Flying with EX1 and Airport X-ray at DVinfo.net

Kit Hannah · December 30th, 2007, 01:24 PM

When we have had cameras in the past with CCD blocks, we have had problems with dead pixels after flying with them (going through airport X-ray I assume). I was wondering if there would be a difference when flying with the EX1, since they are CMOS chips? It would seem that there isn't as many problems with CMOS vs. CCD, but I could be wrong. People fly with still cameras all the time and I don't hear about dead pixels in them too often. Any thoughts on this?

Thanks
Kit

Jack Zhang · December 30th, 2007, 04:49 PM

We did a heck of a lot of traveling to and in China with my HC7 and it went through tons of film safe X-rays and I don't see any dead pixels.

Peter Kraft · December 31st, 2007, 05:20 AM

My 2 cents: Have never heard about xray blinding sensors.
chemical film yes, but video sensors: NO.

Bob Grant · December 31st, 2007, 07:11 AM

Airport xray machines will not harm the sensors. High energy cosmic and solar particles are another matter. On polar routes there are higher risks and the higher the altitude the higher the risk. From what I've read the energy levels are so high as to make shielding impractical. The probability of this happening does seem to be very low but can be quite damaging if you get hit by a big storm of particles.
There's a wealth of information about this from the people designing spacecraft. At 40,000 feet there's not much between you and the rest of the universe, more so at the earth's poles. However unlike a spacecraft you're not there for very long and the particle storms are rare. When travelling with a camera I can think of more pressing things to worry about, like baggage handlers. They seem to be fairly predictable in doing damage or simply making your gear vanish and even more difficult to protect against.

Alister Chapman · January 1st, 2008, 12:20 PM

I have had CCD's in a couple of my full size broadcast cameras damaged by cosmic rays on trans-atlantic flights. Before the flight no dead pixels, after the flight 4 or 5 dead pixels. I don't know if CMOS sensors are affected in the same way, but so far my HC1 which has been on the same flights as my other cameras has remained intact, but then so also has my Z1 which is CCD.

December 30th, 2007, 01:24 PM	#1
Kit Hannah Major Player Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Fresno, California Posts: 528	Flying with EX1 and Airport X-ray When we have had cameras in the past with CCD blocks, we have had problems with dead pixels after flying with them (going through airport X-ray I assume). I was wondering if there would be a difference when flying with the EX1, since they are CMOS chips? It would seem that there isn't as many problems with CMOS vs. CCD, but I could be wrong. People fly with still cameras all the time and I don't hear about dead pixels in them too often. Any thoughts on this? Thanks Kit

January 1st, 2008, 12:20 PM	#5
Alister Chapman Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Bracknell, Berkshire, UK Posts: 4,957	I have had CCD's in a couple of my full size broadcast cameras damaged by cosmic rays on trans-atlantic flights. Before the flight no dead pixels, after the flight 4 or 5 dead pixels. I don't know if CMOS sensors are affected in the same way, but so far my HC1 which has been on the same flights as my other cameras has remained intact, but then so also has my Z1 which is CCD. __________________ Alister Chapman, Film-Maker/Stormchaser http://www.xdcam-user.com/alisters-blog/ My XDCAM site and blog. http://www.hurricane-rig.com

December 30th, 2007, 04:49 PM	#2
Jack Zhang Inner Circle Join Date: May 2005 Location: Burnaby, BC, Canada Posts: 3,053	We did a heck of a lot of traveling to and in China with my HC7 and it went through tons of film safe X-rays and I don't see any dead pixels.

December 31st, 2007, 05:20 AM	#3
Peter Kraft Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Europe Posts: 245	My 2 cents: Have never heard about xray blinding sensors. chemical film yes, but video sensors: NO.

December 31st, 2007, 07:11 AM	#4
Bob Grant Trustee Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 1,570	Airport xray machines will not harm the sensors. High energy cosmic and solar particles are another matter. On polar routes there are higher risks and the higher the altitude the higher the risk. From what I've read the energy levels are so high as to make shielding impractical. The probability of this happening does seem to be very low but can be quite damaging if you get hit by a big storm of particles. There's a wealth of information about this from the people designing spacecraft. At 40,000 feet there's not much between you and the rest of the universe, more so at the earth's poles. However unlike a spacecraft you're not there for very long and the particle storms are rare. When travelling with a camera I can think of more pressing things to worry about, like baggage handlers. They seem to be fairly predictable in doing damage or simply making your gear vanish and even more difficult to protect against.