Does fast shutter speed tear on the shutter?

[evikne]

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I love shooting with wide apertures, but I am not very fond of using filters. So at daytime my shutter very often stays at 1/4000 sec. and I set the aperture as wide as I can without overexposing the pictures (only manual settings).

But does fast shutter speed tear on the shutter if I use it very much? What can happen? Would it make more sense to use an ND filter to slow down a bit?

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[earleygallery]

Focal plane shutters work on the basis of the width of the opening of the shutter blades. Shooting at 1/250 is just the same as 1/4000 in terms of actual speed that the shutter moves at.

[evikne]

51 minutes ago, earleygallery said:

Focal plane shutters work on the basis of the width of the opening of the shutter blades. Shooting at 1/250 is just the same as 1/4000 in terms of actual speed that the shutter moves at.

I know. I actually mentioned this a few days ago in another thread, but only as a joke: 

But of course I mean "exposure time", not the speed of the shutter blades (just use the term "shutter speed" myself because it's the most common).

I've heard that very short exposure time may tear on the shutter mechanism if used frequently. Can anyone confirm if this is true?

 

Edited June 19, 2019 by evikne

[jdlaing]

Confirm no. Suspect yes.

[lykaman]

Surely it depends on the type of shutter:- Compur - Electronic (various types) - Focal Plane etc..  I would't miss any sleep over wear N tear.. Use It, Enjoy It, Repair It If Necessary ---  L

[adan]

The M digital blade shutters move from the top of the picture to the bottom (or maybe bottom to top) in 1/180th sec (the max flash sync speed). At 1 second, (or even B ) and at 1/4000th sec. (1/8000th in original M8). Period.

The film-M shutters move from one side of the frame to the other in 1/50th sec (the max sync speed). At 1 sec. (or even B ) and at 1/1000th sec. Period. (Unless they need a CLA )

There is zero "additional force" or spring pressure using a high speed vs. a slow speed. At all times, the shutter curtains/blades are moving the same distance in the same time at the same speed under the same force (acceleration/deceleration). They just start moving at variably different times to produce a variable gap to change exposure.

The M10 shutter travels faster at all times than the M6 shutter at all times - which is why the curtains are metal and not rubberized silk. Blade shutters can "explode" (it happened to me with a Nikon N8008) - but they can explode at 1/60 sec. as easily as at 1/8000th sec.

Now, if one's photographic knowledge is stuck in the past - say, 100 years ago - it was (emphasize was) true that the old 4x5 press-camera focal-plane shutters (e.g. Speed-Graphic) used both variable slits and variable spring tension (force) to cover a wider range of speeds. Because of the spring technology of the era, and the 4-inch-travel required. One set tensions (spring force) of from 1 to 6, and slits of from 1/8th inch to 1.5 inches, to get different speeds up to 1/1000th.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_Graphic

It is also true that some leaf shutters, with a whole different construction and type of movement, often use a higher spring force for fast speeds than slow speeds. On my original 1956 Hassy Super-Wide, it takes more force to cock the shutter spring at 1/500th than at the slower speeds, and once the shutter is cocked for slower speeds, it is not even possible to select 1/500th if one changes one's mind.

[evikne]

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Thank you! Then it seems safe to use max shutter speed (1/4000th sec.) much of the day.