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How the Shutter Works

The shutter is a device which controls the duration of the exposure. There are several types of shutters, including the focal plane and leaf shutters. We will discuss the most common shutter, the focal plane shutter.

35mm SLR with back open.
Shutter Open.	Shutter Closed.

Focal plane shutters are made up of two blinds positioned in front of the film, which open a gap between them when the shutter release button is pressed (see below for example). The amount of time that the film is exposed depends on the shutter speed.

A focal plane shutter in action

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