Can leaving a video camera running for extended periods wear anything out? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Chris Wilson
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 11, 2025, 07:53:00 pm
content: Camera is a Sony AX-700 on a Sony mains PSU without a battery fitted. I use it to record bird table comings and goings to my PC via an HDMI cable. I have started to wonder if the extended usage can wear the image receptor "thing" out prematurely? The camera itself shows no sign of heating up, it's outside under the eaves (but comes in at night....) Anyone any insight on this please? Thank you.

author: Infraviolet
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 11, 2025, 08:05:07 pm
content: Internal flash memory chips might be worn out eventually, depending on where the video is being sent to or stored. Flash cells have a limited number of writing cycles before they become unreliable. If it is using something like an SD card then it would be a matter of replacing this when it wore out, if the footage is being "streamed" straight to the PC then there might be no writing to flash going on at all, if there is writing to inbuilt internal flash chips then these could wear out over time. Any "RAM" chips in the camera, or sections within microcontrollers inside the camera than provide volatile storage, should not be subject to any wearing

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 11, 2025, 08:24:37 pm
content: The only thing I'd think of would be the battery - and you've eliminated that. I think it would last practically forever in the configuration stated. Obviously, there is the risk of a random premature failure like any electronic component, but those are hard to predict and model.

author: benseno
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 11, 2025, 09:13:16 pm
content: Did you try to contact Sony technical support for the same question?

author: artag
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 11, 2025, 10:11:21 pm
content: I think you'll still get a bright static image - the outline of the bird table against the sky perhaps - burnt into the imager.You might be able to mitigate that by moving it occasionally.

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 11, 2025, 10:14:17 pm
content: Quote from: artag on February 11, 2025, 10:11:21 pmHave to disagree here... CMOS sensors don't burn in. I don't think CCD do either. Old "Vidicon" tubes might present a risk.Worst case, a poorly made LCD might get image burn over time due to a DC bias being accidentally applied. But, I'd expect Sony are smarter than that. You can usually switch the display off on most camcorders by folding it in, so probably not an issue either way.

author: artag
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 11, 2025, 10:16:20 pm
content: It certainly happens with overload - as with sunburn - but I'm unsure about long illumination at a lower brightness. You may be right.

author: AndyC_772
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 12, 2025, 02:44:04 pm
content: Sounds like you're describing the exact same environment that a CCTV camera experiences, and they don't generally 'wear out' or suffer from burn-in.

author: EPAIII
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 17, 2025, 10:32:23 am
content: Well, yes the vidicon, plumbicon, image orthicon, any and all of the tube type image sensors would definitely wear out. In the day I have replaced quite a few, but who's counting.Quote from: tom66 on February 11, 2025, 10:14:17 pm

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 17, 2025, 12:48:15 pm
content: The auto focus is mechanical and can wear out, but setting a fixed focus can avoid that.

author: bw2341
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 17, 2025, 07:45:03 pm
content: If you’re plugging and unplugging the HDMI connection every day, I suspect that the HDMI socket on the camera will be the first thing to fail.HDMI connectors are supposed to be good for thousands of insertions, but I have my doubts. Any carelessness when manipulating the plug can stretch the metal shell of the socket or put a stress crack on the plastic rib full of contacts.The stiffness of the cable makes it tricky to plug in perfectly straight. The stiffness also stresses the socket if the cable is pushed or pulled.

author: Chris Wilson
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 20, 2025, 01:15:36 pm
content: Thanks to you all for some great advice and replies. I had foreseen the issue with daily plugging and unplugging of the HDMI cable and had already bought a very short adapter lead that remains in the camera's HDMI socket all the time and is effectively a sacrificial lead. I really like the mention of auto focus wearing out. I had not considered that at all. It's now on manual focus, thank you NiHAOMike!All I can say with regard to "it's not a problem with 24 hour security cameras" is doh, of course, silly me, that should have been obvious. As should lots of other stuff that passes me by these daysThanks again everyone, all much appreciated.