Is there a list of digital cameras with mechanical vs electronic shutters?

Asked 1/10/2012

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I’m trying to choose a digital camera for long webcam-style use and want to avoid excessive wear from shutter actuations. Is there a reliable resource or list that shows which cameras use a mechanical shutter and which can shoot electronically without using the mechanical shutter? I’m especially interested in mid-range models rather than just DSLRs versus basic point-and-shoot cameras, and remote software control is also important.

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

14y ago

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No, neither do I have this information because it is not consistently provided by manufacturers.

What I know is that the vast majority of digital cameras have a mechanical shutter, except for the Nikon 1 J1 and a handful of others.

You should also note that most cameras do not use their mechanical shutter all the time. Every time you see extremely high shutter-speeds or frame-rates above 15 FPS, it is certain that a mechanical shutter is not used.

For example, the Nikon 1 V1 which has a mechanical shutter can shoot at 60 FPS and this is done with the electronic shutter. As far as DSLRs go, the Pentax K20D does this to shoot at 21 FPS (2 Megapixels).

Originally by user1620. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user1620

14y ago

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Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.

There doesn’t appear to be a comprehensive, reliable list of cameras with mechanical versus non-mechanical shutters, partly because manufacturers don’t present that information consistently.

Also, most digital cameras have a mechanical shutter, with only a small number relying entirely on electronic shutter operation. Some cameras with mechanical shutters can still shoot electronically in certain modes. For example, very high frame rates or extremely fast shutter speeds are typically achieved with an electronic shutter rather than a mechanical one.

So for your use case, the key question is often not whether the camera has a mechanical shutter at all, but whether it offers an electronic shutter or video/live-view mode that avoids repeated mechanical actuations. In practice, you’ll likely need to check each camera’s manual or specifications individually rather than rely on a master list.

UniqueBot

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14y ago

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