Filming a laser or lidar system would possibly wreck your cellphone digital camera

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TL;DR

A automobile’s lidar sensor can completely injury your cellphone digital camera if you happen to level it instantly at it. A Galaxy S24 Extremely proprietor reported comparable injury after attending a laser-heavy mild present. Specialists warn {that a} laser will be secure for the eyes however nonetheless dangerous to cellphone digital camera sensors, particularly at shut vary.

Smartphone customers was once most involved in regards to the dangers of dropping their units or getting them moist. Nevertheless, with the enhancements to sturdiness and waterproofing in flagship units, maybe you have to be extra involved about whether or not you’ll by accident fry your cellphone digital camera with lasers.

As highlighted by The Drive, some Volvo EX90 homeowners are studying the exhausting manner that the SUV’s roof-mounted lidar sensor can severely mess together with your cellphone digital camera. A Reddit person shared a video exhibiting precisely what occurs when the system’s infrared laser hits a cellphone’s lens — fried pixels and visual injury that doesn’t go away. The video is value a watch to see the injury occurring in actual time.

The problem was severe sufficient that Volvo issued a warning earlier this 12 months, stating plainly on a help web page, “Don't level a digital camera instantly on the lidar.” The corporate defined to The Drive that “close-up” pictures are the true hazard, and provided a tip for cautious photographers: filters or protecting covers may also help, and a few digital camera sensors have built-in defenses. However usually, if you happen to see a lidar pod, it’s greatest to maintain your cellphone pointed elsewhere.

<img class="e_-g" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw" title="Phone Camera Pixel Damage Filming Volvo EX90 Lidar Sensor Reddit" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Phone-Camera-Pixel-Damage-Filming-Volvo-EX90-Lidar-Sensor-Reddit.jpg 2049w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Phone-Camera-Pixel-Damage-Filming-Volvo-EX90-Lidar-Sensor-Reddit-64w-36h.jpg 64w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Phone-Camera-Pixel-Damage-Filming-Volvo-EX90-Lidar-Sensor-Reddit-1000w-562h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Phone-Camera-Pixel-Damage-Filming-Volvo-EX90-Lidar-Sensor-Reddit-1920w-1080h.jpg 1920w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Phone-Camera-Pixel-Damage-Filming-Volvo-EX90-Lidar-Sensor-Reddit-1536w-864h.jpg 1536w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Phone-Camera-Pixel-Damage-Filming-Volvo-EX90-Lidar-Sensor-Reddit-675w-380h.jpg 675w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Phone-Camera-Pixel-Damage-Filming-Volvo-EX90-Lidar-Sensor-Reddit-300w-170h.jpg 300w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Phone-Camera-Pixel-Damage-Filming-Volvo-EX90-Lidar-Sensor-Reddit-1280w-720h.jpg 1280w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Phone-Camera-Pixel-Damage-Filming-Volvo-EX90-Lidar-Sensor-Reddit-840w-472h.jpg 840w" alt="Phone Camera Pixel Damage Filming Volvo EX90 Lidar Sensor Reddit" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Phone-Camera-Pixel-Damage-Filming-Volvo-EX90-Lidar-Sensor-Reddit.jpg"/> The colourful specs within the video are pixels on the digital camera being fried by the lidar system.

And it’s not simply lidar. A separate Reddit publish from final week, shared within the r/samsunggalaxy subreddit, tells an analogous story. After attending a neighborhood occasion with rooms full of colourful lighting and laser results, one Samsung Galaxy S24 Extremely person seen their cellphone’s major lens had developed an odd white dot and two intersecting traces. The sample remained throughout apps that use the digital camera and solely confirmed up on particular zoom ranges. These are telltale indicators of laser injury, in keeping with different commenters within the thread.

None of this must be stunning to laser professionals. The Worldwide Laser Show Affiliation (ILDA) has lengthy warned that digital camera sensors are extra weak than the human eye. Whereas live performance lasers are normally eye-safe, they will simply fry cellphone digital camera sensors, particularly when the complete laser beam enters a digital camera lens instantly. That’s why laser present producers keep away from hitting skilled video gear and projectors the place potential, however they will’t be answerable for the digital camera in each viewers member’s pocket.

With lidar-equipped autos and laser-heavy mild exhibits turning into extra frequent, these incidents might grow to be extra frequent. It’s an issue most individuals gained’t find out about till it’s too late, and their $1,000 cellphone is caught with a everlasting scar.

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