• Graphic Design
• Video Design

Rolling Shutter Technique to Exhibit Amazing Image Distortions

Ok, today’s effect has nothing to do with Photoshop tricks – it is an amazing and absolutely unbelievable rolling shutter technique that can bewilder an average photo and video enthusiast. This technology is actually widespread enough, ‘cause we see more and more rolling shutter issues crop up these days. But how it works is a still a question for all of us. Let’s try to shed some light on this unusual effect.

Rolling shutter is a method of image acquisition in which different portions of the frame are exposed at different points in time. Note that it’s not an actual physical moving shutter that performs this effect, instead the sensor is telling different portions to become light-sensitive at different moments in time. So with rolling shutter technique, digital camera does not take the picture instantly when you push the shutter button, but it successively scans across the frame either vertically or horizontally, making this way the rolling shutter capture. It is interesting that rolling shutters can exhibit skew, wobble, and partial exposure. While not all parts of the image are recorded at exactly the same time, that results in a certain distortions of fast moving objects, rotating objects, or the fast flashing of light.

On the photos and videos featured below, you’ll see all typical rolling shutter distortions, some image wobbles, diagonal skews of moving cars, partial exposure in the form of disconnected copies of the propeller blades. Photographers and filmmakers actually rapidly adopt these new technique creating interesting solutions around moving objects. Rolling shutter currently could be found on some film cameras, as well as digital still and video cameras using CMOS sensors. Besides, it does appear that the iPhone can also exhibit the excellent rolling shutter distortions. That’s enough for now, you’d better scroll and see yourself all sorts of weird and funky rolling shutter distortions.

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