Using an electronic shutter setting on your camera can save you valuable time, however, it’s important to understand the possible pitfalls and how you can avoid them. One of these pitfalls is rolling shutter distortion. Rolling shutter distortion occurs when the electronic shutter operates in an uneven way, resulting in images that are skewed and warped, especially when capturing fast-moving subjects. In this article, we’ll discuss the causes of rolling shutter distortion, its effects, and how to minimize it when using an electronic shutter setting on your camera.
What is Rolling Shutter Distortion?
Rolling shutter distortion refers to the effect of capturing fast-moving subjects with an electronic shutter, causing the image to appear skewed or strangely shaped. This occurs because the electronic shutter does not capture the entire frame at the same time, instead, it scans from the top to the bottom of the image—the top of the image is captured first and the bottom of the image is captured last. For images with fast-moving subjects, this can result in the subject appearing skewed or distorted.
Why is Rolling Shutter Distortion a Problem?
Rolling shutter distortion poses challenges when shooting fast-moving subjects, such as sports photography or action shots of vehicles. This is because the uneven scan of the electronic shutter can result in blurred background and distorted subjects. This can be especially problematic for professional photographers who rely on sharp, undistorted photographs for their work.
How to Reduce Rolling Shutter Distortion
There are a few techniques you can use to mitigate or reduce rolling shutter distortion when using an electronic shutter setting on your camera.
Use a Slower Shutter Speed
By shooting at a slower shutter speed, you can help minimize rolling shutter distortion when capturing fast-moving subjects. Since the electronic shutter operates at a much faster speed than the mechanical shutter, reducing the shutter speed can help align the frame with the movement of the subject, resulting in a sharper image.
Use a Shorter Focal Length
Using a shorter focal length can help minimize rolling shutter distortion because it reduces the angle of the scan. By using a shorter lens, you can capture the entire frame in a single scan, avoiding any distortion issues.
Use a High-Speed Memory Card
One of the common causes of rolling shutter distortion is a lagging or slow memory card. If the memory card cannot store the information captured by the electronic shutter fast enough, it can cause distortion. Using a high-speed memory card that has a large enough capacity to store images quickly and easily can help minimize the distortion issue.
Conclusion
Rolling shutter distortion is a common issue when using an electronic shutter setting on your camera. Luckily, there are a few different techniques you can use to mitigate and reduce this issue. By using a slower shutter speed, a shorter focal length, and a high-speed memory card, you can help ensure that you capture sharp and undistorted images, even when photographing fast-moving subjects.