diff --git a/main.cpp b/main.cpp
index 96328ca..ca5e4ea 100755
--- a/main.cpp
+++ b/main.cpp
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ namespace po = boost::program_options;
 
 typedef vector< string > split_vector_type;  
 
-static void init_log(void)
+static void init_log(bool debug = false)
 {
     /* init boost log
     * 1. Add common attributes
@@ -89,6 +89,10 @@ static void init_log(void)
         boost::log::keywords::min_free_space = 30 * 1024 * 1024,
         boost::log::keywords::open_mode = std::ios_base::app);
     fsSink->set_formatter(logFmt);
+    if (!debug)
+      fsSink->set_filter(
+        boost::log::trivial::severity >= boost::log::trivial::warning
+      );
     fsSink->locked_backend()->auto_flush(true);
 }
 
@@ -110,12 +114,11 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
     std::string port,path,filename;
     int speed;
         
-    init_log();
-
     po::options_description desc("Allowed options");
     desc.add_options()
         ("help", "produce help message")
         ("measure", "get and print values")
+        ("debug", "debug output to file")
         ("verbose", po::value<string>()->implicit_value("0"), "verbosity level")
         ("file", po::value<string>(&filename)->default_value("camera.jpg"),"filename of capture filename")
         ("path", po::value<string>(&path)->default_value("/tmp"),"directory for file of capture")
@@ -138,7 +141,9 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
             cout << desc << "\n";
             return 0;
             }
-
+        
+        init_log(vm.count("debug"));
+        
     } catch(std::exception& e) {
         cerr << "error: " << e.what() << "\n";
         return 1;