Shutter Speed Testing

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Following Cameradactyls excellent video
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwOh3da_Y8s
I went and built his shutter speed tester and its great!

It cost about £30 all in from Aliexpress and less than hour set up. I spent this afternoon testing my large format lenses and cameras I could fire with the back open. The only thing I had to change was the code as it seems the sensor i have is the reverse of what he has ( high = low and vice versa)

I compared my measurements to Camley photographic when they sent me a lens and they match!
It gives a great indicator of how your speeds are and if you need to avoid any

Calculated all the diffs using this https://imaginatorium.org/stuff/stops.htm

It measures focal plane and lens shutter however it doesnt measure exposure obviously so if the curtains are out of sync it wont tell you. The main challenge is getting the laser lined up through the centre of the lens.
On my Fuji GW690 I knocked it re set and got wildly different results on the 1/500 setting ( 448 then 374!)

If interested I can send links of what to buy and if you want a lens tested for cost of returned signed for insured postage let me know!

Its probably more accurate than the acoustic tests and cost the same

Next steps to set up a more sturdy rig so results are more repeatable and maybe add power so there are less wires

Schneider 150mm Convertible

Lens speedsSecondstest 1test 2test 3AverageSecondsms
11.0001.041.051.061.050.9523809524952.3809524
1/20.5001.771.741.741.750.5714285714571.4285714
1/50.2004.254.534.564.4466666670.2248875562224.8875562
1/100.1009.8311.099.7510.223333330.0978154548497.81545484
1/250.04020.5120.3120.1920.336666670.0491722668449.17226684
1/500.02030.130.729.5830.126666670.0331931843333.19318433
1/1000.01066.2669.1869.4668.30.0146412884314.64128843
1/2000.005115115114114.66666670.0087209302338.720930233
1/4000.003test againtest againtest againtest againtest againtest again

Pentax P30
FractionSecondsMeasured Speeds (1/n)Seconds
11.0001.020.9803921569
1/20.50020.5
1/40.25040.25
1/80.12580.125
1/150.06716.40.06097560976
1/300.033330.0303030303
1/600.017680.01470588235open up 1/2
1/1250.0081420.007042253521open up 1/2
1/2500.0043120.003205128205open up 1/2
1/5000.0027550.001324503311open up 1/2
1/10000.0012917.40.0003427709604open up 2 stopsdont use

Fuji GW690ii
FractionSecondsMeasured Speeds (1/n)Seconds
11.00011.000
1/20.50020.500
1/40.25040.250
1/80.12580.125
1/150.06714.2780.070
1/300.03328.8540.035
1/600.01747.1960.0211/3 stop over
1/1250.008123.250.008
1/2500.0042170.0051/3 stop over
1/5000.002retest#VALUE!
 

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acrobatic_Citron said:
Following Cameradactyls excellent video
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwOh3da_Y8s
I went and built his shutter speed tester and its great!

It cost about £30 all in from Aliexpress and less than hour set up. I spent this afternoon testing my large format lenses and cameras I could fire with the back open. The only thing I had to change was the code as it seems the sensor i have is the reverse of what he has ( high = low and vice versa)

I compared my measurements to Camley photographic when they sent me a lens and they match!
It gives a great indicator of how your speeds are and if you need to avoid any

Calculated all the diffs using this https://imaginatorium.org/stuff/stops.htm

It measures focal plane and lens shutter however it doesnt measure exposure obviously so if the curtains are out of sync it wont tell you. The main challenge is getting the laser lined up through the centre of the lens.
On my Fuji GW690 I knocked it re set and got wildly different results on the 1/500 setting ( 448 then 374!)

If interested I can send links of what to buy and if you want a lens tested for cost of returned signed for insured postage let me know!

Its probably more accurate than the acoustic tests and cost the same

Next steps to set up a more sturdy rig so results are more repeatable and maybe add power so there are less wires

Schneider 150mm Convertible

Lens speedsSecondstest 1test 2test 3AverageSecondsms
11.0001.041.051.061.050.9523809524952.3809524
1/20.5001.771.741.741.750.5714285714571.4285714
1/50.2004.254.534.564.4466666670.2248875562224.8875562
1/100.1009.8311.099.7510.223333330.0978154548497.81545484
1/250.04020.5120.3120.1920.336666670.0491722668449.17226684
1/500.02030.130.729.5830.126666670.0331931843333.19318433
1/1000.01066.2669.1869.4668.30.0146412884314.64128843
1/2000.005115115114114.66666670.0087209302338.720930233
1/4000.003test againtest againtest againtest againtest againtest again

Pentax P30
FractionSecondsMeasured Speeds (1/n)Seconds
11.0001.020.9803921569
1/20.50020.5
1/40.25040.25
1/80.12580.125
1/150.06716.40.06097560976
1/300.033330.0303030303
1/600.017680.01470588235open up 1/2
1/1250.0081420.007042253521open up 1/2
1/2500.0043120.003205128205open up 1/2
1/5000.0027550.001324503311open up 1/2
1/10000.0012917.40.0003427709604open up 2 stopsdont use

Fuji GW690ii
FractionSecondsMeasured Speeds (1/n)Seconds
11.00011.000
1/20.50020.500
1/40.25040.250
1/80.12580.125
1/150.06714.2780.070
1/300.03328.8540.035
1/600.01747.1960.0211/3 stop over
1/1250.008123.250.008
1/2500.0042170.0051/3 stop over
1/5000.002retest#VALUE!
Click to expand...


I remember 70/80's camera test/rewiews always tested shutter speed accuracy, just had to take their word for accuracy I suppose, and sample variation was probably a big factor negating any real benefit.
 
This is fascinating. Not sure that I really want to know, though, at least for my well-used cameras, as it might make me worry about using certain speeds etc (eg the 1/1000 speed you noted on your P30). IRL I've not noted any concerns about any particular speeds on my Pentaxes, though I don't often go as fast as the 1/1000 setting. With negative film, I guess I can easily be a stop or more out on exposure, with (usually) little ill effects. Probably depends more on my metering technique than the speed accuracy. But I suppose if I had some concerns, this would be a great way to address them!
 
A camera mechanic once told me that an error of 50% in most shutters was acceptable, especially for monochrome film. 25% was still OK for colour transparencies. As I seldom used transparency film at the time, I just took his word for it! :naughty:
 
faster speeds on mechanical shutter have always been pretty diabolical even when new. But it never stopped us getting easily printable images.
It was only important when it came to trannies. and in large format that rarely meant fast speeds were necessary.

I wonder how accurate modern mechanical shutters are in digital cameras, that are electronically controlled.
 
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That's certainly something I might do jus tfor the fun of it, but of course the easiest, quickest, cheapest way to check a shutter is with a microphone and a sound program like Audacity. With a little practice you can work out what the different shapes on the wave mean, and understand the opening and closing ("B" is a great help here) and you can get surprisingly accurate measurements like that.
 
Did you measure only in the centre, or at each end of the travel as well.

In the late 70s Pentax could be set within about 20% if you were lucky. Zenit E within 10% :)
 
ChrisR said:
This is fascinating. Not sure that I really want to know, though, at least for my well-used cameras, as it might make me worry about using certain speeds etc (eg the 1/1000 speed you noted on your P30). IRL I've not noted any concerns about any particular speeds on my Pentaxes, though I don't often go as fast as the 1/1000 setting. With negative film, I guess I can easily be a stop or more out on exposure, with (usually) little ill effects. Probably depends more on my metering technique than the speed accuracy. But I suppose if I had some concerns, this would be a great way to address them!
Click to expand...
Yeah I think its best use case is does this shutter need servicing and are any speeds so bad I should not use them
 
Obviously the sound thing works better on leaf shutters not on focal plane, where identifying front and rear curtain noises and the maths to turn that into exposure is much harder.
 
Sangoma said:
Did you measure only in the centre, or at each end of the travel as well.

In the late 70s Pentax could be set within about 20% if you were lucky. Zenit E within 10% :)
Click to expand...
Yeah I tried to centre as best I could - next I might make a rig to ensure the laser and sensor are aligned and I can adjust lens position for more consistent results
 
acrobatic_Citron said:
Yeah I tried to centre as best I could - next I might make a rig to ensure the laser and sensor are aligned and I can adjust lens position for more consistent results
Click to expand...
I wouldn't be surprised if you don't need a laser or the lens attached.
It is also good to measure in the middle and at each end of the frame (depending what kind of shutter it is) and average it. On some shutters, different speeds in different places could be the first indication of a problem.
 
Just worked out how to test my Pentax Z-5 ( Japanese Z-1) and the speeds are bang on all the way to 1/3000, about 10% variance up to 1/8000
 
Sangoma said:
I wouldn't be surprised if you don't need a laser or the lens attached.
It is also good to measure in the middle and at each end of the frame (depending what kind of shutter it is) and average it. On some shutters, different speeds in different places could be the first indication of a problem.
Click to expand...
Good point, much easier to line up the light source with the middle of the closed shutter!
 
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