Electronic Shutters?

[BTilson]

Hey all, been a LONG time since I've posted, but I have a question I've been wondering about for quite some time. Maybe someone here knows why this isn't done, or maybe it IS done and I just know nothing about it.

Why are modern DSLR/etc shutters mechanical? It would seem to me that we would be able to achieve MUCH higher shutter speeds with more accuracy if the sensor was exposed and only momentarily "activated" for the desired shutter speed duration. Being completely electronic with no moving parts should allow for some insanely fast shutter speeds.

I personally cannot think of any drawbacks to this approach, but of course I am not a camera designer or engineer.

Anyone got any input or info about this?

Thanks!

 

[Village Idiot]

Hey all, been a LONG time since I've posted, but I have a question I've been wondering about for quite some time. Maybe someone here knows why this isn't done, or maybe it IS done and I just know nothing about it.

Why are modern DSLR/etc shutters mechanical? It would seem to me that we would be able to achieve MUCH higher shutter speeds with more accuracy if the sensor was exposed and only momentarily "activated" for the desired shutter speed duration. Being completely electronic with no moving parts should allow for some insanely fast shutter speeds.

I personally cannot think of any drawbacks to this approach, but of course I am not a camera designer or engineer.

Anyone got any input or info about this?

Thanks!

There are some that work in conjunction with an electronic shutter, but 1/8000 of a second is pretty fast.

Older CCD cameras like the D40, D70, D50, and maybe even the D100 had an electronic shutter that would turn the sensor on then off once the camera's shutter speed exceeded a certain speed.

That allows for virtually no x sync.

 

[Dao]

Yes, the older Nikons has the that .. and I believe Garbz said there are draw backs on that.