Laser Pointers Can Blind Security Cameras, but Lasting Damage Is Hard and Often Illegal

The scenario gained a fictional showcase in the Better Call Saul episode “Wiedersehen,” in which Werner Ziegler uses a laser pointer to blind a security camera. His escape is discovered only when Mike Ehrmantraut notices dead pixels on monitor feeds and finds the pointer, by which time Ziegler is gone. Engadget said the trick works in real life only to a limited degree.

Lasers emit concentrated, high-intensity beams of light, while cameras convert light into electrical charges that are processed into digital video frames. Security cameras are more susceptible to strong light than the human eye, and exposure to bright headlights or sunlight reflections can already cause glare or temporary whiteout effects. A laser can produce a similar but stronger effect. Most CCTV cameras use CMOS or CCD sensors that can be targeted directly for a sustained period; the laser can overwhelm the sensor and temporarily blind the camera. High-intensity lasers also produce heat, and prolonged exposure can create dead pixels and dark spots, with larger dead areas potentially leaving the camera unusable.

Modern cameras are more resistant. Engadget said permanent damage would require a high-powered laser held still for about 10 seconds. A laser with output power under 5mW is unlikely to cause more than temporary glare. Under U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulations, handheld laser pointers that exceed 5mW of output power are illegal to market, sell or promote, meaning anyone with a laser capable of damaging a camera could face larger legal problems than the damage to the lens.

Even with a high-powered laser aimed directly at a camera, long-term damage is difficult. Researchers at IPVM tried using a laser to blind a security camera and found it “very difficult” to keep the laser focused on an object from roughly 5 feet away “without their hands shaking off target.” At that distance, the team could not cause permanent damage regardless of the laser’s strength. Vince Gilligan, co-creator of Better Call Saul, said on a podcast that Ziegler’s trick would work only on a camera model from the 1960s, according to Engadget.

In 2021, a Clearwater man was arrested for pointing a laser at several surveillance cameras owned by the Church of Scientology. The laser did not destroy the cameras, but it left dead spots on their lenses and resulted in more than $2,000 in damages. The cameras still caught him in the act.

Engadget said it is impossible to make a standard home security camera completely laser-proof, but access can be reduced. Mounting a camera high or at an angle makes it harder to aim at for a prolonged period, and moving cameras are harder to target. Several cameras covering the same area add protection through overlapping coverage, so a blind spot does not appear if one camera is damaged. Many modern cameras can also work with security systems that detect sudden changes in light or unusual activity and send an instant phone alert if a view is blocked or hit with a bright beam.

Editor's Summary

Engadget reported that laser pointers can overwhelm camera sensors and cause temporary glare or dead spots, though permanent damage is difficult and generally requires older equipment and a high-powered laser. The report cited a 2021 arrest and IPVM tests showing that aim and modern sensors limit the risk, while noting that U.S. rules restrict handheld lasers above 5mW. It also described mounting cameras high, using overlapping coverage and light-change alerts as practical defenses.