Mirrorless introduced us to a lot of new tech and the related benefits. It also showed us what happens when you have an unprotected sensor so close to the lens mount. With DSLRs and similar cameras you always had at least a mirror or other components that stopped things like dust or accidental smudges from impacting actual image quality. Not so with mirrorless.
Many companies figured out with their pro-oriented cameras that even just using the shutter as a cover when the camera shut off was a big help. For whatever reason Sony only recently got the memo with recent releases like the a7 IV and if you want to turn it on watch this video from Stefan Malloch.
This is really only for some of the newest Sony cameras. I’m talking the a1 and a7 IV mainly. Even relatively new options like the a7S III don’t have the option right now. Annoying but a good sign that going forward we should be seeing this feature more regularly.
For the super quick tip of actually tuning on it all comes down to locating it in the menu:
- Setup > Setup Option (51/51) > Anti-dust Function > Shutter When Pwr OFF > On
Now, you have to understand that a shutter is not exactly designed to be a protection for the sensor. It is a very sensitive piece of equipment on the camera that has to be synced up perfectly whenever you press the shutter release. Any damage could make this unusable and make a large part of the camera fail to operate properly.
Image Credit: Sony
Not that people are touching sensors, but you should never touch a shutter under any circumstance and be very careful when switching lenses. If you do see any dust particles on the shutter you want to clean the first path should be to use an air blower to gently blow it off. I think in most cases this should work just fine.
There’s also a side note about not leaving the shutter in direct sunlight. Heat can build up and potentially damage the shutter on a hot day. Basically, don’t treat your shutter poorly. Treat it just as well as you were treating your sensor.
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