Still photography: Mechanical v. Rolling Electronic Shutter

[j.floyd]

I currently have the Phantom 4 Pro and love it... except for one thing: It's a pain to drag everywhere! As an old-school still photographer, I love that I can adjust the aperture and it has a mechanical shutter.
So when I read the MP2 would have the same sensor as my Phantom 4P and have an adjustable aperture AND be much more portable, I pulled the credit card from my wallet. Then I learned the shutter on the MP2 is an electronic rolling shutter, not mechanical. After doing some web research, it appears (in theory) the mechanical shutter will yield superior still images (I usually print 16x20).

Am I splitting hairs here, or, all other things equal, will the P4P provide better printed still images than the MP2?

 

[Meta4]

After doing some web research, it appears (in theory) the mechanical shutter will yield superior still images (I usually print 16x20).
Am I splitting hairs here, or, all other things equal, will the P4P provide better printed still images than the MP2?

Are you shooting subjects where fast movement is a big factor?
If you shoot landscape type material, you'll never notice any difference.
If you shoot pictures of helicopters in flight, you'll see curvy rotor blades.

 

[WV. Rootman]

As an old school photographer you should be use to lugging everything around. LOL
Your quad is a lot less then all your camera equipment and a heavy tripod.

 

[With The Birds]

As has been said the mechanical shutter provides no advantage other than avoiding potential strange rendering of fast moving elements in the frame. Exposure accuracy can be every bit as good (perhaps better) with exposure being controlled by the sensor. Another advantage is less moving parts. If you look at how a mechanical focal plane shutter operates you will find at shorter exposures the second curtain begins to follow the first across the frame before it is fully open, effectively creating a slit that moves vertically. Not dissimilar to how the digital exposure is captured.

 

[j.floyd]

If you look at how a mechanical focal plane shutter operates you will find at shorter exposures the second curtain begins to follow the first across the frame before it is fully open, effectively creating a slit that moves vertically. Not dissimilar to how the digital exposure is captured.

That is a great point. Something I had never considered.

 

[j.floyd]

Are you shooting subjects where fast movement is a big factor?
If you shoot landscape type material, you'll never notice any difference.
If you shoot pictures of helicopters in flight, you'll see curvy rotor blades.

Another good point. I seldom shoot any subject moving quickly. Mostly shutter speeds 1/1000 or less of street photography and landscape.

 

[With The Birds]

That is a great point. Something I had never considered.

If you think about the maximum TV you can use with flash on a DSLR (multiple flash burst illumination excluded) you will find it relates to shutter speeds where both shutter curtains are clear of the sensor/film plane. Att all higher speeds the sencimd curtain is staring to move before the first has cleared the sensor. The higher the shitter speed the closer behind it follows.

 

[Super Dave]

As has been said the mechanical shutter provides no advantage other than avoiding potential strange rendering of fast moving elements in the frame. Exposure accuracy can be every bit as good (perhaps better) with exposure being controlled by the sensor. Another advantage is less moving parts. If you look at how a mechanical focal plane shutter operates you will find at shorter exposures the second curtain begins to follow the first across the frame before it is fully open, effectively creating a slit that moves vertically. Not dissimilar to how the digital exposure is captured.

That's something I also never considered, mainly because I'm an idiot and only remotely understand it

 

[anotherlab]

One other consideration, an electronic shutter has no moving parts. That's one less thing to break or otherwise jam.

Digital Photography Review has a nice article that explains how the various types of shutters work.

 

[Alvaro L]

If you are into phogrammetry, a mechanical shutter is a must. If you are into shooting videos for a living, the new Mavic 2 Pro makes a lot of sense.

 

[With The Birds]

If you are into phogrammetry, a mechanical shutter is a must. If you are into shooting videos for a living, the new Mavic 2 Pro makes a lot of sense.

Why?

 

[Alvaro L]

the mechanical shutter would provide better performance in still images with a moving camera, and photogrammetry works on high quality stills, at least at the moment.

 

[With The Birds]

the mechanical shutter would provide better performance in still images with a moving camera, and photogrammetry works on high quality stills, at least at the moment.

Is this likely to be an issue given the FOV, subject distance and flight speed for image acquisition?

 

[Alvaro L]

Rolling Shutter: The Drone Mapping Problem No One’s Talking About

 

[With The Birds]

Rolling Shutter: The Drone Mapping Problem No One’s Talking About

Thank you. The issue with rolling shutter distortion is well understood. It seems, as is confirmed by the link you shared, the issue is corrected in software. Many members here were mapping with pre P4P/A phantoms, seemingly without significant issues. To the extent the images acquired don’t show significant artifacts it is likely optical distortions in the lens would introduce greater error than the rolling shutter.

 

[Alvaro L]

In photogrammetry, every pixel counts, literally.

 

[With The Birds]

In photogrammetry, every pixel counts, literally.

Understood. Your statement that a mechanical shutter is a must though is clearly not true- to the extent it has an impact (clearly it does) there are other considerations which likely have a greater contribution. Lens distortion being one.

 

[Alvaro L]

Lens are calibrated in phogrammetry software on the fly by comparing pics or with calibration workflows. Mechanical shutter is a must if you are serious about your photogrammetry work, in my opinion.

 

[ETC]

As an old school photographer you should be use to lugging everything around. LOL
Your quad is a lot less then all your camera equipment and a heavy tripod.

Yes remember the big box and the bag of gunpowder and the tray you had to hold over your head and ignite just at the right time?. That was something wasn't it?

 

[MHytola]

I do not use mechanical shutter in P4P at all because at certain exposure times it makes the gimbal shake. And because CCD is not real progressive scan there will a time difference between first and last row exposured, mechanical shutter does not help at this.