https://www.jeffgeerling.com/blog/2025/recording-vintage-crts-modern-sony-mirrorless-camera

Skip to main content
Jeff Geerling

Main menu

  * Merch
  * About
  * Blog
  * Projects

Recording vintage CRTs with a modern Sony mirrorless camera

July 29, 2025

Growing up, I remember recording CRTs with any camera was an exercise
in frustration. You would either get a black bar that goes across
everything, a slowly moving 'shutter' of darkness over the screen,
black frame flickering, or even a variety of bright artifacts,
especially when moving the camera around.

Mac Classic CRT with flicker line

Just setting your camera's shutter speed to match the refresh rate
somewhat closely is usually enough to make it at least bearable (I
start at 1/60th and see what looks least annoying).

But I recently discovered, while recording an old Macintosh Classic's
CRT, that my Sony A7CII has a built-in anti-flicker feature that's...
actually amazing.

It's located inside Menu > Shooting > 5 Shutter/Silent > Anti-flicker
Set.

Sony A7CII Anti Flicker Setting for CRTs and TVs

Turn on Var. Shutter, then under the settings it allows you to dial
in an exact refresh rate to target. There's an Anti-flicker Tv Scan
option if you press the center button on the dial, but I've found
that to not be super reliable.

Instead, I just watch the CRT through the camera as I increase or
decrease the step. For my Mac Classic, I found a setting of 60.1
works best.

Mac Classic screen recording no flicker MacPaint Party

But every monitor is likely a little different.

With that setting, I was able to record for many minutes and besides
maybe a faint line running down the screen (which could appear more
readily when moving the camera), there were no more artifacts!

Further reading

  * Using a Nikon D750 as a webcam or for live streaming
  * TV for one million: Exploring KSDK's broadcast tower
  * Recording multiple camera angles, full-size, simultaneously, on a
    Mac

cameras
sony
a7cii
flicker
crt
vintage
tv
monitor
recording
how-to
tutorial

  * Add new comment

Search [                              ]
[Search]
Geerling Family Crest
All content copyright Jeff Geerling. As an Amazon Associate I earn
from qualifying purchases. Top of page.