The Appeal of High-Speed Shooting with Electronic Shutters and the Rolling Shutter Effect | Knowledge #247
Cover photo by uhe
The electronic shutter represents a groundbreaking advancement in recent mirrorless cameras, characterized by its silent, vibration-free, and ultra-high-speed features, significantly broadening the range of shooting scenarios. Its quietness and precision are particularly advantageous in settings requiring silence, such as weddings, or in wildlife and insect photography.
On the other hand, challenges like rolling shutter distortion and flicker under artificial lighting can sometimes critically affect the shooting results.
This time, we delve into the allure and limitations of electronic shutters.
Photo by Rinoha
New Expression Freedom Unlocked by Silence and Vibration-Free Shooting
The greatest appeal of the electronic shutter is its 'silent shooting' capability, with no shutter sound and no structural vibration. This allows for capturing subjects naturally even in environments where sound consideration is necessary.
Photo by kawase45
Additionally, due to the absence of mechanical wear, it boasts excellent durability, achieving ultra-high-speed shutters like 1/32000 seconds. This ensures high precision results even in dynamic shooting or continuous shooting.
The Trap of Rolling Shutters
However, the electronic shutter using the rolling shutter method reads from top to bottom sequentially, making it prone to distortion with fast-moving subjects, known as 'motion distortion.'
Moreover, under flickering light sources like fluorescent or LED lights, exposure irregularities resembling stripes may appear. These challenges are significantly influenced by shutter speed and lighting conditions, making it crucial to switch between mechanical shutters as needed.
Future Possibilities and Key Points for Utilization
Models like SONY's α9 series, which have dramatically improved scanning speed, have significantly reduced these issues. Furthermore, the advent of 'global shutters' capable of simultaneous exposure of all pixels may fundamentally resolve the rolling shutter problem.
Photo by はくらく
At this stage, adjusting shutter speed and assessing ambient light are key to maximizing the potential of electronic shutters.
