Speed testing with a DSLR

[Valkir1987]

I just came up with an idea that I wanted to share with you. Maybe it has already been discussed or presented before, excuse me if so.

When you adjust a focal plane shutter, or another type of shutter. You may wan't to test it with an instrument for sure. I came up with the following.

- Make a consistent illuminated scene or test card. Place the DSLR on a tripod and take a shot with the speed and aperture you want to test. Make sure its correctly exposed.
- Now put the camera in Bulp mode. Place the testing shutter without lens in front of the DSLR's lens. Becarefull not to damage the glass surface. Make sure AF is of, and everything is manually set.
- Press the DSLR's shutter button, release the shutter on the testing speed. And release the button afterwards.

Both shots can be compared, or even measured digitally. If they show the same exposure. The speed of the tested shutter should be correct.

 

[Denverdad]

Yes, this idea (or some variation) has been suggested a few times before, for example here: http://decisivemomentum.blogspot.com/2008/07/using-dslr-as-shutter-tester.html

And, it actually works rather well! I know because a while back I put together such a setup for testing camera shutter speeds and have since used it on a Holga, an Agfa Isola, a Meteor, an Ansco Panda, and several of others. I have mine set up to work with the whole camera in place, rather just the shutter; which is important since many of the more primitive cameras don't have a shutter "assembly" per se which can be easily removed. The only requirement is that the shutter/camera under test has to have some kind of bulb mode. (Oh, and if I am using the whole camera then it obviously has to have a way of letting light out the back also).

I find that it is sometimes a little fidly trying to get the light levels/ISO right for the particular measurement, but other than that it seems to be a pretty reliable method.

Jeff