On Wed, 23 Oct 2002 14:34:49 -0700, "Paul Tauger" wrote:

>I was wondering whether cumulative exposure to light has any effect on CCDs.
>Normally, I keep a wide angle lens on my camcorder, with a UV filter to
>protect it. I've just gotten a nice, new (and expensive) camera, and I was
>wondering whether this setup could result in any kind of burn-in or other
>degradation to the CCDs. Would it be a better idea to keep a lens cap on
>when I'm not using the camera?

While I would not aim the camera at the sun when fixed on
a tripod, I have for years shot the sun without problems
hand-held, with proper exposure (ND no.2 in place + small
stop with the VX2000...). With the camera turned off and
without the NDs in place, I would hesitate to aim the
camera at the sun. There is another reason for using the
cap, though: ANY spec of dust on the front of a WA converter
on small-chip camcorders WILL show in the image at WA
as a "blob"... I give the WA front a quick blow with a large
hand air syringe just before shooting each clip - I
dislike blobs floating around my landscapes, and large-front
WA converters quickly pick up bits of dust that can spoil the image...