[Larrymc]

So, this is a feature and not a big fix. Why was this not implemented at release?

Did you ever consider they may not have finished the programming and they didn't want to delay the release any longer than it was delayed. Nothing sinister going on.

[mtkeller]

It didn't already have an electronic shutter? That's pretty weird. (I mean, obviously it did for pixel shift.)

I suspect they didn't have time to fully bug test it. Wakashiro-san was asked about it by one of the ambassadors who had been testing the camera during a CP+ discussion, and he kind of suggested there would be a chance in a firmware update. We can now confirm that it has been tested and is ready to go.

[lmd91343]

So this is the same thing as "Electronic Front Curtain Shutter"?

This is intended to "alleviate shake that otherwise induces a slight degree of blur at shutter speeds in the 1/90-1/180s range" (from the K1 review)

[mtkeller]

So I understand it would be a setting that needs to be changed depending on the situation, and not a setting to engage once for all.

Correct. I have already added it to one of the spots on the info screen so that I can quickly activate it or deactivate it as required.

I think one of the best uses for myself is in Live View.
If in LV the mirror is already up so elec. shutter will just go ahead and take the photo without cycling the mirror.

Yes, it's definitely a nice stealthy mode there. Could be useful in a situation where you don't want to spook a critter of some sort, although you'll still have the initial noise of raising the mirror when switching to live view.

Another good use would be a continuous shooting situation where you don't need to see through the OVF between frames, as I have just tested and can confirm that if you're in a continuous shooting mode (or at least high speed) and hold the shutter button, the mirror comes up once at the beginning and goes down at the end with the electronic shutter. With the mechanical shutter, the mirror cycles with each exposure.

[stevebrot]

Someone wrote in reply at my post that Pentax or Ricoh is looking at this forum to understand the issues so we could not mess up with false issues etc.

Someone is misinformed, sadly.

This site has has no formal relationship with Ricoh Imaging and minimal informal dealings. They don't supply funding, gear for review or ask our advice nor do they monitor our posts. As far as informal dealings, they sometimes provide opportunity for an interview of one of their people from this site's management to coincide with major trade shows. When that happens the management here will usually request questions and topics from PF users and may also glean feature requests from the Products Suggestions and Feedback sub-forum. Such a thread is currently active:

PF Pentax Interview 2021 - Question suggestions - PentaxForums.com


Steve

[stevebrot]

Why was this not implemented at release?

To make people like us ask questions. What other possible motive could there be, eh?


Steve

[stevebrot]

So this is the same thing as "Electronic Front Curtain Shutter"?

That is hard to say. Electronic Front Curtain Shutter cycles the shutter for each release (mechanical shutter ends exposure) and is quite limited (single shot only). What has been described by users is something akin to video stills capture.


Steve

[lmd91343]

Wow!

Pentax is awash in documentation. *

*Sarcasm intended

I wish Ricoh would publish a one page addendum to the user manual. I can picture myself spending two to three hours of testing to find the operational limits of this function. I paid $2000 for this camera before taxes (10%). I expect to know what the functions are. This is a bad practice on Ricoh's part. They are needlessly aggravating customers! If it I was a great feature lots of people will ignore it and Ricoh will lose good press!

[NZ_Ross]

I wish Ricoh would publish a one page addendum to the user manual. I can picture myself spending two to three hours of testing to find the operational limits of this function. I paid $2000 for this camera before taxes (10%). I expect to know what the functions are. This is a bad practice on Ricoh's part. They are needlessly aggravating customers! If it I was a great feature lots of people will ignore it and Ricoh will lose good press!

It seems Ricoh have responded to your request very efficiently - one page addendum

[lmd91343]

It seems Ricoh have responded to your request very efficiently - one page addendum

Sort of...

Thanks for the spot.

It tells us how to turn it on and off only.

Can I use it for moving subjects? Fast? Slow? Hand held? Tripod only? Flash sync? Astrotracer? Panning? Subject motion? ...

The list of unknowns could go on and on.

[cmohr]

Sort of...

Thanks for the spot.

It tells us how to turn it on and off only.

Can I use it for moving subjects? Fast? Slow? Hand held? Tripod only? Flash sync? Astrotracer? Panning? Subject motion? ...

The list of unknowns could go on and on.

I think you are confusing an "Operation Manual" with a "Photography Handbook" The first tells you what all the functions of the camera are, and how to turn them ON and OFF. The second is about the Basis of Photography and Techniques to use to achieve what you want.

[sbc]

Trying and discovering new functions and technics is part of my photography hobby.

[ffking]

It's a weird thing - I'm sure I'm just an old dog, but I remember being excited about that tranche of new functionality that came after the K-1's release (square crop, night vision rear LCD, electronic shutter implementations etc) and I don't think I've ever used them. I suppose it's good to know that your camera can do those things, but most of the time we tend to use our own brains, not the camera's, to deal with situations, just by force of habit. Or is that just me?

[Rondec]

Why the electronic shutter?

Is it to get rid of that mysterious mirror/shutter/horizon correction bounce?

Is there a desperate need for a 1/16000 second shutter speed?

Has someone found a problem in the mechanical shutter that leads to a shorter than expected life?

I'll never sleep again until I get the answers.

I don't own a K-3 III but the K-1 and K-1 II have electronic shutter. The main point of it is to eliminate shutter shake. Using it when you are on a tripod can result in sharper images, if you have a less than steady tripod and/or you shutter speed is falling in the 1/90-1/180 shutter speed range you can get slight blurring without this.

If you are happy with your images without this feature then it is best to simply ignore its presence and pretend it wasn't added. I do use it, particularly with pixel shift, and don't see a down side when shooting landscape photos.

[Ishpuini]

Correct. I have already added it to one of the spots on the info screen so that I can quickly activate it or deactivate it as required.

Just did the upgrade and added it to the Info screen as well. Now I just have to remember to keep the possibility of a 1/16000s shutter speed in mind.