So the term Shutter ANGLE is just a hold over from film?

On the EX1, SHUTTER ANGLE is really just a multiplier of shutter speed? 180 shutter angle makes the shutter speed twice as fast as the frame rate, regardless of the frame rate?

In a film camera, if the exposed area is a rotating wedge of light, it seems that would affect the image of a fast moving object.

is there any equivilant affect in video?

The Arri D20 has a mechanical shutter as do some of the Dalsa's. This allows for the use of an optical viewfinder.

Thanks for that useful piece of info Simon. Takes it from the academic to the useful when using electronic cams.

Okay so 180 ensures proper shutter for slo mo. Why isn't it always set to 180? What are the the circumstances you DON'T want 180?

There are 2 ways to control exposure: iris and shutter (putting aside filters and gain). So if you want to use a large iris (for shallow DOF) then you have to reduce shutter opening. Other reasons are to reduce flicker of AC lighting, freezing motion, and conversely blurring motion. Also long exposures. The reason for having shutter angle on XDCAM is that many DPs are used to film cameras where shutter angle is the relevant parameter. People who have never used film are used to shutter open time. Not magic, just convenient options.

Is there a chart somewhere that shows when to use a particular shutter angle and under what circumstances?

There's a third very important one: nd-filter
And there's fourth not so great one: gain
Generally use for 24/25/30fps 180° and for 50/60fps (playback-rate) 360° (= shutter off). For achieving a dramatic stroboscope/adrenalin-effect (known from saving private ryan, some hiphop-video-clips,...) use smaller angles. This effect doesn't work with 50/60fps.

[QUOTE=Dominik Seibold;975031]
Generally use for 24/25/30fps 180° and for 50/60fps (playback-rate) 360° (= shutter off).
/QUOTE]

Okay but a few posts up someone else is saying the 180 degree works best for slo mo. Who doya believe?? what's the real story?

That's why I mentioned "playback-rate". If you're recording 60fps for playing back with 25fps, use 180. If playing back with 60, use 360. It's all about the playback-rate, not the recording-rate, because it's about serving our visual system (eyes+brain).

Seems to me that I mentioned those too. But people seldom read what is written!