Shutter speed testing (leaf shutters)

[rbiemer]

Just saw this in the Stearman Press blog:
https://shop.stearmanpress.com/blogs/news/measure-your-shutter-speed-for-free

Basically it relies on using the "slo-mo" function in a phone camera to record the opening and closing of a leaf shutter and then counting frames to find the speed. They have done this for LF shutters but I think it would work as well for any leaf shutter. Maybe?

They discuss some of the limitations and approximations they've made while using this idea.

What do y'all think?

Rob

 

[monopix]

Crude. Completely ignores shutter efficiency.

If your aim is to measure the actual speed of the shutter, this isn't going to be very accurate. If you want to assess the effects on exposure, which is what they are suggesting, then you would be better off doing an exposure test and measuring the density of the neg. And doing it at different apertures to assess efficiency.

 

[Mackinaw]

Just saw this in the Stearman Press blog:
https://shop.stearmanpress.com/blogs/news/measure-your-shutter-speed-for-free

Basically it relies on using the "slo-mo" function in a phone camera to record the opening and closing of a leaf shutter and then counting frames to find the speed. They have done this for LF shutters but I think it would work as well for any leaf shutter. Maybe?.......

This is ingenious. Certainly wouldn't hurt to try it. Maybe this weekend, when I have more time.

Jim B.

 

[retinax]

Crude. Completely ignores shutter efficiency.

If your aim is to measure the actual speed of the shutter, this isn't going to be very accurate. If you want to assess the effects on exposure, which is what they are suggesting, then you would be better off doing an exposure test and measuring the density of the neg. And doing it at different apertures to assess efficiency.

It only works accurately at slower speeds where efficiency doesn't make much difference.
For checking the fast speeds, one could also put a leaf shutter in front of a digital camera. For the really slow speeds like 1 second, the human eye and a watch or metronome is pretty good. Usually the somewhat shorter slow speeds are close enough if 1 second is ok. Of course it's a matter of how much accuracy you think you can achieve and need... I'm with the late Roger Hicks who often wrote something along the lines that many people obsess about a level of accuracy that just isn't there or makes no difference in the whole neg/pos process.

 

[monopix]

I'm with the late Roger Hicks who often wrote something along the lines that many people obsess about a level of accuracy that just isn't there or makes no difference in the whole neg/pos process.

I rarely agreed with him but that's one thing I do agree with. And it applies to more than just shutter speeds.

 

[Mackinaw]

I recently rebuilt a Rapax shutter for my Crown Graphic. This is just what I need to get an idea how "in the ballpark" the speeds are. They sound good to my ear, but it be nice to put some numbers to what I hear.

Jim B.