Test your laser reflectivity w/PIC

**microsuck** · 06-24-2005, 10:37 AM

I noticed there arent any threads about this so I figured I would let everyone know. If you are interested in how reflective your car is to a laser gun, do this. Wait until its really dark. 11pm or later. Drive to an area where there isnt any light. Country road or something. turn off your car. (lights off too) get infront of it about 50-100 feet, and take a picture with your flash on. The picture that develops is how your car will look to a laser gun. Back in the days of the blinder m-06hp you used to be able to look at your car through a digital camera at night and verify your blinders were working. Same concept. The link has a good example of what im talking about. The lights were off. http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...a/IMGP1327.jpg

**happya$$** · 06-24-2005, 10:40 AM

Good info. I have to try that with my Civic and SUV. The problem is that they are both so stealth that nothing will show

**microsuck** · 06-24-2005, 10:42 AM

Well, it wont take into effect the blinder's jamming ability. Because they arent going to respond. It will only show what reflects. I didnt realise my fog lights would reflect so much. And it really makes you see how bad a front plate screws you.

Good thing i dont have one.

Andrew

**Nothegger** · 06-24-2005, 05:01 PM

Hey, those lights are on! (fogs and turnsignals)

**kpatz** · 06-24-2005, 08:23 PM

I thought of the same thing, but why not take it one step further. Go to a dark area and then take a picture using a camera or camcorder that has a night-shot infrared mode. Many Sony cameras and camcorders have this feature, and I'm sure other brands too. Then you can see where your IR hot spots are. This is a good way to see how effective Veil and anti-laser plate covers are as well. Take a pic before and after applying.

**edweird** · 06-24-2005, 09:33 PM

The Nightshot mode will allow the camcorder to pickup and display IR, but it doesn't send any out to reflect off of the car.

If you cut on the IR LaserLink feature of the camcorder, it does send some out, but it's far enough away from 905 nm that it doesn't set my V1 off. It does create a bright green spot, and I suppose you could look at that, but it's in a different part of the IR spectrum.

I just did a quick test using my Sony TRV8 and TRV10 and V1. The IR remote for my TV will set the V1 off.

Ed

**microsuck** · 06-24-2005, 10:28 PM

Originally Posted by Nothegger

Hey, those lights are on! (fogs and turnsignals)

actually they arent. but it does appear that way. they only light they are emitting is light reflected from the camera flash. that the point of the test. to see what reflects the most.

**kai445** · 06-24-2005, 10:29 PM

Most consumer grade flashes wont work worth a damn at 50-100 feet. (Been awhile since I was in photography or have shot a picture, so this is all a distant memory). Most work 15-20 feet away at best.

You'll probably have to play around with this to get it right. If I was using a decent 35mm slr, I'd frame the shot so the whole car is in the picture, but not much further away then is absolutely nessicary so the flash actually has an effect (use a tripod).

The closest example effect i could find is here: http://www.foodportfolio.com/howdedo...s/trumpet.html
(100 ISO film, 1 second shutter, f5.6)

The trick is trying to get the shiny surfaces to shine without making the rest of the car clearly visible...

I'd say the easiest thing to do with a digital camera might be to manipulate it in photoshop to get the desired effect. Change it to greyscale, then make it like 5 colors (white, light grey, grey, dark grey, black) and the white will be the shiniest parts of the car, the black will be nearly invisible. This is speculation, of course, I dont have photoshop installed and I'm not gonna go outside and take a picture of my car to try it :-P

**kpatz** · 06-27-2005, 06:20 AM

Originally Posted by edweird

The Nightshot mode will allow the camcorder to pickup and display IR, but it doesn't send any out to reflect off of the car.

Actually, Nightshot on the Sonys does emit IR. That's how it's able to work in complete darkness. Granted, it's not a very powerful IR source, but it should be enough to identify the IR "hot spots" on your car.