focal-plane shutter
Quick Summary
A focal-plane shutter is a type of camera shutter used for instantaneous exposures. It consists of two blinds that move in succession across the film or image sensor, forming a traveling slit. The width of this slit determines the duration of the exposure, with a narrower slit resulting in a shorter exposure time. These shutters are typically located directly in front of the image plane and can achieve very brief exposure times, sometimes as short as 1/12,000 of a second. This contrasts with leaf shutters, which are located within or behind the lens.123
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.
