Does filming arc welding hurt the iphone?

[Kattt]

It probably is a stupid question but I just want to make sure.

It hurts the eye, I know, but how about the camera on the iphone?

[Kattt]

I know “filming” is the wrong term since there is no film…

[Jon Fong / Flat Cat Gear]

Arc welding put out a large electro-magnetic pulse.  This is how wireless telegraphs started.  I would take care exposing my $$$ smartphone to a big EMP pulse.

[Jennifer W]

Unless you are pretty far away, I’d just film it through the special welding helmet lens.

[Kattt]

At this distance, a couple times a little closer but not closer than say 8 yards

[BlackHatGuy]

You might find this discussion, though not exactly mirroring what you want to do, has interesting information.

[David Thomas]

I wouldn’t worry about it. You point your iPhone at the sun all the time.  You may have taking videos of sunsets or other scenes with the sun in the background, shining directly into your camera lens – I have many times – which is something you wouldn’t do with your naked eye.  The sun is a source of the entire electromagnetic spectrum, although the atmosphere allows more visible light through than other frequencies, there’s lots of (in low humidity weather) IR and some UV that reaches the ground as well.  For most purposes, UV is like visible light, just “more violet” but each photon is more energetic and able to do more kinds of chemistry (vitamin D production, sun burning and tanning, fading dyes, etc) than visible light does.

Arc welding, like lightning, is a broad spectrum source (UV, visible, IR, microwaves, radio) but one that is so close to welders to be a risk to their eyes and skin.

So again, I wouldn’t worry.  It actually could improve YOUR safety, if you were tempted to view the welding even briefly but if you do that through your phone instead of an insufficient filter or from the corner of your eye.

[Kattt]

Thanks Doug for the link with good info. That will be good if I ever want to film up close.

Thanks David. In thought so too but wanted to make sure . One of the reasons those videos I took are so shaky and move around is because I took them with my head around the corner or shielded by a piece of metal.

[Philip Tschersich]

I’ve filmed myself a number of times MIG welding (wirefeed arc) with my iPad at close range with no ill effects on the camera. It does a good job of it and I didn’t protect the iPad with any welding glass or anything. I get a little ‘crackle’ in the audio that I don’t hear in real life, but nothing has gotten damaged. I’d say go for it. I don’t think stick welding or TIG would be any brighter (i.e., more damaging).

[Kattt]

Good to know Philip, thanks for the help.

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