shutter question

[icecold]

I'm trying to find out what the "phase" setup is useful for. In the operations guide there is only one sentence written which says that it provides some kind of delay. But what does it exactly mean?

Thanks for help!

[Stuart English]

I'm trying to find out what the "phase" setup is useful for. In the operations guide there is only one sentence written which says that it provides some kind of delay. But what does it exactly mean?

The shutter will open and close during a period of time within the frame.

That period is defined by the shutter SPEED in 1/xx seconds format.

The PHASE control instructs the camera WHEN that period of time is within the overall frame time

[Uli Plank]

But do I understand this right: It only makes a difference when you are genlocking to an external clock, or will I see any difference on free run?

TIA,

Uli

[Mike Van Laanen]

I have not verified this with my camera, but I believe that you can use the phase to shoot with a television/computer screen in the background. I saw a local wisconsin commercial shot on a red that had a computer screen in the background of the shot and the camera was not phase adjusted. Kinda ruined the look and distracted the viewer.

[Nir Shelter]

Does the phase option behave like shutter angle then?

[Brian Langeman]

No. I believe shutter angle and shutter speed are interchangeable, although the units are different. Degrees when talking shutter angle, and speed measured in hundredths or thousandths of a second when talking shutter speed.

The phase is just offsetting when it happens, not changing the shutter angle or shutter speed.

[Andrew M.]

Phase as I understand is the triggering point for the shutter to open.
It is good for synchronizing the shutter open with the strobe or other short events that may interfere with the shutter close/open period.

I am just wondering what will happen if shutter is set to 270 deg and phase to 180.
Shutter open for 270 deg (3/4 of the frame duration) triggered at 180 deg (middle of the frame duration).
I have to test it, probably camera will trigger shutter at 90 deg even if you ask for phase of 180.

Second thing that is less elegant will be to trigger at 180 and limit shutter to 180 as well, but this will change the exposure of the picture so probably it is not the case.

[Martin Weiss]

I have not verified this with my camera, but I believe that you can use the phase to shoot with a television/computer screen in the background. I saw a local wisconsin commercial shot on a red that had a computer screen in the background of the shot and the camera was not phase adjusted. Kinda ruined the look and distracted the viewer.

If the screen was flickering, then this wasn´t down to the phase, but to the shutterangle/speed.

If there was a steady black bar on the screen, then indeed the phase button would have helped. By pushing the button, you can move the black bar until it is invisible. If the camera is synced to the screen frequency, the bar should stay there. If it moves, you need to change the camera speed/shutter angle.

(This answer supposed that the phase button on the Red does the same as on a film camera. My Red is not here yet - hint, hint.)

[binkyy]

You can also set the shutter to be out-of-phase; on a film camera this would leave the shutter open to a degree while the film is pulled down, resulting in highlights streaking, somewhat like head/tail lights in a long exposure still. Not sure how it would affect a digital camera but would be a nice test.

Not for everyone but a nice look when appropriate.

[Rainer Fritz]

we tested the phase option with our strobo, as we test the 35mm and 16mm cams also and changing the value did not take affect. same in build 13 and 15. is it possible, that it not work at the moment ?