circuitbending a video camera

Dj Task Manager · July 14, 2009, 11:55:23 PM

To my surprise after opening up an old sony digital camera and fiddling around with some points on the back of the bit attached to the sensor i got some great distortions and colour bleeds and such!

Theres 16 useful point here which dont crach too much. Needless to say it will need a breakout box. I might add rotary switches and pots for selting glitches or maybe a patchbay with pots, i'll see after some more delving...

Aannyywwaayy,
Some combinations of these points give quite a violent little spark. Also i noticed whilst poking around the battery seemed to drain quite quick. Are there any prudent safety precautions i should observe to avoid frying the camera?
Perhaps resistors inline to the more 'lively' points?...

Cheers!

Gordonjcp · July 15, 2009, 01:09:48 AM

Yes, if there's a big spark you're shorting some part of the power supply. This is a Bad Thing.

I have an old Sony CCD-V6000 with a knackered power supply board that does some pretty crazy trippy stuff until the power supply warms up properly. I should capture some of its output.

LoFi-Ninja · July 15, 2009, 01:34:02 AM

DAMN YOU !!!!!!!!!!! I WAS TRYING TO KEEP THIS SECRET !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've just been experimenting with an old camera.. SO MANY sick bends.. And then it died.. So for the last two weeks I've been looking for a new one.. Just waiting for the day I could present it to the internet..

Dj Task Manager · July 15, 2009, 02:33:37 AM

The thing is, the point that seems to give the funky big spark (all the points ive dared explore are off the back of the sensor thing) also gives some pretty awesome effects, so im reluctant to not include it in my plans.

So any suggestions guys on not killing it? resistors? It is relatively stable and when it crashes it seems ok when i start it up again... ... i could just go for it but i dont want to make a fancy breakout box or whatever then fry it...

noystoise · July 15, 2009, 08:00:27 AM

is there a flash capacitor in it? those could easily fry something in the camera and possibly give you a painful shock. ive messed around with cheap digi-cameras before but ive never actually been able to solder to the tiny chips well enough to add a switch. ideally you would want one that has an AV out so you can test the bends on your tv rather than risking a computer crash. its happened to me before.

Dj Task Manager · July 15, 2009, 01:12:18 PM

good thoughts... i'll beware the flash capacitor! This one has video out and a little screen too. Best of all it saves to floppy disks! Obsoletely fabulous!

LoFi-Ninja · July 15, 2009, 02:24:17 PM

You should stay away from anything producing a spark..

I love floppy's

Dj Task Manager · July 16, 2009, 10:50:55 AM

Woe is me. I too it a bend too far and now it is capoot.

The race is on to find another and bend it!
To the batcave!
I mean Ebay!

LoFi-Ninja · July 16, 2009, 10:03:29 PM

Well fleabay is not an option for me, so you'll probably beat me to it..

circuitbending a video camera

noystoise