the shutter is an essential part of any camera as it controls the amount of light that enters the camera and reaches the sensor, which ultimately determines the exposure, motion, and overall image quality of a photograph. It is one of the three pillars of the exposure triangle along with aperture and ISO, and mastering the use of shutter speed is a key aspect of becoming a skilled photographer.

A fast shutter speed, such as 1/1000th of a second, will freeze fast-moving action and reduce motion blur in the image. This is useful in sports or wildlife photography where the subject is moving quickly. A slow shutter speed, such as 1/30th of a second, will create a sense of motion and blur in the image. This can be used to convey a sense of movement or to create a creative effect in a photo.

Types of Shutters in Mirrorless Cameras

There are two types of shutters in a mirrorless camera: electronic and mechanical.

1. Electronic Shutter: An electronic shutter uses the camera’s sensor to capture light and create an image. It works by turning on and off the sensor’s light-sensitive pixels to control the amount of light entering the camera. Electronic shutters are generally faster and more precise, allowing for faster shutter speeds and more control over the amount of light entering the camera. They are also quiet, making them ideal for situations where silence is required.
2. Mechanical Shutter: A mechanical shutter is a physical barrier that opens and closes to control the amount of light entering the camera. It works in a similar way to the shutters in film cameras, and it can be useful in certain situations such as low light or fast action photography. However, mechanical shutters can be less precise and can produce a little bit of noise.

A key advantage of electronic shutters is that they allow for much faster maximum shutter speeds, in some cases, up to 1/32000 sec, which can be useful in situations where you need to freeze fast-moving action. They also allow for silent shooting, which is useful in situations where noise would be disruptive, such as during a wedding ceremony.

However, electronic shutters can produce some unwanted artifacts such as rolling shutter effects, which can happen when you shoot moving subjects or panning shots. This is caused by the way that the sensor reads the image and can result in distortion or skewing of the image. To avoid this, you can use a mechanical shutter or use a faster shutter speed.

In general, mirrorless cameras allow you to choose between electronic and mechanical shutters depending on the shooting situation and the photographer’s preference, but electronic shutter are widely used in mirrorless cameras.

It’s worth noting that electronic shutters can produce some unwanted artifacts such as rolling shutter effects, which can happen when you shoot moving subjects or panning shots. This is caused by the way that the sensor reads the image and can result in distortion or skewing of the image. To avoid this, you can use a mechanical shutter or use a faster shutter speed.

How Shutter Speed is measured in Camera ?

Shutter speed is measured in a camera in seconds or fractions of a second. The most common shutter speeds are measured in fractions of a second, such as 1/1000, 1/500, 1/250, and so on.

A faster shutter speed, such as 1/1000th of a second, is used to freeze fast-moving action and reduce motion blur in the image. This is useful in sports or wildlife photography where the subject is moving quickly. A slower shutter speed, such as 1/30th of a second, is used to create a sense of motion and blur in the image. This can be used to convey a sense of movement or to create a creative effect in a photo.

Shutter speeds slower than a second are indicated by a “s” (for seconds) after the number, for example, 2s, 4s, 8s, etc.

In manual mode, the camera allows you to select the shutter speed, aperture and ISO to get the correct exposure. In Shutter Priority mode, you can select the shutter speed, and the camera will automatically adjust the aperture to achieve the correct exposure. In fully automatic mode, the camera will choose the shutter speed, aperture and ISO for you.

Some cameras also have Bulb mode, which allows the shutter to remain open for as long as the photographer holds down the shutter button. This mode is useful for long exposures, such as night photography or light painting.

In summary, the shutter speed is measured in a camera in seconds or fractions of a second, and it controls the amount of time that the sensor is exposed to light when taking a photo. The photographer can use the shutter speed to control the motion and exposure in a photograph, and it is one of the three pillars of the exposure triangle along with aperture and ISO.

How Exposure and Shutter Speed Closely Connected

Exposure is the amount of light that is captured by the camera, and it is determined by the aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. A longer exposure time will allow more light to reach the sensor, resulting in a brighter image. A shorter exposure time will allow less light to reach the sensor, resulting in a darker image.

The aperture controls the amount of light that enters the camera through the lens, and it is measured in f-stops. The smaller the aperture (larger f-stop number), the less light that enters the camera, and the darker the image will be. The larger the aperture (smaller f-stop number), the more light that enters the camera, and the brighter the image will be.

The ISO controls the sensitivity of the camera’s sensor to light. The lower the ISO, the less sensitive the sensor is to light, and the darker the image will be. The higher the ISO, the more sensitive the sensor is to light, and the brighter the image will be.

Therefore, when adjusting the shutter speed, it’s essential to consider the aperture and ISO as well in order to achieve the desired exposure. For example, if you want to freeze fast-moving action with a fast shutter speed, you’ll need to open the aperture or increase the ISO to allow more light in, to compensate for the shorter exposure time.

shutter speed and exposure are closely connected to each other because the shutter speed controls the amount of time that the sensor is exposed to light, which ultimately determines the exposure of the image. To achieve the desired exposure, it’s essential to consider the aperture and ISO as well.

Electronic shutter vs Mechnical shutter

The choice between an electronic and mechanical shutters in a mirrorless camera depends on the specific shooting situation and the photographer’s preference. Both have their own advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages of electronic shutter:

• Faster maximum shutter speeds, in some cases, up to 1/32000 sec, which can be useful in situations where you need to freeze fast-moving action.
• Silent shooting is useful in situations where noise would be disruptive, such as during a wedding ceremony.
• More precise and accurate, which results in sharper and clearer images.
• Can be less affected by mechanical issues that can happen in mechanical shutters.

Advantages of mechanical shutter:

• More reliable in low-light situations and high-speed action photography as it does not have the rolling shutter effect.
• No distortion from the rolling shutter effect, which can happen when shooting fast-moving subjects or panning shots with the electronic shutter.
• The more natural feeling of taking a photo as it physically opens and closes.
• More robust and less prone to wear and tear than electronic shutters.

In general, electronic shutters are more versatile and can be used in a wider range of situations, while mechanical shutters are more reliable and robust. Ultimately, the choice between electronic and mechanical shutters in a mirrorless camera will depend on the specific needs of the photographer and the shooting situation.