Rolling Shutter Issues and Sony’s Innovative Solution

Gear  •  Photography Tips

The rolling shutter effect is a well-known challenge in the world of photography and videography. This post will delve into what causes rolling shutter artifacts, how they can negatively impact your work, and discuss an exciting development from Sony that promises to address this issue.

What is Rolling Shutter?

Rolling shutter occurs because the camera’s sensor scans the scene line by line rather than capturing it all at once. This sequential recording method can cause distortions, such as slanted vertical lines, shape warping, or a ‘jello effect’ in videos, which is especially problematic for photographers who capture fast action or use rapid camera movements.

Problems Caused by Rolling Shutter in Photography

• Skewed Lines: When panning quickly, straight lines can appear tilted or curved.
• Partial Exposure: Flash photography can suffer as the flash may only illuminate part of the scene.
• Wobbling Video: Fast-moving objects or quick camera pans can create a wobble in video footage, reducing quality.

Sony’s Sensor Technology to the Rescue

Sony has recently introduced a new sensor technology that significantly reduces the rolling shutter effect. Recently they unveiled the latest addition to their lineup, the a9 III Mirrorless Camera, which boasts the distinction of being the inaugural mirrorless model equipped with a global shutter sensor.

The cutting-edge a9III is engineered with a 24.6MP full-frame global shutter stacked BSI CMOS sensor, offering a leap in performance over traditional rolling shutters. This innovation eliminates motion distortions, enables extraordinary continuous shooting at speeds of up to 120 fps, and delivers shutter speeds reaching 1/80,000 sec. Additionally, it allows for flash synchronization at every speed.

This ground-breaking technology is poised to be a game-changer for professionals in sports, wildlife, and news photography, as well as for commercial and editorial photographers seeking to capture fast-moving subjects or manage challenging lighting scenarios with a creative edge.

Learn more: Sony a9 III Mirrorless Camera