DSLR users are getting pretty spoiled. Image quality is off the chart, the range of lenses and bodies is great, and they’re just plain fun to use. And the Live View function has eliminated the objection that there is no LCD viewfinder. The last hurdle now is making movies – and some guy named Hiroshi Terada is looking to tackle that one.

The problem has been that the mirror element cannot flip open and close fast enough to get steady 30fps video — video and film cameras avoid this problem by using a circular, rotating shutter instead of an iris. Terada avoids this by suggesting a 70% transparent mirror which would remain in the path of the light during movie mode, allowing for the sensor to get its light and the AF to function as well. It’s all very complicated but it sounds viable, check out the rest in the article.

DSLR “Move Mode” Patent [Photography Bay]