tmessenger
Established
I've been thinking about how to accurately check the shutter timing on my OM2n and came up with a procedure that is very easy, very accurate and fast. This may have already been figured out and documented on the internet but I could not find it.
To do the test you'll need a point and shoot digital camera that can record a video. I used a Fuji F20 that records video at 30 fps. (frames per second). I started by video recording my shutter opening from the back with the camera opened up with the shutter speed set at 1 second. Next I down loaded the video clip onto my computer desk top and opened the clip with a program called AVS Video Tools (the trial version of this program can be down loaded for free off their website). The tool you want to use is called Video Remaker. Just open the clip in Video Remaker and at the bottom of the program page you can advance the clip one frame at a time. Now just count how many frames the shutter is open for (should be 30 frames for a 1 second exposure 15 for 1/2 second and etc). You can do this with all speeds up to 1/30 of a second, at that speed the shutter should only be open for 1 frame.
Note: I first tried using the movie editing program the comes bundled with windows XP but it does not allow you to advance one frame at a time it goes 3 frames at a time so it's not good for the faster timings.
The good news is my OM2n was right on the money at all the test speeds of 1 sec, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/15 and 1/30.
Have fun.
Tim
To do the test you'll need a point and shoot digital camera that can record a video. I used a Fuji F20 that records video at 30 fps. (frames per second). I started by video recording my shutter opening from the back with the camera opened up with the shutter speed set at 1 second. Next I down loaded the video clip onto my computer desk top and opened the clip with a program called AVS Video Tools (the trial version of this program can be down loaded for free off their website). The tool you want to use is called Video Remaker. Just open the clip in Video Remaker and at the bottom of the program page you can advance the clip one frame at a time. Now just count how many frames the shutter is open for (should be 30 frames for a 1 second exposure 15 for 1/2 second and etc). You can do this with all speeds up to 1/30 of a second, at that speed the shutter should only be open for 1 frame.
Note: I first tried using the movie editing program the comes bundled with windows XP but it does not allow you to advance one frame at a time it goes 3 frames at a time so it's not good for the faster timings.
The good news is my OM2n was right on the money at all the test speeds of 1 sec, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/15 and 1/30.
Have fun.
Tim
ferider
Veteran
Great idea. I think you can measure 1/60 and faster by shooting
a TV screen and counting lines. Never done it myself though.
Roland.
a TV screen and counting lines. Never done it myself though.
Roland.