to switch their devices after watching their idol live. THE laser used on stage would in fact have irreparably ruined the smartphones.
Why concert lasers damage smartphones
It is not the first time the phenomenon has been denounced, but this time the average age of the public was decisive, made up of many TikTok users who showed the effects of lasers on the most used video social network in the world. The lights coming from the stage of the Palapartenope in Naples have damaged the sensors of phone cameras, burning them.
Lasers, pointed directly into the lens, can in fact overload camera components. A excessive amount of light in a specific point it is particularly dangerous for the optics, and in a few milliseconds it is possible to find yourself with a smartphone unable to take good photos and good videos. At best they could come out with vertical or horizontal lines, at worst the entire field could be compromised.
Dangerous lights for cameras: Sony’s warning
As early as July 2021 on the official website of Sony an ad had appeared urging users to keep camera lenses safe from lasers. “Never expose the lenses directly to light rays, because the sensors could be damaged and the device could malfunction,” the notice read.
The maker of cameras and smartphones stressed that laser shows are particularly dangerous. In these cases it is not only the direct exposure, but also the reflex produced by reflective surfaces to be potentially harmful to the lens. And the problem also affects professional video cameras used for cinema and TV shows. This is why the directors figured out how to avoid having to buy all the equipment again.
How to avoid damaging your smartphone at concerts
To avoid permanent damage to your photographic devices, you should always pay attention to where the lights are coming from and resort to some clever tips.
- Avoid direct exposure. Do not point the camera directly into laser beams. You shouldn’t get too close to the stage, but choose a position that shields you from the light.
- Use a protective filter. There are some designed specifically to protect the optics from damage caused by lasers.
- Limit your exposure time. Try to make short videos to avoid overheating and overloading the sensors and ruining them.
This last tip is especially important if you’re not using a smartphone but a reflex: cameras are “specialized” for the short exposure of static images. If you like making videos, you should invest in one good camcorder, with less sensitive sensors and suitable for filming. By the way, you already know how to make a video for TikTok?
If you don’t adopt these strategies, you could find yourself spending a lot of money, perhaps after buying concert tickets at record prices.