Owning a professional camera and having the knowledge of how to utilize its majority features can lead to creating beautiful photography works. The shutter, which is a small hole, is essential to getting the perfect shot. Many modern cameras can offer a choice between a mechanical and an electronic shutter. Both have their pros and cons, but which one is best for your photography style?
What Is a Shutter?
Before getting into a discussion on the mechanics and benefits, we must first define what a shutter is. In countries like the United States, a shutter is a physical element and its primary purpose is to determine the time that light takes to reach the camera’s sensor. As the shutter blade opens, light begins to pass through the lens. Once the desired exposure time is reached, the shutter closes and the image is ready to be captured.
Types of Shutter
There are two primary types of shutter that can be used for a camera: mechanical and electronic. Mechanical shutters function by physically opening up and closing to control the passage of light. On the other hand, electronic shutters function by sending digital signals to the camera’s sensor to command it to capture an image. The mechanical shutter is generally much faster than its electronic counterpart, making them less prone to the problems associated with motion blur.
Electronic shutters on the other hand can provide cleaner images thanks to its faster capture speeds, resulting in less distortion, however it is much more prone to problems due to its slower opening and closing times. This can result in images that are overexposed allowing too much light in and images which are too dim, since not enough light made its way into the sensor.
The Advantages and Disadvantages of Mechanical Shutter
Mechanical shutters offer a wealth of controls which can be altered to achieve the desired outcomes. They are not as prone to issues such as overexposure as electronic shutters are, thanks to their faster closing and opening times. Mechanical shutters can also capture fast moving objects without the worry of motion blur. However, maintaining a mechanical shutter and the world around it can prove quite challenging, as mechanical parts are prone to wear and long-term storage has to be taken into account in order to avoid malfunctions.
The Advantages and Disadvantages of Electronic Shutter
Electronic shutters are far less prone to the same issues that mechanical shutters manifest themselves with. The longer exposure times can be avoided, thereby leading to less problematic images. Electronic shutters also offer a great degree of control, meaning you can fine-tune what parts of an image get captured. However, electronic shutters are prone to distortion due to slow capture speeds, meaning the images captured can become overexposed or too dim. As well, electronic shutters are usually quite limited in what they can capture, meaning certain objects and details might not be captured properly.
How to Decide Which is Right for You?
The choice between a mechanical and electronic shutter is ultimately up to the user, as both have their advantages and disadvantages. If you are capturing fast-moving objects, then mechanical shutters are the way to go, as their faster capture speeds result in fewer problematic images. If you are looking to capture a scene in extreme detail, then an electronic shutter might be the right choice, as it provides cleaner, more detailed images.
When deciding between an electronic or mechanical shutter, the most important thing to remember is that the right one is ultimately the one that suits your photography style the most, so be sure to focus on the shutter settings and the limitations of each.
The Final Verdict
Ultimately, the choice between a mechanical and electronic shutter is subjective to the needs of the user. If motion is a factor, then mechanical shutters are likely the right choice, as their faster capture speeds are better suited to capturing fast-moving objects. If more detailed images are in demand, then electronic shutters are the better option. Whatever the choice, be sure to take your time to understand the features and limitations that come with each to ensure the right shutter mode for your photography style.
We hope that this article has helped to provide insight into the differences between mechanical and electronic shutters, and has helped to aid in the decision-making process. With the proper knowledge, you can now make the right choice to ensure that your photography style is captured accurately.