News Anti Photography Shield

[Irene McC]

Apart from all the politics involved (and let's not go THERE), this big baby is being welcomed by the South African government and is about to dock in Cape Town.

Apparently, in order to preserve privacy, they have installed an Anti Photography Shield that detects a CCD and fires a laser towards the camera, thus spoiling the image

Russian Billionaire Installs Anti-Photo Shield on Giant Yacht

Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich has a rather curious new addition built in to his latest oversized yacht. The 557-foot boat Eclipse, the price tag of which has almost doubled since original plans were drawn to almost $1.2 billion, set sail this week with a slew of show-off features, from two helipads, two swimming pools and […]

www.wired.com

 

[Juggernaut]

A laser beam can destroy a CCD sensor in no time, other than spoil the image.

 

[TNcasual]

But digital cameras use CMOS sensors now, not CCDs.

 

[Richard]

Every self-respecting Bond-villain type oligarch has one ...

-R

 

[Irene McC]

But digital cameras use CMOS sensors now, not CCDs.

Currently yes. Older ones had charged couple devices. This article dates back to 2009 but it is topical to us now since this vessel is going to be on our doorstep. Quite probably they have updated their James Bond equipment in the meantime

 

[agentlossing]

That sounds... like it wouldn't work. CCD? So does it not work with CMOS sensors? Plus, paparazzi use long telephoto lenses, so how far away is this thing able to detect something pointed at it? It seems unfeasible.

 

[RichardC]

I'd rock up with a Nikon F3 just to annoy him.

It's worrying that no-one's mentioned the effect a laser may have on the photographer. Aim one at one of his helicopters and you would find yourself in jail.

 

[MountainMan79]

How it actually works…

 

[MountainMan79]

Wait a sec…are there two identical threads happening right now?

 

[Kevin]

From the article it mentions that the "shield" is manually activated. I'd suspect that photographers is not the biggest concern to the crew these days.

 

[MountainMan79]

Both of which have Austin Powers references. Very good.

 

[Kevin]

Wait a sec…are there two identical threads happening right now?

Not anymore.

 

[Irene McC]

Not anymore.

How did that happen? Sorry if I was over eager and somehow doubled up, although I'm not sure how

 

[Kevin]

How did that happen? Sorry if I was over eager and somehow doubled up, although I'm not sure how

Lasers can disrupt communications.

 

[lucien]

That sounds... like it wouldn't work. CCD? So does it not work with CMOS sensors? Plus, paparazzi use long telephoto lenses, so how far away is this thing able to detect something pointed at it? It seems unfeasible.

Being a laser beam. Longer than any telephoto would have to be in order to get a shot of whatever they were shooting. Here's a twister/trick thingy. It's a light beam right? Can't light be reflected? ie by some kind of reflective filter over the lens. I'm not that versed on filters.

 

[agentlossing]

I'd rock up with a Nikon F3 just to annoy him.

It's worrying that no-one's mentioned the effect a laser may have on the photographer. Aim one at one of his helicopters and you would find yourself in jail.

This is one area where using a DSLR could be potentially quite dangerous, if a laser is shining into the photographer's eye through the VF. A mirrorless camera wouldn't transmit anything potentially harmful into the VF.

 

[Herbert Hound]

Ummm... as a physics teacher (retired) I will call BS on any device than claims it can detect a CCD in a camera. The CCD gives out no signal, it just responds to the light that falls on it. This sounds like scare tactics to deter photographers.

 

[Irene McC]

Ummm... as a physics teacher (retired) I will call BS on any device than claims it can detect a CCD in a camera. The CCD gives out no signal, it just responds to the light that falls on it. This sounds like scare tactics to deter photographers.

That sounds like sound logic, thank you

 

[RichardC]

That's Irene's weekend taken care of then

 

[Brownie]

WhatinthehellamIreading?