SUMMARY
Mechanical shutters in cameras come in two main types: leaf and focal plane. Focal plane shutters, found in most interchangeable-lens cameras, use two curtains that move across the sensor, enabling high shutter speeds but limiting flash sync to around 1/200s. Leaf shutters, housed within lenses, open and close simultaneously, allowing full flash synchronization at any speed and producing less noise and vibration. This makes leaf shutters ideal for situations requiring flash in bright light, while focal plane shutters offer advantages in lens design and top shutter speeds.
TAKEAWAYS
Leaf shutters expose the entire frame at once, enabling full flash sync.
Focal plane shutters use traveling curtains, limiting flash sync speeds.
Leaf shutters are quieter and produce less vibration than focal plane shutters.
Focal plane shutters allow for smaller, cheaper lenses and higher top shutter speeds.