What Is Shutter Speed On Camera?

what is shutter speed?

shutter speed is the length of time your camera's shutter stays open, and therefore how long the sensor is exposed to light. the longer it's open, the more light hits the sensor and the brighter the image.

shutter speed, also known as exposure time, is one of the three fundamental elements of exposure in photography, along with aperture and iso. it refers to the amount of time that the camera's shutter is open, allowing light to reach the camera sensor and create an image. shutter speed is measured in seconds or fractions of a second.

the shutter is the little door in your camera that lets in light to make the image appear on the sensor. the longer it's held open, the more light comes into the shot. this has to be used in relation to other settings like aperture and iso, in order to get a perfectly exposed shot.

shutter speed is pretty self-explanatory: it’s the speed at which the shutter inside your camera opens and closes, which affects how long light hits the camera’s sensor. as with iso and aperture, your shutter speed changes the brightness of your photo.

a camera takes a photo by exposing film (or a digital sensor) to the light. the shutter acts like a barrier — it stays closed to keep the light out when you’re not taking a picture. when you hit the shutter release button on the camera to take the picture, the shutter opens and captures the image, and closes when it’s finished.

what shutter speed measurements mean

• shutter speed is expressed in seconds or fractions of a second, such as 1/200, and is a measure of how long the shutter stays open. so, the setting 1/200 means the shutter inside your camera will open for 1/200th of a second. the shutter speed you have set is also how long the light will hit your sensor.
• these speeds are measured in fractions of a second. ½ means "one half of a second," while 1/250 means "one two-hundred-fiftieth of a second." the smaller the number (the higher the denominator), the faster the shutter speed. conversely, the higher the number, like whole numbers from 1 to 30 seconds, are considered slow shutter speeds.
• shutter speed settings are often represented in stops of light. for example, doubling the shutter speed (e.g., going from 1/125 to 1/250) lets in half as much light, while halving the shutter speed lets in twice as much light.

shutter speed settings

fast shutter speeds:

definition: a fast shutter speed (e.g., 1/000, 1/4000 seconds) means the shutter is open for a very short duration.

effect: fast shutter speeds freeze motion and are suitable for capturing fast-moving subjects without motion blur. they also reduce the amount of light entering the camera.

slow shutter speeds:

definition: a slow shutter speed (e.g., 1/30, 1/2 seconds) means the shutter is open for a longer duration.

effect: slow shutter speeds can create motion blur, which can be used artistically to convey a sense of movement. they also allow more light to reach the sensor, making them suitable for low-light conditions.

how shutter speed affects exposure

• changing your camera's shutter speed is one way to adjust the overall exposure of an image. but it also has creative uses, allowing you to control the amount of motion blur (or lack of it) in your images.
• a fast shutter speed, however, means less light enters the camera, so you'll normally widen the aperture or raise the iso to ensure a well-exposed image. a very slow shutter speed such as 1 second would result in the moving motorcyclist being blurred.
• a slow shutter speed can help you illuminate a darker scene, as it brings more light through the lens. but with a faster shutter speed, the lens is open for a shorter length of time, so less light enters the lens. that makes low light a challenge and demonstrates the importance of a well-lit scene.
• if your shutter speed is really, really fast, not much light will be let into the camera, and you'll end up with a picture that's dark (depending on how bright it is where you're taking the picture).
• if your shutter speed is really, really slow, lots of light will be let in and the picture will be bright (again, depending on how bright it is where you're taking the picture).
• if you're outside on a really sunny day, you'll want to increase shutter speed. if you're inside at night, you'll want to decrease it.

fast shutter speeds

• fast shutter speed lets in less light. this tends to make the resulting image darker (or means you need it to be brighter kn the first place), but also helps if the subject is moving to reduce blur (like taking picture in sports, or if your hand isnt as steady).
• at the extreme end of the fast shutter speed are those cameras that they use to take pictures of hummingbirds in flight or crisp shots of pro athletes.
• a fast shutter speed allows you to shoot a moving image without blurriness, but to compensate for the lack of light coming in, you'd have to adjust your aperture and iso accordingly.
• higher shutter speeds – think 1/1000th and faster – freeze motion. you can use that to perfectly capture a hummingbird mid-flight or a race car on the track.
• photographing someone as they’re jumping can make it look as if they’re floating if you raise your shutter speed high enough to eliminate any motion blur.
• super fast shutter speeds are best for broad daylight (or properly lit indoor shots) where you're taking photos of a moving subject -- e.g. athlete, model, moving vehicle, animal.

slow shutter speeds

• on the flip side, a slow shutter speed lets in more light. this can help capture an image in low light if both the camera and the object is still.
• a slow shutter speed will allow plenty of light to come in, but anything that moves during the exposure time will be blurry.
• slower shutter settings, on the other hand, create blur.
• conversely, lower numbers mean a slower shutter speed and the shutter stays open longer for light to hit the sensor. because of that, slower speeds can produce creative blur effects like double exposures and light streaks.
• using a slow shutter speed is sometimes referred to as ‘dragging shutter’ for this reason.
• slow shutter speeds are recommended for nighttime photography with a tripod, because if you hold the camera and take a photo manually with a slow shutter, the entire shot appears blurry.

motion blur and freezing motion

• motion blur — the effect caused by a subject or the camera moving during a long exposure/slow shutter speed shot — you can freeze time with a fast shutter speed.
• “the problem is that when the shutter is open longer, anything that moves in the frame during that time gets blurrier.”
• if you slow the shutter speed down, there's a chance that the picture will be blurry? why? because (a) your hands will shake while the image is being taken, or (b) the subject of your picture is moving in the frame.
• when adjusting shutter speed, consider light and motion. if you leave the shutter open a longer amount of time to capture more light, motion will affect the photo — maybe in ways you don’t like.
• properly setting your shutter speed is crucial when it comes to not missing the moment, especially with fast-moving subjects.

practical applications

freezing motion:

fast shutter speeds: use fast shutter speeds to capture fast-moving subjects, such as sports, wildlife, or action photography.

conveying motion:

slow shutter speeds: use slow shutter speeds to intentionally introduce motion blur, such as capturing the flow of water in a waterfall or creating light trails from moving vehicles.

low-light conditions:

slow shutter speeds: in low-light situations, a slower shutter speed can be used along with a wider aperture and higher iso to allow more light into the camera.

avoid camera shake

• there are two things to think about when you're choosing the shutter speed: whether it is fast enough to avoid blur due to camera movement when you're shooting handheld – also known as "camera shake" – and how quickly the subject is moving.
• the shutter speed you need to avoid camera shake depends on a number of things, including how windy it is and whether you are using a lens or camera with built-in image stabilisation. but the focal length of the lens is the most important factor. the more you zoom in, the more noticeable any shake becomes.
• a general rule to eliminate this problem is to try to use a shutter speed that's equivalent to the inverse of the effective focal length or faster. so with a 50mm lens setting, use 1/50 sec or faster, and with a 200mm lens use 1/200 sec or faster.
• slower speeds will create motion blur, so make sure you’re using a tripod or keeping your setting above a certain speed when photographing hand-held.
• a hand-held photo might come out blurry from camera shake if your speed is too low, although newer cameras (and some lenses) with vibration reduction can compensate for that.

aperture and iso

• shutter speed is one side of the exposure triangleaperture and the iso setting.
• the aperture is how wide or narrow the lens opening is, which also affects how much light reaches the sensor.
• the iso setting controls the sensor's sensitivity to light – a higher iso results in brighter images, but usually at the cost of increased image noise.
• exposure triangle: shutter speed is part of the exposure triangle, along with aperture and iso. adjusting one of these settings affects the others, so it's essential to find a balance for the desired exposure.
• whichever speed you use, you’ll have to counterbalance it against your other settings to get a good photo.
• if you’re in a dark room but still want minimal motion blur, you can lower your shutter speed to a certain point while boosting your iso and using a wider aperture.

choosing the right shutter speed

• there is no correct shutter speed for every occasion, but you can use the principles we talked about here to determine what the best shutter speed is for your situation.
• if you need to freeze motion, use a fast shutter speed.
• if you need more light or want to create blur, use a slower one.
• exactly what setting you use will require a bit of playing around.
• remember the drawbacks to each when choosing a shutter speed. faster settings will cut down on light, so you must account for that by raising your iso, opening your aperture, or both.
• try out different shutter speeds in different situations. get a feel for how your camera works and, eventually, the adjustments become second nature. what’s important is getting out there to practice.