Predicting the Electronic Shutter (ES) Rolling Shutter Effect ?

[pete1959]

Anyone have guidelines for predicting, and thus avoiding situations, where the "rolling shutter effect" happens on X cameras?

 

I sometimes need to shoot with the electronic shutter (ES) for stealth.

 

X-T10 and X-T1.

 

But I find the pictures frequently spoiled by this effect. Maybe 10-15% of my pictures.

 

Always the one with the best facial expressions!

 

The triggers so far seem to be weird or old industrial lighting, lights with odd wavelengths,  and subject movement. However I have had it occur even outside in sunshine.

 

I need ideas on predicting and thus avoiding the effect.

 

Politely: Please don't tell me it never happens to you.  Or how Fuji needs to do this or that etc. I'm just seeking ideas on what others have done to avoid this effect.

 

For those not familiar artifacts from the "rolling shutter effect" I have seen are either bands of horizontal lines across the image or the photo being warped like a "funhouse mirror".

 

Both render the image unusable.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Peter

 

[darknj]

Have the shutter stay only on the mechanical instead of electronic. That will avoid all rolling shutter issue but you will be stuck with a max speed of 1/4000 of a sec.

 

Normally if your speed is any faster than this, you shouldn't have it appearing unless you are panning to follow a fast moving subject too.

 

General behavior is to stay still when taking the picture and turn off OIS if the speed is high.

 

Each shooter have their own settings but I keep it as MS + ES and pay more attention if the speed above the 1/4000 to stay still for around half a second when taking the picture.

[Doug Pardee]

The "funhouse mirror" effect comes from motion during the sensor readout -- the top and bottom of the sensor are being read out at different times (the in-between parts at in-between times). You'll have problems if the scene isn't static or if the camera is moving. If the motion only covers a small vertical extent, it might not be a concern.

 

The banding comes from gas-discharge lighting, which flickers and can change color with the alternating-current power source. You'll have problems with fluorescent, sodium, mercury-vapor, neon, and other gas-discharge lights. Home "compact fluorescent" (CFL) bulbs generally work at a much higher frequency than the power line, so they probably won't give you grief -- if they're "dimmable" bulbs, they should be fine. But tube-style fluorescents will cause trouble.

[pete1959]

thanks...so avoid movement and crappy tube lights.

 

:-)

 

peter

[Doug Pardee]

so avoid movement and crappy tube lights.

 

Most commercial and industrial lighting is also going to be problematic due to being gas discharge. In particular, I've seen a lot of complaints with indoor sporting events (basketball, hockey, etc.).