Hi, everyone. I would like advice on using a case with a magnetic closure for a digital camera. Do you know if the magnet in the case would affect or damage either the memory card or the battery? I've asked in stores, and have gotten conflicting opinions, so have stayed away from camera cases with magnets.... but my daughter's 'Smart Phone' came with a case that has a magnetic catch.... it's like a little computer that is a phone and a camera, too. It has a memory card and battery, also. So.... what's the REAL story on using a case with a magnetic catch for a digital camera? Thanks! Lee

Hi Lee -

My new camera came with a magnetic latch case. No worries. The only thing a magnet will affect is magnetic media - floppy disks, hard drives (maybe - if the magnet is strong enough to get through the shielding). It won't affect solid state memory cards or batteries.

On edit - Of course, magnetic tape is also affected by a magnet. And the large, clunky video cameras of a few years back used a Vidicon tube to pick up the image. The Vidicon uses an electron beam that's swept back and forth across the image by magnetic coils, so an external magnetic field will throw it out of alignment.

That may account for the conflicting statements from store personnel. But a solid state camera has nothing that can be affected by a magnet.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Lou Schneider,

THANKS, LOU! That's pretty much what the young computer geek who lives two doors from mi casa in Mazatlan told me, but then, I asked again at both Office Max and Best Buy this week (this is all because I like a particular PHONE case that would be a perfect fit for my tiny cameras) and two out of three 'sales guys' assured me it's not a good idea to put a camera in a phone case, or in any case that has a magnet. The third... pulled his phone out and took out a memory card similar to that in our cameras... and shrugged his shoulders while telling me he could see no reason not to use a magnetic latch on a camera case. I appreciate the explaination. You I trust; the kid down the street.... hey, he's inexperienced and may not know everything YET.

Thanks! Lee