Do you Know the Difference Between Global Shutter and Rolling Shutter?

Rolling shutter was more or less the only option for photographers and videographers for some time, but that's no longer the case. The question is, do you really know why a global shutter is seen as superior? Probably, even if you don't think you do.

This video my Lizzie Peirce is one of the best explanations of the difference between a global shutter and a rolling shutter than I have seen, particularly while being succinct. For decades, when we have photographed or videoed fast-moving subjects — whether they're cars, people, or wildlife — there would be the issue of warping in the final image. This is a consequence of a rolling shutter that, in essence, rotates through the pixels it captures, meaning that in a single frame, it can capture a subject with its different parts in different places. It will look like a golf club is bending as it's swung, a bit like a cartoon, but it isn't — it's just the club being captured throughout its swing.

This used to be terribly pronounced and the image of the early racing cars you see in this video is a perfect example. However, it's something you're likely still familiar with today, even if you've never paid it much mind.

I do wonder if there will be an increased demand for rolling shutter in the next few decades as it becomes quaint and vintage-looking!