The idea of using Arduino for measuring camera shutter timings is not new. What I've tried to do here, is to make a modular system with a set of features normally offered in professional testers, at the same time to keep its design simple and available to reproduce using off-the-shelf components.
Usually, time counting and/or light integration methods are used to test cameras. For the time counting method, you need a light sensor, a time counter, and a simple light source. With such setup you can measure exposure time(s) provided by a shutter, curtains travel speed of a focal plane shutter, flash sync contact delays, etc. For the second method, you'll need a photosensor able to measure the amount of light and a calibrated light source. With such setup, you'll be able to measure actual exposure produced by a system "camera+lens", light meter accuracy, operation of auto-exposure cameras, etc.
This tester allows you to perform both time-based and light integration tests and calibrations of film cameras.
- Measures actual exposure at the film plane, which allows to test fully automatic, aperture or shutter priority cameras.
- Accuracy ±0.05EV within 6-14EV range, although full range 5-17EV of a Light Unit can be used for testing.
- Resolution 0.01EV
- Measures exposure time at the center of a frame of simple (leaf) and focal plane shutters of 35mm and Medium Format (6x6 or 6x45 using adapter) cameras.
- In v2.7 only: For leaf shutters of size #00 and #0 calculates estimated effective speed according to efficiency curve.
- Measures timings of focal plane shutters with curtains traveling vertically or horizontally.
- Results can be represented in a few different ways to help you detect different flaws in a shutter operation, such as curtains capping or tapering, uneven travel speed, etc.
- Automatically re-calculates curtains travel time according to selected frame width or height.
- Measures delays between flash contact and shutter opening.
- Automatically identifies X, M, or FP modes.
- Takes a series of measurements, and calculates average stats.
- Number of tests in series can be selected in the Settings menu between 3, 5, 10, or 20.
- Allows to measure efficiency thus effective speed of a leaf shutters from size #00 and bigger.
- Automatically detects the type of connected Sensors, and notifies you if wrong sensor is connected for a specific Mode.
- Automatically detects target speed used to calculate the error.
- Target speed can be set to "Auto" or pre-set from a list of standard speeds.
- You also can select between two sets of standard speeds (Old style like 1/50 or New style like 1/60), depending on the type of shutter you are testing.
- Range of measured speeds from 1s to 1/8000
- Accuracy 10µs (measured in the pre-set environment, using a signal generator and specialized light source)
- Accuracy may vary during real-life measurements with different light sources and cameras.
- Allows to check accuracy and calibrate light meters and light meters built into a cameras.
- Light Source brightness is adjustable within 5-17EV range
- Light Source can be switched between K12.5 and K14.03 light levels
More information on Wiki.
Since the SRT-2 Kits (assembled or not assembled), which were offered on my Tindie store, are all sold and will not be produced anymore, your only option is to make it yourself.
In '/assets' folder you can find all schematics, PCB production files, and STLs for 3D printed parts necessary to build the Tester. I recommend you carefully read Wiki pages first, explore schematics and product photos before you start ordering the parts.
Big thanks to everyone who supported the project from the beginning.
Similar projects that helped me to start my own
- https://github.com/cameradactyl/Shutter-Timer
- https://github.com/ianonahillroad/CameraShutterTimer
- https://github.com/c-s-1/shutter-tester
- https://github.com/sokol07/LaserShutterTester
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
