Can storing a digital camera near a microwave oven damage it?
Asked 5/26/2017
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2 answers
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I’m not asking about putting a camera inside a microwave. If a digital camera is stored near a microwave oven that’s used regularly, could the oven’s emitted radiation damage the camera or image sensor?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
9y ago
2 Answers
26
No, there is no danger. Any EM fields outside the microwave are very weak. There is no danger or risk.
Microwaves are like visible light waves, except bigger (the "micro" is in comparison to other radio waves). Both are non-ionizing radiation; they don't have the energy to displace electrons in atoms. And, just like visible light, microwave radiation follows the inverse-square law and drops off dramatically as you move away.
Microwaves use exactly the same radio waves used for WiFi, except with higher power and greater concentration. However, the box of the microwave keeps that confined. In the US, Federal regulations limit the amount of leaked microwaves for the lifetime of the device (that is, not just when brand new) to 5 milliwatts of microwave radiation per square centimeter measured 5 centimeters from the box. For comparison, the FCC limits WiFi routers to 1000 mW (or, you know, one watt). And, you shouldn't worry about either.
Originally by user1943. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1943
9y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
No—under normal use, storing a camera near a microwave oven should not damage it.
Microwave ovens are designed to contain the vast majority of their microwave energy, and any leakage outside the oven is regulated to very low levels. Microwave radiation is non-ionizing, like visible light and common radio signals, so it does not have the kind of energy that would damage a camera sensor in ordinary conditions.
Also, electromagnetic field strength drops rapidly with distance. If the camera is more than a few centimeters away, exposure is even lower. A useful comparison from the community answers is that the power density near a microwave’s allowable leakage can be in the same general range as other everyday wireless devices, such as a cell phone, which cameras routinely sit near without issue.
So for normal storage near a functioning microwave, there’s no practical risk to the camera or sensor. If the oven is visibly damaged or suspected to be malfunctioning, that’s a safety issue for the appliance itself, not a camera-specific concern.
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