(FWD) Sony camera sees through clothes!! Does anyone know how to

["Willem-Jan Markerink" <w.j.markerink@xxxxx>]

>From rec.video (thought I'd take a look, to see how much uproar it 
caused there):

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
FROM: stassus@xxxxxxx (Stassus)
SUBJECT: Sony camera sees through clothes!! Does anyone know how to do i??
DATE: 12 Aug 1998 15:58:43 GMT
ORGANIZATION: AOL http://www.aol.com
NEWSGROUPS: rec.video

Does Anyone know if this is true and how to access this "FEATURE"

Sony halts shipments of Handycam, infrared function sees through clothes

August 12, 1998: 7:25 a.m. ET

  TOKYO (Reuters) - Electronics giant Sony Corp. said Wednesday it had halted
shipments of some video cameras after finding they could be used for filming
more of their subjects than meets the eye. 
 Some versions of the Handycam have infrared technology which lets users shoot
at night or in darkness in a "night shot" mode.
 But magazine reports revealed that when the special feature is used in
daylight or a lighted room with a special filter it can "see through" clothing
- -- underwear can show up, especially on those lightly dressed, and people
wearing swimsuits look almost naked.
  A Sony spokesman said the first the company knew of the camera's surprise
feature was when reporters started asking for comments on the "new way" of
using the camera.
 Sony technicians then experimented and confirmed that the technology had the
unintended capability.
 "When we developed this feature for the Handycam, we were thinking of people
filming night views -- their children sleeping, or perhaps the nocturnal
behaviour of animals," the spokesman said.
 Concerned at the possibility of less innocent users taking advantage of the
technology, Sony has modified the camera so the "night shot" mode only works in
the dark.
 Shipment of the new versions have already begun, replacing the original ones,
which hit the market in March and had sold around 180,000 units in the domestic
market up to the end of July, the spokesman said.
 It sold 870,000 of the original cameras worldwide by the end of June,
including 400,000 in North America and 290,000 in Europe. The spokesman said it
is now shipping the modified version overseas.
 He denied local media reports that it had asked stores to remove the original
versions from their shelves. The company declined to confirm retail prices, but
media reports said the cameras range from 100,000 yen ($684) to 200,000 yen in
Japan. ($1146).


- -- 
Bye,

Willem-Jan Markerink


      The desire to understand 
is sometimes far less intelligent than
     the inability to understand


<w.j.markerink@xxxxx>
[note: 'a-one' & 'en-el'!]
*
****
*******
******************************************************
*  To remove yourself from this list, send:          *
*         UNSUBSCRIBE INFRARED                       *
*       to                                           *
*         MAJORDOMO@xxxxx                            *
*----------------------------------------------------*
*   For the IR-FAQ, IR-Gallery and heaps of links:   *
*  http://www.a1.nl/phomepag/markerink/mainpage.htm  *
******************************************************

------------------------------

End of Infrared-Digest V0 #733
******************************