Shutter speed guide

Shutter speeds from "B" to 1/8000 sec

The following provides information and hints for using various shutter speeds.

B (“Bulb”) setting, 1-second and 1/2 sec:
At the B shutter speed setting, the shutter stays open for as long as the shutter release is held in, allowing you to take long time exposures, and to show motion in images that contain changing light patterns such as pictures of fireworks, running water, lightning and night-time traffic. Watch out for a change in overall color cast with most color films when they are exposed for a long time. If you are shooting digitally, you have to watch out for electronic noise in your images taken at long shutter speeds. Also, some digital cameras restrict the time the shutter can remain open using the Bulb setting, usually to two minutes. At all ultra-slow shutter speed settings, you will need a tripod or another means of holding your camera rock steady while the exposure is being made. Such slow shutter speed settings allow you to use your lens’ smallest opening to obtain the greatest depth of field when photographing a dark scene.

1/4 sec and 1/8 sec
These slow shutter speeds still need good camera support, like a tripod. You can shoot close-up portraits of people who can hold still at 1/4 sec, but it’s risky. Better to use 1/8 sec and faster if your subject doesn't remain still. These shutter speeds are intended mainly for stationary subjects, but are effective in panning.

1/15 sec
We are approaching hand-hold country with this shutter speed. Some super-steady photographers using normal and wide-angle lenses can hand-hold their camera at 1/15 sec and get sharp pictures, but we recommend a tripod anyway. Why risk a good picture? If you have no choice but to hand-hold your camera, this is the slowest-possible speed you should consider, but don’t count on good results. Camera shake can be quite evident at this speed.

1/30 sec
You can hand-hold your camera at this shutter speed when using a wide-angle to a normal lens with luck and great steadiness on your side, but camera support in the form of a tripod or its equivalent is still recommended. If you must hand-hold, brace yourself against something solid and follow our recommendations for Slow shutter hand-holding.

1/60 sec
Finally, a fairly-safe shutter speed at which to hand hold your camera, although still requiring level-handedness and a smooth and steady shutter-release finger. This is the most commonly-recommended fastest shutter speed to use with electronic flash, although your particular camera may allow flash operation at a higher maximum shutter speed. Check your manual to find out. This shutter speed still allows good depth of field in most situations, and can usually be relied upon for image sharpness at the same time.

1/125 sec
If we had an all-around favorite, minimum safe shutter speed for sharp pictures, this would probably be ours, although 1/250 sec comes close. 1/125 sec is great for hand-holding a camera equipped with a normal lens without visible camera shake, and suits the film speeds of most popular films or commonly-used sensitivy settings of digital cameras (namely, ISO 100 and ISO 200), while still providing good depth of field (small apertures). Pictures taken at this shutter speed in normal daylight will almost always be satisfactory, since it coincides with medium to small apertures in most picture-taking situations. 1/125 sec is not the best, however, for stopping fast-moving action. Higher shutter speeds are needed for that, but it’s great for freezing people who are just walking and interacting normally. In fact, this shutter speed can be successfully used with short to medium-length telephoto lenses, in the range of 85mm to 120mm.

1/250 sec
This is the shutter speed for moderate action photography - anything that is not high-speed. Swimmers, runners, parade participants, for example. But, depth of field begins to become more shallow with most film speeds and typical digital sensitivity settings at this shutter speed. That is often an advantage since moderately-shallow depth of field can be used to single out a fast-moving photographic target from its background. A 250 mm lens can be hand-held at this shutter speed with relative sharpness assurance.

1/500 sec
This is a fast shutter speed. It stops rapid motion - runners, fast-moving dancers, your child’s slide into home-plate. If the action is close and fast this shutter speed may not be fast enough, but it should do the job for most sports, dance and action photography shot from a medium distance. Most blur will be evident in the subject’s extremities, and may add to the sense of action. A galloping horse may be sharp, but its faster-moving legs may be blurry.

1/1000 sec
Forget about good depth of field with this shutter speed. There is very little, regardless of the film speed or your digital camera's ISO sensitivity setting. But, this shutter speed stops fast action, whether it be skiing or a baseball game. 1/1000 sec is very fast, but requires a wide aperture, which means shallow depth of field and accurate focusing.

1/2000 sec to 1/8000 sec
Very fast shutter speeds are not available on all cameras. These are truly action-stopping, freezing very fast-moving subjects in their tracks. Excellent shutter speeds for hand-holding long lenses. Depth of field is not usually a consideration when using these extremely fast shutter speeds, making accurate focus essential. Useful for blur-free sports action photographs, shooting fast-moving animals and birds, active children and any speedy subject that you want to photograph for a stop-action picture.