Importance Of Mechanical Shutter

[Chris W]

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As someone who shoots often in dimly lit environments, especially those lit increasingly with LED lights, it's really important for me to know if a camera doesn't have a mechanical shutter. 

Often even the manufacturer product page fudges the issue and doesn't make it clear. One thing I'm also finding is that camera reviewers compare a Sony or Sigma camera to Leica and declare the Leica too expensive or no better than the competition, but fail to mention that the Sony and Sigma model they are comparing doesn't have a mechanical shutter.

I've tried syncing my shutter speed to the LED flicker (50 or 60) and it isn't practical to shoot a music concert at 50 shutter speed, or even 100 or 125. And I still ended up with banding anyway.

More and more environments are lit with LED and more and more 'every day cameras' are eschewing mechanical shutters.

Edited March 18 by Chris W

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[Chris W]

Well yes, it is concert lighting, where the intensity of light is constantly changing, and in domestic lighting where the problem lies.

I shot a whole show with my Sigma FP and every still was ruined by some level of banding. The next night I used my Leica CL - every shot was clean.