Using the electronic shutter

Using the electronic shutter lets you perform various kinds of shooting that are difficult to achieve using the mechanical shutter, such as shooting without sounds or shaking, shooting with a super-fast shutter, and blackout-free shooting*.

*During blackout-free shooting, the screen does not black out or drop frames and you can keep looking at the subject through the viewfinder or monitor while shooting images.

Shutter types and camera performance

The camera’s shutter speed range, shutter sound, occurrence of blackout, and availability of such functions as the anti-flicker functions or the flash vary as follows.

Shutter Type
Auto Mechanical Shutter Electronic Shutter
Shutter speed Single shooting:
BULB – 1/32000*1 *2
Continuous shooting:
1/8 – 1/32000*1 *2
Single shooting:
BULB – 1/8000

Continuous shooting:
30 – 1/8000
Single shooting:
30 – 1/32000*1 *2
Continuous shooting:
1/8 – 1/32000*1 *2
Shutter sound Single shooting: Mechanical shutter sound
Continuous shooting: Electronic shutter sound
Mechanical shutter sound Electronic shutter sound
Blackout Single shooting: Occurs
Continuous shooting: Blackout-free*3
Occurs Blackout-free*3
Flash Available*4 Available Unavailable
Anti-flicker shooting Available*5 Available Unavailable
High-frequency anti-flicker *6 Available Available Available

*1The maximum shutter speed is 1/16000 second when the shooting mode is not set to S (Shutter Priority) or M (Manual Exposure), or during bracket shooting with a setting other than [WB bracket] or [DRO Bracket].

*2The next value after 1/16000 second is 1/32000 second when the shooting mode is set to S (Shutter Priority) or M (Manual Exposure).

*3When [Shoot. Start Disp.] is set to [On], blackout occurs only when the first image is shot.

*4 The maximum shutter speed is 1/8000 second when performing continuous shooting with the flash.

*5The maximum shutter speed is 1/8000 second when [Anti-flicker Shoot.] is set to [On].

*6This function can be used when the camera’s system software (firmware) is Ver.2.00 or later.

Advanced shooting using the electronic shutter: Shooting without shutter sound

You can use the electronic shutter to shoot without shutter sound.

  1. MENU (Camera Settings2) → [Shutter Type][Electronic Shutter].
    • Select [Electronic Shutter] or [Auto] for continuous shooting.
  2. MENU (Camera Settings2) → [Audio signals][Off] or [On:other than e-shut].


Advanced shooting using the electronic shutter: Blackout-free continuous shooting

You can use the electronic shutter to perform continuous shooting with focus and exposure tracking, without the screen blacking out.

  1. MENU (Camera Settings2) → [Shutter Type][Auto] or [Electronic Shutter].
  2. Turn the mode dial and select P (Program Auto), A (Aperture Priority), S (Shutter Priority), or M (Manual Exposure), then set the shutter speed and aperture value. (For example: shutter speed of 1/250 second and aperture value of F2.8)
    • The product will not adjust the exposure in manual exposure mode when [ISO] is set to other than [ISO AUTO].
  3. Turn the drive mode dial and select (Continuous Shooting: Hi), (Continuous Shooting: Mid), or (Continuous Shooting: Lo).
  4. Turn the focus mode dial and select AF-C (Continuous AF), then start shooting images.

Hint

  • If you want to display the timing of shooting on the screen during blackout-free shooting, adjust the setting using MENU (Camera Settings2) → [Shoot. Timing Disp.].
  • To take advantage of the performance of the camera, we recommend that you use a UHS-II memory card.

Note

  • When shooting without the shutter sound, do so on your own responsibility, with sufficient consideration to the privacy and portrait rights of the subject.
  • Even if you set the camera to shoot without the shutter sound, it will not be completely silent.
  • Even if you set the camera to shoot without the shutter sound, the aperture and focus will make sounds.
  • When using a lens compatible with Aperture Drive in AF, sound from the aperture drive may be audible during continuous shooting if [Aperture Drive in AF] is set to [Focus Priority].
  • If you set [Audio signals] to [Off], the camera will not beep when the subject comes into focus or when the self-timer is in operation.
  • During blackout-free shooting, the slower the shutter speed, the lower the refresh rate of the screen. If you want the screen display to be smooth in order to track the subject, set a shutter speed faster than 1/125 second.
  • The electronic shutter operates differently when a Mount Adaptor is attached on the camera.