Olympus E-PL1 Anti-shock

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In optional Custom (gear-wheel) menu E, last item. Page 75 of my manual.

The normal operation of the focal plane shutter in the E-PL1 is like this....
• The shutter remains open all the time that the normal live view is happening, it allows a live image on the LCD.
• When the shutter button is fully pressed, the focal plane shutter first closes fully.
• The next operation is to run the first half of the shutter over the sensor area then follow it closely with the second half of the shutter, appropriately spaced apart to create the correct time that the sensor is exposed. It varies from a narrow slit for say 1/1000 second to completely open for a brief period at 1/160 second (maximum flash sync speed) to open for any time at all with Manual or Bulb operation.
• At the end of the controlled exposure, the second half (also called the second curtain) closes over the sensor and the image is downloaded from the sensor.
• Then the shutter opens again to allow continued live view.

The focal plane shutter in any live view camera is very busy, twice as busy as the focal plane shutters were in film SLR days. So it contributes noise and vibration to the camera.

Here's a slowed down animated gif file of the shutter action, recorded with 120 frame/sec camera, not nearly fast enough so the blades are a blur.
shutter action'

No anti-shock delay in this shutter action above. The shutter time was 1/320 second (that's the brief purple blink), the shortest time the shutter is fully open. The purple part is a window reflecting off the sensor. The action again: open-close-exposure-close-open.

The anti-shock feature adds a delay between the shutter closing off the live view and the beginning of the shutter running for the actual exposure. This delay can be selected from 1/8 second, 1/4, 1/2, 1 second, 2, 4, 8, 15, 30 seconds. It appears to help remove some shake problems in some images under some conditions when the anti-shock delay is set to 1/8 second, so if using the camera for general photography and not sports action then that delay is probably a good idea.

If using a tripod then it may be a good idea to combine the normal time delay of 2 or 12 seconds with the anti-shock delay, again set to 2 seconds would be suitable for tripod use. Most decent tripods seem to be able to stop shaking after a shutter finger press in about 2 seconds, so it follows that the 2 second anti-shock would be ideal to limit shake caused by the shutter first closing.

If using continuous mode and anti-shock then the anti-shock delay is added to each shot of the burst. That is an ideal way to take multiple photos at, say, a continued 4 seconds apart. Just keep holding the shutter with that selected 4 second anti-shock delay added and it will take one shot every 4 seconds until the card fills up or you release the shutter button.

The 'down' cursor button gives the shooting options of single or continuous shots, or the time delays of 2 or 12 seconds. If anti-shock has been enabled then the shooting options are available with or without the anti-shock delay added.
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