What is Shutter Speed?Shutter speed is the amount of time that the lens stays open while taking a photo. Shutter speed is measured in seconds or fractions of seconds (1" is 1 second, 1/250 is 1 250th of a second). Most of the time, 1/60 or higher is used, anything under that and the camera should be placed on a tripod or image stabilizer should be used. The shutter speeds available depend on your camera. Some go up to 1/4000 sec., and some go higher or lower. There is also the option for slower shutter speeds (1/60 or lower), and the BULB setting is simple: however long you press down the shutter button is how long the sensor stays open, which is useful if you want to use a longer shutter speed than what is available. I strongly recommend using a shutter remote or release cable when using slower shutter speeds, especially for the BULB setting as it will eliminate the risk of camera shake when pressing the shutter release button. Choosing a Shutter SpeedWhat shutter speed to use completely depends on the subject and what you wish to achieve. Still objects don't need as fast of a shutter speed as a person running. Or stationary objects, 1/250 of a second or anything around that is a good choice, though if you are using a tripod you can go as low as you want. Moving subjects you'll want 1/250 seconds of faster to freeze the motion. I prefer using 1/500 of a second or higher and for really fast subjects (like wildlife or cars), I like anything higher than 1/1000 of a second. However, if you wish to caption motion blue (show the movement), use a slower shutter speed. Anything slower than 1/60 of a second will capture the motion of a moving subjects. Remember to use a tripod when using slower shutter speeds. Slow shutter speeds are great for long exposure shots for things such as waterfalls, stars, fireworks, etc., as it creates a sense of motion. You can get pretty creative with shutter speeds. Setting the Shutter SpeedWhen in Auto mode, the camera sets the elements for you (aperture, shutter speed and ISO). Semi-automatic modes set one part for you. When in Aperture Priority mode, you control the aperture but the camera will choose a shutter speed for you. In Shutter Priority mode, you choose the shutter speed and the camera does the rest. In Manual mode, you control all three (see Part 1 post). To find what your shutter speed is set to, look through the view finder and it should be on the bottom left corner or look at the screen section on your camera (on the back of some cameras, but some have it on top by the shutter release button), where your information is found. You should see a fraction and then f/__ (#). The numbers before the f/__ (aperture) is the shutter speed. An easy way to find your shutter speed is to set the camera to aperture priority mode and point your camera at a dark subject. Remember the numbers you see and then point it at a bright subject and which number changes is your shutter speed. FiltersThis is just a quick write up on filters, which will help with shutter speed in certain situations.
Neutral-Density (ND) Filters: These dark grey filters block the amount of light entering the lens and are available in a range of different strengths, each enabling the use of progressively slower shutter speeds. -ND filters are especially useful when out in bright light and wanting a slow shutter speed (i.e. for waterfalls). -If you don't have an ND filter, you can try using a very small aperture to get a slower shutter speed in bright light. Very strong ND Filters, combined with small apertures and low ISO sensitivities, enable the use of shutter speeds that stretch for minutes, even in the middle of a clear summer day. They’re routinely used to create minimalist long-exposure coastal pictures in which a rough sea resembles a polished ice rink.
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AuthorPhotographer & animal lover with a barn full of rabbits and a cat. Archives
January 2021
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