Does using live view add to shutter actuations?
Asked 10/22/2013
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On a camera with live view, does taking photos in live view increase the shutter actuation count? I assumed the mirror is up and the shutter stays open continuously during live view, so I’m not sure why it would count extra actuations. Does this depend on whether the camera uses a mechanical or electronic shutter?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
12y ago
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In cameras that have a mechanical shutter, which are the only cameras I am aware of with shutter durability ratings, the answer is, "Yes, using Live view will increase the number of shutter actuations."
This is because the shutter does not normally stay open continuously on such cameras when shooting in Live View. What happens when you press the button to take a picture: Shutter closes to block light from striking the sensor-->Sensor resets the photon count at each 'pixel' to zero-->Shutter opens to expose sensor to light-->Each 'pixel' counts the number of photons that strike it-->Shutter closes to block light from striking the sensor-->The data from the sensor, how many photons struck each 'pixel', is read-->Shutter opens to allow light to strike the sensor so that a Live View image can be sent to the camera's LCD. And that is the simple version.
With a typical two curtain focal plane shutter, each shutter cycle includes the first curtain opening, the second curtain following it across the focal plane to close it, and then both curtains traveling back across the focal plane while still overlapped to reset them to their starting positions. When using Live View, the 'starting position' is modified to be with the first curtain already open. When the second curtain closes then both curtains are reset and the first curtain opens to take the picture. Once the exposure has been made, the shutter cycles again by closing the second curtain, resetting both curtains, and opening the first curtain to return to Live View.
So for cameras that operate this way, each Live View session includes two shutter actuations for each image recorded plus one more for the open/close/reset that results from starting and ending the Live View session. If you were to start Live View, take seven exposures, and then end Live View you would actuate the shutter a total of 15 cycles: (7*2)+1=15.
For cameras that allow an option to use electronic first curtain when using Live View (or an electronic viewfinder which is essentially Live View), The number of shutter actuations will only increase by one for each frame recorded plus one additional actuation per session.
There are some mirrorless cameras that take high speed bursts without actuating the mechanical shutter in between frames. Essentially what they are doing is saving each frame of video as an individual image. But I know of no such cameras that have shutter durability ratings, although I haven't specifically searched for such a camera that does have a shutter rating.
Originally by user15871. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user15871
12y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Usually yes, if the camera uses a mechanical shutter. In live view, the mirror is up, but the mirror is not the shutter. On many cameras, the shutter does not simply stay open for the entire capture.
A typical live-view capture sequence is: the shutter closes, the sensor is reset, the shutter opens for the exposure, the shutter closes again so the image can be read, then it reopens so live view can resume. That means live view shooting can still add shutter actuations.
If the camera uses an electronic shutter for live view capture, then mechanical shutter wear may be reduced or avoided. But many cameras still use a mechanical shutter for at least part of the process, even in live view.
So the short answer is: live view can increase shutter actuations on cameras with mechanical shutters; with electronic shutter operation, it may not.
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