A DIY retro digital camera project - Blog #9 First ever shutter lag testing for screen-free digital camera

A DIY retro digital camera project - Blog #9 First ever shutter lag testing for screen-free digital camera

One of the biggest pain points for screen free digital cameras is the shutter lag. With 0.5s-1s shutter lag, users are not lived in the moment but 0.5s-1s later. 

I tried many screen free digital cameras in the market (pre Pro Models) to try to capture a good/clear picture of my nonstop moving kid. Successful rate = pretty low. 

Since I am building my own screen free digital camera, shutter lag testing is always haunting me. How can I set up a serious test environment? Even though I tried to capture flying Seagull in close range multiple time with my camera. 

Today, I finally completed might be the first shutter lag testing for screen free digital camera with my camera: Rewindpix. 

Test Tool: an analog stopwatch website (https://www.online-stopwatch.com/analog-stopwatch/), a Rewindpix Camera, a Cell phone for recording

Test method: Press the shutter button when analog stopwatch point at 55s. 

Test sample size: 3 samples, take average

Vision reaction delay compensation: Based on the “A literature review on reaction time" by Robert J. Kosinski, Clemson University, 2013. Average vision reaction time for an normal individual = 200ms or 0.2s. So I am thinking it is safe to use it as a compensation for final reading. 

Without further ado, below is the workflow of the first ever "Scientific" shutter lag time testing for screen-free digital cameras in the family's short history!

To reduce the anticipate ambush aiming, I deliberately wait till the needle point pass through 55s mark complete before I press shutter and that might cause some delay/error room. 

Conclusion:

0.26s, not too shabby. 

And I also constantly testing shutter lag in the "wild". for example, capturing flying pigeon at close range. Not too bad success rate, one time shot though, wind the camera before shooting, just like the sharpshooter back in 100+ years ago? 

 

Feel free to watch video I uploaded on YT

Video

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2 comments

Haha. Thanks Kevin. May the patience be with you!

Xiao Liu

That’s awesome! As a PaperShoot owner, I know how frustrating its unpredictable shutter response can be — the delay between pressing the button and hearing the click is so inconsistent. I’ve missed so many great moments because of it, and even made my subjects feel awkward sometimes.
btw, all those gorgeous photos you keep posting just make me even more impatient to get my hands on Rewindpix!

Kevin

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