In photography, shutter speed refers to how long the camera shutter remains open to expose the camera sensor to light. Shutter speed is measured in seconds or fractions of a second. For example, a shutter speed of 1/30 means the shutter will open and close in 1/30th of a second.
The Basics of Shutter Speed
Shutter speed controls two important aspects of photography: motion blur and exposure. A faster shutter speed (such as 1/500 sec) will freeze motion, while a slower shutter speed (such as 1/30 sec) will blur motion. Shutter speed also works with aperture (f-stop) to determine exposure. Faster shutter speeds reduce the total amount of light hitting the sensor, while slower speeds allow more light in.
Shutter speeds are typically expressed in fractions of a second. Some common shutter speeds include:
- 1/4000 sec
- 1/1000 sec
- 1/500 sec
- 1/250 sec
- 1/125 sec
- 1/60 sec
- 1/30 sec
- 1/15 sec
- 1/8 sec
- 1/4 sec
- 1/2 sec
- 1 sec
Slow shutter speeds allow you to create motion blur, while fast shutter speeds freeze action. Most cameras also allow shutter speeds longer than 1 second for long exposure photography.
What Does 1/30 Mean?
A shutter speed of 1/30 second means the shutter will open and close in one thirtieth of a second. This is considered a slow-moderate shutter speed. At 1/30 sec you will start to see motion blur on moving subjects. This can create a nice sense of motion depending on the subject and how fast it is moving.
Here are some examples of when you might use 1/30 sec shutter speed:
- Panning shots: Panning the camera to track a moving subject at slower speeds like 1/30 can add motion blur to the background while keeping the subject relatively sharp.
- Waterfalls: Slowing the shutter speed to around 1/30 sec allows the water to blur into a smooth, milky look showing motion.
- Zooming: Using a shutter speed of around 1/30 and zooming the lens during the exposure can create unique blur effects.
- Low light/night shots: In low light situations where you want to use a wider aperture for exposure, using a slower shutter speed like 1/30 may be necessary.
- Creative blur: Using slower shutter speeds creatively on whirling or moving subjects like carnival rides can create a sense of action.
However, a shutter speed of 1/30 second can also introduce more camera shake blur from unsteady hands. So using a tripod is recommended. It also may not fully freeze faster moving subjects, so some motion blur can still occur.
How Shutter Speed Affects Exposure
Along with controlling motion blur, shutter speed works with the camera’s aperture setting (f-stop) to determine the overall exposure. Faster shutter speeds reduce the total amount of light hitting the camera sensor. Slower shutter speeds allow more light in. This relationship between shutter speed and aperture is referred to as exposure value (EV).
For example, these two exposure settings would result in the same exposure:
- 1/30 sec at f/2.8
- 1/60 sec at f/2
Even though the shutter speeds differ by 1 stop, closing down the aperture by 1 stop balances it out for the same exposure. This allows you to adjust shutter speed and aperture creatively based on your goals for motion blur vs depth of field.
When to Use a Shutter Speed of 1/30s
Here are some typical situations where using a shutter speed of 1/30 sec would work well:
- Portraits: A moderate shutter speed like 1/30 can introduce some minor motion blur on moving subjects like children that adds a sense of motion.
- Sports: Try panning at 1/30 sec to blur the background while keeping a moving athlete relatively sharp.
- Landscapes: Use slower shutter speeds to create silky waterfall or cloud effects.
- Low light: In low light when you need a wider aperture, 1/30 sec may be fast enough to handhold while allowing enough light.
- Building light trails: Use exposures of 1-5 seconds to create light trails from traffic at night, but steady the camera with a tripod.
Get creative with motion blur! The effect can vary greatly depending on the speed and direction of movement within the scene. Test different shutter speeds to achieve the artistic effect you want.
General Shutter Speed Guidelines
While shutter speed selection depends on many factors, here are some general guidelines on typical shutter speed ranges:
- Landscapes: 1/30 – 1/125 sec
- Portraits: 1/30 – 1/125 sec
- Action/sports: 1/250 – 1/4000 sec to freeze motion.
- Low light: 1/30 sec or slower, use a tripod.
- Camera shake: Avoid blur from hand shake by using shutter speeds faster than 1 over the 35mm equivalent focal length. Example: With a 50mm lens, use 1/50 sec or faster.
However, these are just guidelines. Get to know how changing shutter speed affects your photos through practicing at different settings.
Factors that Determine Shutter Speed
Choosing the optimal shutter speed depends on several factors:
- Motion blur/freezing action: Faster shutter speeds freeze motion, slower speeds blur motion. Select shutter speed based on the amount of motion blur you want for the subject’s movement.
- Exposure: Balancing shutter speed with aperture to achieve proper image brightness.
- Camera stability: Using a shutter speed fast enough to minimize camera shake blur from an unsteady handhold.
- Lighting conditions: In low light, a slower shutter speed may be needed unless using flash.
- Creative effects: Using slow shutter speeds to intentionally blur motion creatively.
It takes experimenting with different shutter speeds to get a feel for their impact on your photos. Digital cameras make this easy – take test shots at different settings to compare the effect on motion and exposure.
Effects of Different Shutter Speeds
The effect of shutter speed on your images depends greatly on the speed of motion within the scene. Here’s an overview of typical effects at different speeds:
| Shutter Speed | Typical Effects |
|---|---|
| 1/1000 sec or faster | Excellent freezing of fast motion like sports, wildlife, vehicles, etc. |
| 1/500 sec | Fast action like athletes is frozen, good for panning shots |
| 1/250 sec | Faster motion is frozen, moderate action like walking starts to blur |
| 1/125 sec | Moderate subject motion blur increases, good for panning |
| 1/60 sec | Significant subject motion blur, good for panning backgrounds |
| 1/30 sec | Increased motion blur, captures a sense of movement |
| 1/15 sec | Moderate to fast action is blurred, enhances a sense of speed |
| 1/8 sec | Considerable motion blur even with moderate movement |
| 1/4 sec and slower | High degree of blur, moving subjects become unrecognizable |
Test different shutter speeds to learn how they translate to apparent motion within your images.
Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Shutter Speed
Follow these steps when selecting an appropriate shutter speed:
- Evaluate scene motion: Assess the speed and direction of motion within the scene – faster subjects require faster speeds to freeze.
- Desired blur effect: Decide if you want to freeze action or intentionally blur motion. Slower shutter speeds will increase motion blur.
- Check exposure: Take test shots to ensure the shutter speed provides proper image brightness when paired with your selected aperture.
- Watch camera shake: Use a shutter speed fast enough to avoid camera movement blur based on your lens focal length.
- Use ISO: If needed, increase ISO to allow faster shutter speeds in low light conditions.
- Use image stabilization: Enable lens/camera stabilization to help minimize camera shake at slower shutter speeds.
- Use a tripod: Consider a tripod for maximum sharpness with shutter speeds below 1/60th sec.
- Review and adjust: Examine results on the camera and make adjustments. Faster motion may require faster shutter speeds.
With experience you will learn to quickly set shutter speed based on lighting, motion, and creative goals for the shot. Take lots of test shots!
Creative Uses for Slow Shutter Speeds
Using shutter speeds of 1 second or longer opens up many creative opportunities through intentionally blurring motion. Here are some examples:
- Light trails: Using exposures of 5-30 seconds at night to turn car lights and traffic into streaking light trails.
- Rivers/waterfalls: Long exposures of 1+ seconds render water as a smooth, misty effect.
- Clouds: Blurring movement in skies for a dreamy effect.
- Zoom burst: Zooming the lens during a 1+ second exposure to create a warp speed effect.
- Panning: Using a slow shutter with panning can accentuate subject motion against a blurred background.
- Minimalist motion: Using a tripod and slow shutter speed to capture light trails from spinning sparklers at night.
Use slow shutter speeds creatively to intentionally blur motion in artistic ways. Use a tripod for best results with exposures longer than 1/30 sec.
Issues Caused by Slow Shutter Speeds
While slower shutter speeds provide creative opportunities, they can also introduce some potential issues:
- Camera shake blur: Using a tripod is required for sharp images at shutter speeds below 1/30 sec handheld.
- Motion blur: Any movement in the frame will blur at slow shutter speeds, which may not always be desirable.
- Noise: Long exposures may increase noise in images shot at high ISOs.
- Overexposed highlights: Bright lights and reflections may overexpose with a too slow shutter speed.
- Partial exposures: If the shutter speed is too slow, part of the exposure could be lost if light conditions change during the exposure.
Watch out for these potential problems when decreasing shutter speed for creative effects. Test shots at expected settings will help identify any issues.
Shutter Speed Tips and Tricks
Here are some additional tips for mastering shutter speed:
- Freeze motion: To freeze a moving subject, use a shutter speed of 1/500 sec or faster.
- Avoid blur: When handholding, avoiding camera shake requires a shutter speed of at least 1 over the 35mm equivalent focal length. Example: With a 50mm lens, use 1/50 sec or faster.
- Panning: Try panning at slower shutter speeds around 1/30 to 1/60 sec to blur the background and keep a moving subject relatively sharp.
- Light trails: Use shutter speeds of 5-30 seconds to create artistic light streaks from traffic at night.
- Tripods: Always use a sturdy tripod for sharp shots with shutter speeds slower than 1/60th sec.
- Remote release: Using a remote release or timer minimizes camera movement with slow shutter speeds.
Get creative with different shutter speeds to add a sense of motion to your photos!
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you calculate shutter speed?
Shutter speed is determined by a camera’s light meter based on the scene brightness and ISO. You can also calculate shutter speed manually using the exposure triangle – balancing shutter speed with aperture and ISO to achieve the desired exposure.
What is a fast shutter speed?
Fast shutter speeds are considered 1/500 sec or faster. This will freeze most motion including fast action like sports, vehicles, wildlife, etc. Slow shutter speeds that intentionally blur motion are 1/30 sec or slower.
What shutter speed should I use for portraits?
Typical portrait shutter speeds range from 1/125 to 1/30 sec. This provides enough sharpness to freeze facial expressions while allowing some body movement to avoid a stiff look. Use faster speeds around 1/250 sec if wanting to completely freeze motion.
What situations require a fast shutter speed?
Fast shutter speeds of at least 1/500 sec are required to freeze very fast subject motion like birds, wildlife, sports, vehicles, or splashing liquids. Fast speeds are also important under low light when handholding to prevent camera shake blur.
How slow can shutter speed go?
Most DSLR cameras allow shutter speeds as long as 30 seconds or more. Very slow shutter speeds require the use of Bulb mode for exposures potentially many minutes long. Use speeds longer than 1 second for artistic long exposure techniques.
What is the 180 degree shutter rule for video?
The 180 degree shutter rule recommends setting the shutter speed to double the video frame rate. This helps provide proper motion blur within the video. For 30fps video use 1/60 sec. For 24fps use 1/50 sec. Higher shutter speeds will make motion appear jerky.
Conclusion
Shutter speed is a central component of photography that has a big impact on capturing motion and exposure. A shutter speed of 1/30 sec provides moderate subject blurring that can be used creatively or in low light situations. Take advantage of digital cameras to experiment with different shutter speeds and see their effect firsthand in your images.