Shutter Speed
Written by Abin Alex and Anu Joseph.
Abstract
Shutter speed is the time the shutter stays open while light reaches the sensor, written as a fraction of a second such as 1/250. Fast speeds admit less light and freeze movement; slow speeds admit more light and blur it. This guide describes the types of shutter, how speeds are written, full, half and third stops, and the choice of speed for different subjects and for handheld work. It also introduces shutter angle, the form in which cinematographers express the same quantity. It is written for photographers and cinematographers.
Keywords: shutter speed; shutter angle; motion blur; freezing motion; handheld shooting
- What is shutter speed, and what does it do?
- How does the shutter work, and what are the types of shutter?
- How is shutter speed written, and what do the numbers mean?
- What are full, half and third stops of shutter speed?
- How does shutter speed control exposure?
- How does shutter speed freeze or blur motion?
- Which shutter speed should I use for different subjects?
- What shutter speed is safe for handheld photos?
- What is image stabilisation, and what does 5-axis stabilisation mean?
- What is long exposure photography, and how do you do it?
- What is panning, and which shutter speed does it need?
- Why is there a flash sync speed, and what is rolling shutter?
- What is shutter angle, and which shutter speed should I use for video?
- Why do lights flicker on camera, and which shutter speed avoids it?
- How do shutter speed, aperture and ISO work together, and how do I set shutter speed?
- Which shutter speed suits each kind of photography?
What is shutter speed, and what does it do?
Short answer. Shutter speed, also called exposure time, is how long the sensor collects light for a picture. It does two things at once: it controls how bright the image turns out, and it determines whether moving subjects appear sharp or blurred.
- A fast shutter speed, such as 1/1000 s, lets in less light and freezes motion.
- A slow shutter speed, such as 1/2 s, lets in more light and shows motion as blur.
- It is one of the three exposure settings, with aperture and ISO.
- It is measured in seconds or fractions of a second, from tens of microseconds to many minutes.
When you press the shutter button, the shutter opens, stays open for the time you chose, and closes again. While it is open, light from the scene reaches the sensor. Anything that moves during that time is recorded at every position it passed through, so it looks blurred. Anything that stays still is recorded sharply.
Cham tipShutter speed is how long the sensor is exposed. Short speeds freeze motion and long speeds blur it.
Cham taskPhotograph a moving fan or running water at 1/1000 s and at 1/15 s. Compare.
Check yourself: Which shutter speed lets in more light, 1/1000 s or 1/30 s?
1/30 s, because the shutter stays open longer.
How does the shutter work, and what are the types of shutter?
Short answer. The shutter is the mechanism that opens, then closes, so light falls on the sensor for the set duration. A mechanical shutter works with physical curtains, while an electronic shutter switches the sensor's exposure on and off electronically. Many cameras give you both.
- Mechanical shutter: curtains move to begin and end the exposure. It works with flash and shows little rolling shutter distortion.
- Focal-plane shutter: two curtains just in front of the sensor, in most DSLR and mirrorless cameras. Speeds run from about 30 s to 1/8000 s, with flash sync usually between 1/90 s and 1/250 s.
- Leaf shutter: overlapping metal blades inside or behind the lens, found mostly on medium format and large format lenses. It can sync with flash across its whole range.
- Electronic shutter: the sensor is switched on and off line by line. It is silent but can distort fast motion and show banding under some artificial lights.
- Electronic front curtain is a mix of both, with an electronic start and a mechanical end. It reduces vibration.
- Film cameras and some cine cameras use a rotating disc shutter with a gap in it. That is where the idea of shutter angle comes from.
- Shutter shock is vibration from the front curtain that can blur pictures at some speeds, mostly with long lenses. An electronic front curtain avoids it.
- A global shutter exposes every pixel at the same time and avoids the distortion of a rolling shutter. A rolling shutter exposes the sensor row by row.
The shutter speed scale and the flash limit both follow from how the shutter is built, so it helps to know the types.
| Type | How it works | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Focal-plane (mechanical) | Two curtains move in front of the sensor | Most DSLR and mirrorless work, very fast speeds | Flash sync limited to about 1/250 s, vibration |
| Leaf | Blades in or behind the lens | Flash at every speed, medium format | Slowest top speed, in the lens so costly |
| Electronic | Sensor reads out row by row | Silent work, very fast speeds | Distortion, banding, flash limits |
| Electronic front curtain | Electronic start, mechanical end | Less vibration on a tripod | Can show odd blur in bright, out-of-focus highlights |
Table 1. Shutter types compared.
Cham tipKnow your camera's shutter options: mechanical, electronic first curtain and fully electronic. They behave differently with flash and fast motion.
Cham taskOpen your camera menu and write down the shutter types it offers.
Check yourself: Which shutter type works best with flash and shows the least rolling shutter?
The mechanical shutter.
How is shutter speed written, and what do the numbers mean?
Short answer. Shutter speeds are fractions of a second, so 1/125 is one 125th of a second. A larger bottom number means a faster shutter. Camera screens usually show just that bottom number, so 125 means 1/125 s, and a value like 2" means two full seconds.
- 1/2000 s is fast. 1/60 s is medium. 1/4 s is slow. 2" and above is in whole seconds.
- The usual full stops are 1/4000, 1/2000, 1/1000, 1/500, 1/250, 1/125, 1/60, 1/30, 1/15, 1/8, 1/4, 1/2 and 1 second.
- Camera readings are rounded. The exact series is 1/64, 1/128, 1/256, and the camera writes 1/60, 1/125, 1/250.
- B or Bulb keeps the shutter open as long as you hold the button.
- Time Exposure (T) keeps it open until you press again.
- Most cameras go up to 30 s. Some electronic shutters reach 1/32000 s.
| Range | Examples | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Very fast | 1/4000 s to 1/2000 s | Birds in flight, motorsport |
| Fast | 1/1000 s to 1/250 s | Sport, children, street |
| Medium | 1/125 s to 1/60 s | Portraits, general work |
| Slow | 1/30 s to 1/2 s | Panning, flowing water, low light on a tripod |
| Long | 1 s to many minutes | Night skies, light trails, very smooth water |
Table 2. Shutter speed ranges.
Cham tip1/250 means one two-hundred-and-fiftieth of a second. A bigger bottom number means a faster shutter.
Cham taskOrder from fastest to slowest: 1/60, 1/500, 1 s, 1/8, 1/2000.
Check yourself: Which is faster, 1/250 s or 1/60 s?
1/250 s, because the bottom number is bigger, so the time is shorter.
What are full, half and third stops of shutter speed?
Short answer. A stop is a step that doubles or halves the amount of light. With shutter speed, one full stop means making the time twice as long or half as long. Cameras also allow half-stop and third-stop steps for finer adjustment, and third stops are the usual default on current cameras.
- One full stop: 1/500 s to 1/250 s doubles the time and the light.
- Half stop: each step changes time and light by about 1.41 times.
- Third stop: each step changes time and light by about 1.26 times.
- Three third stops, or two half stops, equal one full stop.
- Photographers use the phrase 1/2 stop and 1/3 stop. The factors come from 2^(1/2) and 2^(1/3).
| Full stops | Third stops between | Half stops between |
|---|---|---|
| 1/250 | 1/200, 1/160 | 1/180 |
| 1/125 | 1/100, 1/80 | 1/90 |
| 1/60 | 1/50, 1/40 | 1/45 |
| 1/30 | 1/25, 1/20 | 1/20 |
Table 3. How the intermediate settings sit between full stops. Camera menus round some values.
Cham tipOne stop of shutter speed doubles or halves the time, so 1/125 to 1/250 is one stop.
Cham taskStarting at 1/60 s, write the next five full-stop speeds going faster and slower.
Check yourself: How many third stops make one full stop?
Three.
How does shutter speed control exposure?
Short answer. Exposure is the full amount of light that reaches the sensor, and it grows in direct proportion to shutter time: twice the time, twice the light. If you change the shutter speed and want the picture to stay equally bright, make an equal and opposite change to the aperture or the ISO.
- Slower shutter means more light and a brighter picture.
- Faster shutter means less light and a darker picture.
- Brightness also depends on the aperture and on ISO.
- The camera measures the light and suggests a combination. The light meter and the histogram tell you whether it worked.
- In shutter priority mode the camera adjusts the aperture to match your shutter speed.
Cham tipDoubling the exposure time doubles the light. Balance it by changing aperture or ISO the opposite way.
Cham taskTake a photo at 1/125 s. Then shoot at 1/250 s and open the aperture one stop to match the brightness.
Check yourself: You change from 1/125 s to 1/500 s and keep aperture and ISO fixed. How many stops darker is the picture?
Two stops darker.
How does shutter speed freeze or blur motion?
Short answer. A subject that moves while the shutter is open is recorded as a smear. Its length is the subject's speed multiplied by the exposure time, so a faster shutter gives a shorter smear and the subject looks frozen.
- Faster shutter freezes action. Slower shutter shows motion as blur.
- Blur on the picture depends on the speed of the subject, its direction, its distance and the focal length.
- A subject moving across the frame blurs more than one coming towards you.
- A close subject blurs more than a far one at the same speed.
- Some blur can be wanted. It makes a picture feel alive.
- Rain, water drops, splashes and lightning need very fast speeds to freeze.
A cyclist at 10 m/s, which is 36 km/h, moves 8 cm during 1/125 s and 1 cm during 1/1000 s. At the picture size that 8 cm may be a clear smear, while 1 cm is almost sharp.
| Cause of blur | What is blurred | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Camera shake | Everything in the frame | Faster shutter, steady hold, stabilisation, tripod |
| Subject motion | Only the moving subject | Faster shutter matched to the subject speed |
Table 4. Two causes of blur and their remedies.
Cham tipDecide whether you want to freeze or show the motion before you choose a speed.
Cham taskPhotograph a walking person at 1/1000 s and at 1/30 s. Compare.
Check yourself: If everything in the picture is blurred, what is the likely cause?
Camera shake. If only the moving subject is blurred, it is subject motion.
Which shutter speed should I use for different subjects?
Short answer. As starting points, try roughly 1/125 to 1/200 s for a standing portrait, 1/250 to 1/500 s for children and everyday action, about 1/1000 s for field sports, and 1/2000 to 1/4000 s for birds and motorsport. Treat these as guides, not rules.
- Faster subject, closer distance or movement across the frame all need a faster shutter.
- For a creative blur, go slower: panning 1/15 to 1/60 s, flowing water 1/2 to 2 s.
- For a night sky, 10 to 25 s with a wide lens, before stars start to trail.
- Test the result on the screen and adjust.
| Subject | Starting shutter speed | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Stationary portrait | 1/125 to 1/200 s | Reduces small body movement and shake |
| Children and casual action | 1/250 to 1/500 s | Freezes everyday movement |
| Field sports, running animals | About 1/1000 s | Freezes fast movement |
| Birds, wildlife, motorsport | 1/2000 to 1/4000 s | Freezes wings and extreme speed |
| Panning | 1/15 to 1/60 s | Sharp subject, blurred background |
| Flowing water | 1/2 to 2 s, tripod | Silky look |
| Night sky | 10 to 25 s with a wide lens | Stars before trails appear |
Table 5. Practical starting ranges for different subjects.
Cham tipStart with 1/500 s for fast action and 1/125 s for people walking, then adjust.
Cham taskShoot a walking person, a cyclist and a still object. Write the speed that worked for each.
Check yourself: What is a starting shutter speed for a field sport?
About 1/1000 s.
What shutter speed is safe for handheld photos?
Short answer. A handy first guess is a shutter speed no slower than 1 divided by the focal length: 1/50 s or quicker with a 50 mm lens, 1/200 s or quicker with a 200 mm lens. The rule guards against camera shake only and will not freeze a subject that is itself moving.
- Longer focal length magnifies small hand movements, so it needs a faster shutter.
- Full frame guide: 24 mm 1/25 s, 50 mm 1/50 s, 100 mm 1/100 s, 200 mm 1/200 s, 400 mm 1/400 s.
- On a crop sensor, multiply the focal length by the crop factor first. A 50 mm lens on 1.5 crop behaves like 75 mm, so use about 1/80 s.
- A crop sensor needs the crop factor applied: a 200 mm lens on a 1.6 crop body behaves like 320 mm, so use 1/320 s.
- Stabilisation may allow a slower shutter. It comes in the camera (sensor shift), in the lens (Canon IS, Nikon VR, Sigma OS) or as software. It only helps against camera shake, not subject motion.
- High resolution sensors show shake more, so use a faster shutter.
- For stabilisation in lens and body, and what 5-axis means, see the stabilisation question.
| Focal length (full frame) | Starting shutter speed |
|---|---|
| 24 mm | 1/25 s or faster |
| 50 mm | 1/50 s or faster |
| 100 mm | 1/100 s or faster |
| 200 mm | 1/200 s or faster |
| 400 mm | 1/400 s or faster |
Table 6. The reciprocal guide for handheld shooting.
Cham tipAs a starting point, use a shutter speed of 1 over the focal length or faster. At 50 mm, use 1/50 s or quicker.
Cham taskHandhold at 50 mm and take ten photos at 1/60 s and ten at 1/15 s. Count how many are sharp.
Check yourself: What is the minimum starting shutter speed for a 100 mm lens on full frame?
About 1/100 s.
What is image stabilisation, and what does 5-axis stabilisation mean?
Short answer. Image stabilisation lessens the blur caused by shaky hands during the exposure, which lets you use a slower shutter speed. With 5-axis stabilisation the camera compensates for five movements: tilting up and down (pitch), turning left and right (yaw), rotating around the lens axis (roll), and shifting sideways (X) and vertically (Y). It addresses camera shake only, never subject movement.
- Three systems: in the lens (Canon IS, Nikon VR, Sigma OS), in the camera body (sensor shift, called IBIS) and in software (digital).
- Pitch and yaw are tilts. They are the most common cause of blur and are measured by gyroscopes.
- Roll is rotation around the lens axis. Lens stabilisation cannot correct roll, but a sensor that rotates in the body can (Fstoppers, n.d.).
- X and Y shift are sideways and up and down slides, measured by accelerometers. They matter most at close distances, for example in macro work.
- Body and lens can work together, called Coordinated Control IS by Canon, Sync IS by OM System, Dual I.S. by Panasonic and Synchro VR by Nikon. The lens takes the large angular corrections and the body takes roll, shift and fine correction (Fstoppers, n.d.).
- Makers rate stabilisation in stops, from one to about eight. The ratings follow a CIPA test, cover only the rotation axes, and are best treated as a stop or two better than real use (Fstoppers, n.d.).
- One stop of stabilisation lets you use a shutter speed twice as slow. With a 200 mm lens on full frame, 1/200 s becomes about 1/100 s with one stop, 1/50 s with two.
Canon introduced its first stabilised lens in 1995, a 75 to 300 mm zoom, with a gain of about two stops. Nikon released its first VR lens in 2000. Konica Minolta was the first to stabilise by moving the sensor, in the Dimage A1.
A gyroscope detects how fast the camera turns. A processor works out how far the image has drifted and moves a lens group or the sensor the opposite way, many times a second.
| Axis | Movement | Detected by | Lens system corrects | Body (IBIS) corrects |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pitch | Tilt up and down | Gyroscope | Yes | Yes |
| Yaw | Turn left and right | Gyroscope | Yes | Yes |
| Roll | Rotate around the lens axis | Gyroscope | No | Yes |
| X shift | Slide sideways | Accelerometer | Some lenses | Yes |
| Y shift | Slide up and down | Accelerometer | Some lenses | Yes |
Table 12. The five axes. Lens stabilisation mainly corrects pitch and yaw. Source: Fstoppers.
Cham tipStabilisation helps with your hand shake, not subject motion. You still need a fast shutter to freeze movement.
Cham taskHandhold at a slow shutter speed with stabilisation on and off. Compare the sharpness.
Check yourself: Which axis can a lens-based stabiliser not correct?
Roll, the rotation around the lens axis. A moving sensor in the camera body can correct it.
What is long exposure photography, and how do you do it?
Short answer. A long exposure uses a slow shutter, from around half a second up to many seconds, so that movement builds up across time. Water turns silky, clouds stretch into streaks, car lights become lines and moving crowds fade away. A tripod is needed.
- Examples: 1/2 s silky water, 10 s cloud movement, 30 s light trails.
- Use a tripod to keep the camera steady.
- Use a low ISO and a small aperture to cut the light so the slow shutter does not overexpose.
- Use a remote or the 2 second timer so you do not shake the camera.
- In bright light a neutral density filter reduces the light so you can still use a slow shutter.
- A polarising filter also cuts the light, and its maker gives a filter factor for it. Its main job is to control reflections, so treat any dimming as a bonus, and meter again with it fitted (Präkel, 2009).
- The 500 or 600 rule gives the longest time before stars trail: divide 500 or 600 by the focal length. A 24 mm lens gives about 20 s or 25 s.
| Shutter time | Effect | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1/2 s to 2 s | Silky water | Waterfall, river |
| About 10 s | Cloud movement | Sky over a hill |
| About 30 s | Light trails, fading crowds | Night traffic, station |
| 10 to 25 s with wide lens | Stars as points | Night sky |
Table 7. Typical long exposures. Test and adjust for the light and the subject speed.
Cham tipUse a tripod and a two-second timer or remote release so your hand does not shake the camera.
Cham taskOn a tripod, photograph moving water or car lights for 2 to 5 seconds. Use low ISO and a small aperture.
Check yourself: Name three things you need for a good long exposure.
A tripod, a low ISO with a small aperture, and a remote or timer.
What is panning, and which shutter speed does it need?
Short answer. Panning means swinging the camera along with a moving subject while the shutter is open. The subject stays fairly sharp and the background stretches into streaks, which conveys speed. A good range to begin with is 1/30 s to 1/60 s.
- 1/15 s gives the strongest background blur and needs very smooth tracking.
- 1/30 s is a balanced start.
- 1/60 s gives a milder background blur and is easier to keep the subject sharp. It is a good start for motorbikes.
- Use continuous autofocus (AF-C or Servo).
- Track the subject before, during and after pressing the shutter.
- Panning also works on vertical motion, for example a diver or a jumping child.
- Move the camera in the same direction as the subject to keep it sharp and blur the background. Move it against the subject and the blur on the subject doubles.
- Keep the camera moving after the shutter closes. This follow-through keeps the pan smooth.
| Shutter speed | Result |
|---|---|
| 1/15 s | Strongest background blur, dramatic speed, needs smooth tracking |
| 1/30 s | Balanced panning |
| 1/60 s | Milder blur, easier to keep the subject sharp |
Table 8. Panning speeds.
Cham tipFor panning, start near 1/30 s and follow the subject smoothly before, during and after the shot.
Cham taskPan with a passing cyclist or car at 1/30 s and 1/60 s. Count how many keep a sharp subject.
Check yourself: Which panning speed is easiest to keep the subject sharp, 1/15 s or 1/60 s?
1/60 s.
Why is there a flash sync speed, and what is rolling shutter?
Short answer. A flash has to fire while the entire sensor is exposed. With a focal-plane shutter that is only possible at or below the flash sync speed, typically around 1/90 to 1/250 s. An electronic shutter scans the sensor line by line, and fast-moving subjects then show rolling shutter distortion.
- Focal-plane shutters usually sync flash from about 1/90 s up to 1/250 s, rarely higher. Leaf shutters sync at every speed (Canon Europe, n.d.).
- Above the sync speed, the second curtain starts to close before the first one is fully open, so a dark band appears in the picture.
- Electronic shutters are harder to sync with flash.
- Rolling shutter can warp fast subjects because lines of the sensor are read at slightly different times.
- Under fluorescent or LED lights, an electronic shutter can show banding. Matching the shutter speed to the flicker cycle, or turning on anti-flicker, helps (Canon Europe, n.d.).
- Rear (second) curtain sync fires the flash at the end of the exposure, so light trails of a moving subject stay behind it.
- High speed sync lets some flashes work above the sync speed, at reduced power.
| Situation | Safe choice |
|---|---|
| Using flash | At or below the flash sync speed on the mechanical shutter |
| Fast subject, silent work | Electronic shutter on a camera with a fast sensor readout |
| LED or fluorescent light | Mechanical shutter, or anti-flicker mode |
| Fast whip pans in video | Check the footage for wobble, lower the camera speed |
Table 9. Practical choices.
Cham tipWith flash, stay at or below your camera's flash sync speed, often around 1/200 s.
Cham taskFind your camera's flash sync speed in its manual and write it down.
Check yourself: You use flash at 1/500 s and see a dark band. What is wrong?
The shutter speed is above the flash sync speed. Slow it down to the sync speed or lower.
What is shutter angle, and which shutter speed should I use for video?
Short answer. Shutter angle expresses the exposure of one film or video frame as a share of a full circle. The usual setting is 180°, meaning the exposure lasts half of each frame's duration, which is 1/48 s at 24 fps. For video, a simple rule is to set the shutter speed to double the frame rate.
- Exposure time = angle ÷ (360 × frame rate) (StudioBinder, n.d.).
- 180° at 24 fps is 1/48 s, at 25 fps is 1/50 s, at 30 fps is 1/60 s and at 60 fps is 1/120 s.
- The name comes from the rotary shutters of film cameras, a disc with an angled opening.
- A smaller angle, such as 90°, gives crisp and choppy motion. A larger angle, such as 270° or 360°, gives smoother and softer motion.
- In India the mains supply is 50 Hz, so 1/50 s (172.8 degrees at 24 fps) is preferred to 1/48 s, which can flicker. See flicker and shutter speed (Cinematography Mailing List, n.d.; Chapman, 2013).
- At high frame rates for slow motion, 180 degrees at 120 fps is 1/240 s, so you need much more light. In bright light, keep the angle and add an ND filter.
| Shutter angle | Exposure time at 24 fps | Look |
|---|---|---|
| 45° | 1/192 s | Very crisp, choppy |
| 90° | 1/96 s | Crisp |
| 144° | 1/60 s | Slightly crisp |
| 172.8° | 1/50 s | Natural, avoids flicker under 50 Hz lights |
| 180° | 1/48 s | Standard natural motion |
| 270° | 1/32 s | Softer, smoother |
| 360° | 1/24 s | Very smooth, most blur |
Table 10. Shutter angle against exposure time at 24 fps. Values follow from t = angle ÷ (360 × fps).
Cham tipFor video, a shutter speed of about double the frame rate gives natural motion. At 25 fps use 1/50 s.
Cham taskFilm a moving subject at 25 fps with 1/50 s and then 1/500 s. Compare the motion blur.
Check yourself: What shutter speed matches 180° at 25 fps?
1/50 s.
Why do lights flicker on camera, and which shutter speed avoids it?
Short answer. Many lamps pulse in step with the mains supply, and a shutter that is out of step with the pulse captures bright and dark bands or a flickering image. India's mains is 50 Hz, so choose a shutter speed that is a multiple of 1/50 s, such as 1/50 s or 1/100 s. For 24 fps video that means 1/50 s, a 172.8 degree shutter angle, instead of 1/48 s.
- In a 50 Hz country, choose a shutter speed that is a multiple of 1/50 s, for any frame rate (Cinematography Mailing List, n.d.; Chapman, 2013).
- At 24 fps the 180 degree shutter of 1/48 s is not a multiple of 1/50 s and can flicker under mains lights. Use 1/50 s, which is 172.8 degrees at 24 fps.
- At 25 fps, 180 degrees is already 1/50 s. At 30 fps use 1/60 s in 60 Hz countries, and 1/50 s or 1/100 s in India (Cinematography Mailing List, n.d.).
- HMI and other discharge lamps cause flicker. Some electronic HMI ballasts have a flicker-free setting and 50 Hz and 60 Hz settings, and a 60 Hz setting in a 50 Hz country causes flicker (Cinematography Mailing List, n.d.).
- Fluorescent tubes with high frequency ballasts are usually flicker free. Old magnetic ballasts and cheap LED lights often flicker.
- A mixture of lights on different frequencies cannot be fixed with one shutter setting. Turn the extra lights off or replace them.
- In stills, an electronic shutter under fluorescent or LED light can show banding. Matching the shutter speed to the flicker cycle, turning on the camera anti-flicker mode, or using the mechanical shutter helps.
- At high frame rates, for slow motion, the exposure is too short to average the pulses, so use flicker-free lighting.
The cause is simple. Light from many sources rises and falls twice for every cycle of the mains, so a 50 Hz supply gives 100 pulses a second. If the shutter stays open for a whole number of those pulses, each frame gets the same amount of light. If it does not, each frame gets a different amount and the picture pulses.
| Mains | Safe shutter speeds | 24 fps shutter angle | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 Hz (India, Europe) | 1/50 s, 1/100 s | 172.8 degrees for 1/50 s | 1/48 s may flicker |
| 60 Hz (USA) | 1/60 s, 1/120 s | 144 degrees for 1/60 s | Use 1/60 s with a 60 Hz supply |
Table 13. Flicker-safe shutter speeds. A high frequency ballast or a flicker-free LED avoids the problem completely.
Cham tipWhere mains power is 50 Hz, try 1/50 s or 1/100 s to reduce flicker from ordinary lights.
Cham taskFilm a room light at 1/50 s and at 1/125 s. Look for dark bands moving across the frame.
Check yourself: You shoot 24 fps in India under tube lights and see flicker at 1/48 s. What do you change?
Set the shutter to 1/50 s, which is 172.8 degrees at 24 fps.
How do shutter speed, aperture and ISO work together, and how do I set shutter speed?
Short answer. All three settings together decide brightness, so changing one means adjusting another to keep the exposure the same. Pick shutter speed first when movement matters, aperture first when depth matters, and let ISO fine-tune the brightness. On the camera, use shutter priority (S or Tv) or manual (M).
- Choose shutter for motion, aperture for depth, ISO for brightness.
- Faster shutter needs a wider aperture or higher ISO.
- Shutter priority (S on Nikon and Sony, Tv on Canon): you set the shutter speed and the camera sets the aperture (Canon, n.d.).
- If the aperture value blinks in the display, the exposure is off: the lowest value blinking means underexposure and the highest value blinking means overexposure (Canon, n.d.).
- Manual mode (M) lets you set shutter, aperture and ISO yourself.
- Wider apertures also make the depth of field shallower, so a fast shutter often means a thinner sharp zone.
| Look | Shutter | Aperture | ISO | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freeze motion | 1/1000 s | f/2.8 | 1600 | Sharp action, shallow depth, more noise |
| Balanced start | 1/125 s | f/4 | 400 | Natural motion, moderate depth |
| Show motion | 1/30 s | f/8 | 400 | Motion blur, deeper focus, cleaner image |
Table 11. Combinations with about the same brightness but different pictures.
Cham tipChoose one setting for the look, one for the motion and let the third balance the exposure.
Cham taskIn Manual, set shutter speed and aperture for your look and use ISO to correct. Take three shots.
Check yourself: You want to freeze a runner in dim light. Which setting do you choose first?
Shutter speed. Then open the aperture or raise ISO to restore the brightness.
Which shutter speed suits each kind of photography?
Short answer. Pick the shutter speed from how fast the subject moves and how steady the camera is. Fast speeds freeze motion, and slow speeds show it as blur. Treat every line below as a starting point.
- Birds. 1/1000 s or faster for perched birds that move. 1/2000 s or faster for birds in flight.
- Animals and pets. 1/500 s for walking animals. 1/1000 s or faster for running ones.
- Reptiles. 1/250 s on a tripod for still animals. 1/500 s or faster when they move.
- Insects and macro. With flash, the flash freezes the insect, so stay at or below the flash sync speed. Without flash, use a tripod and wait for still air.
- Portraits. 1/125 s or faster when handheld with an 85 mm lens. Use a faster speed for a longer lens.
- Fashion. 1/200 s with studio flash, but check the sync speed of your camera. 1/500 s or faster for jumps and flowing cloth outdoors.
- Wedding and events. 1/125 to 1/250 s for people. Slow to about 1/30 s with flash on the dance floor to show the motion.
- Product. A tripod makes the speed free. Use the flash sync speed with flash, or any speed with continuous light.
- Automotive. 1/125 s for parked cars. 1/30 to 1/60 s to pan with a rolling car, and 1/1000 s to freeze it.
- Photojournalism. 1/250 to 1/500 s as a default for people in motion.
- Sports and action. 1/1000 to 1/2000 s outdoors. 1/500 to 1/1000 s indoors.
- Landscape. A tripod makes the speed free. Use 1/2 to 2 s for silky water, and a fast speed to freeze waves.
- Street and documentary. 1/250 s or faster for walking people. 1/60 s while panning to blur the background.
- Night and astro. 10 to 25 s with a wide lens, before the stars start to trail.
- Cinema. 180 degrees, which is 1/48 s at 24 fps. In India, 1/50 s avoids flicker under mains lights.
Questions beginners ask
Is shutter speed the same as exposure time?
Yes. Shutter speed and exposure time mean the same thing: how long the shutter stays open.
What shutter speed should a beginner start with?
Use 1/250 s for a still subject and 1/1000 s for a moving subject. Then adjust if you see blur.
Why is my photo blurred even at a fast shutter speed?
The cause may be focus, not shutter speed. A missed focus looks soft everywhere on the subject. Camera shake blurs the whole frame, and subject motion blurs only the moving part.
Why can I not use a very fast shutter with flash?
Above the flash sync speed, usually 1/200 to 1/250 s, the shutter curtains do not uncover the whole sensor at once, so part of the picture goes dark.
What shutter speed should I use for video?
Use twice the frame rate. At 24 fps use 1/48 s, at 25 fps use 1/50 s, and at 30 fps use 1/60 s.
References
- Canon Europe. (n.d.) Electronic shutter vs mechanical shutter. Canon Professional Infobank. canon-europe.com/pro/infobank/electronic-vs-mechanical-shutter
- Canon. (n.d.) Tv: Shutter-Priority AE, EOS R1 Advanced User Guide. cam.start.canon/en/C018/manual/html/UG-02_ShootingMode_0040.html
- Chapman, A. (2013) The obsession with using shutter angle on an electronic video camera. alisterchapman.com/2013/01/18/the-obsession-with-using-shutter-angle-on-an-electronic-video-camera
- Cinematography Mailing List. (n.d.) 50 and 60 Hz flicker. cinematography.net/edited-pages/50-60_htz_Flicker.htm
- Fstoppers. (n.d.) How Image Stabilization Physically Works: Magnets, Gyros, and Floating Glass. fstoppers.com/education/how-image-stabilization-physically-works-magnets-gyros-and-floating-glass-904033
- Präkel, D. (2009) Basics Photography 07: Exposure. Lausanne: AVA Publishing. See the sections on filters (pp. 54–55) and the creative use of shutter speed (pp. 68–69).
- StudioBinder. (n.d.) What is the 180 Degree Shutter Rule? studiobinder.com/blog/what-is-the-180-degree-shutter-rule
How to cite this guide. Alex, A., & Joseph, A. (2026). Shutter speed: A guide for photographers and cinematographers. Creative Hut Academy. https://creativehut.org/library/what-is-shutter-speed/
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