Shutter Speed and Frame Rate: How to Set Them Right for Any Video

Today, you are going to learn about shutter speed and frame rate for recording videos. There is no single perfect shutter speed or FPS for every situation. You need to adjust these settings based on the situation and the type of shots you want. That is exactly what this article explains.

No matter which camera you use, this explanation still applies because cameras work in a similar way. Once you understand these basics, choosing the right settings becomes much easier. With that covered, let's get started.

Part 1. What Is Camera Shutter and Shutter Speed?

Shutter speed is simply the total time that your camera sensor is exposed to light, but it is also one of the three fundamental camera settings, alongside aperture and ISO, which make up part of the exposure triangle.

On most modern cameras, your camera sensor, the part capturing the light, has a curtain right in front of it, a shutter.

That shutter blocks light coming in from your lens from entering the sensor. It is an internal part of the camera, and you only get to see this if you have an interchangeable lens camera.

When you take a photo, this shutter quickly moves in front of the sensor and then out of the way so the camera sensor can see the light coming through the lens.

Think of this as opening and closing the shutter. When the shutter is open, the sensor is exposed to the light, and when the shutter is closed, the camera sensor is no longer exposed to the light.

Not all cameras have a physical shutter. For example, an iPhone has an electronic shutter that has no moving parts; however, it achieves basically the same effect as a mechanical one, but with a different method.

The time between opening and closing the shutter is called the shutter speed. Shutter speeds are generally measured in seconds or fractions of a second. For example, a fraction 2" tells you that your shutter will be open for 2 seconds.

So why is this important? Well, the longer your shutter is open, the longer your camera sensor will be exposed to the light, filling it up and making your image brighter.

Picking that shutter speed based on how much light you have is critical to avoid getting an image that's not too dark or not too bright.

Part 2. What Is Frame Rate?

A video is just many pictures shown one after another. When it comes to filmmaking, each drawing or picture is called a frame. You see these frames one after another, which is why the video looks smooth.

Frame rates are also known as frames per second, FPS, or just P. For example, when a video is recorded at 24 FPS, the camera captures 24 frames/drawings/pictures in one second.

Modern cameras can record in all sorts of frame rates. The most common types are 24, 30, 60, 120, and beyond. These are the number of frames recorded in 1 second.

Frame Rate Settings for General and Cinematic Video Content

Now let's talk about the best frame rate settings you can use on your camera.

If you want to capture video that looks close to how real life appears to your eyes, you should prefer shooting at 30 frames per second. Most cinematic films are shot at 24 or 25 frames per second.

You might say that the difference between 24 and 30 is just six frames per second, and technically, you are right. However, it does make a difference when you watch the video. Since 24 FPS is six frames per second lower than 30 FPS, it gives a more natural look, which helps sell the cinematic effect.

On the other hand, if you shoot at 50 or 60 FPS, the video becomes smoother than real life. It is best used for sports, gaming content, or capturing fast action. Remember, smoother does not always mean better. Some people prefer the ultra-smooth look, while others feel it does not look natural.

Slow Motion Video Frame Rate

What if you want to go beyond the ideal frame rate range, meaning higher than 60 FPS or lower than 24 FPS? Let's talk about that.

When you shoot at 120 FPS and play the video back at 120 FPS, you will not notice much of a difference. However, when you play the same video back at a lower frame rate, you get what is called slow motion.

The reason this happens is that you are capturing 120 frames in one second, but you are only viewing 30 frames in one second. For example, if you capture one second of video at 120 FPS and watch it at 30 FPS, it takes 4 seconds to view that 1-second moment. That one-second moment is stretched into four seconds, and that is why it becomes slow motion.

You are able to stretch it out because you have captured those extra frames. One mistake a lot of beginners make is capturing video at 30 FPS and then trying to slow it down in post-processing. The problem is that the video looks choppy because you did not capture those extra frames to fill in the gaps.

Some cameras can record tens of thousands of frames per second, but that usually comes at the cost of resolution. It takes a lot of processing power to capture that many frames in a high resolution. That's why, sometimes you can film at 4K 60, but then only HD at 120 or 180 frames. You're compensating for resolution for frame rates, and this changes from camera to camera, but leaving resolution aside, the higher the frame rate, the slower the slow motion.

Part 3. What is the Relationship Between Frame Rate and Shutter Speed?

Shutter speed is not actually for videos. Let this be clear. It is for photos. For example, when you take a picture at a shutter speed of one hundredth of a second, the shutter opens for one hundredth of a second, light comes in, the shutter closes, and you get an image.

So, when you capture a video at 30 frames per second, the shutter speed of 1/100th of a second applies to each individual frame in the video. Shutter speed controls two things. One is the amount of light hitting the camera sensor, and the other is the motion blur. If you use a slower shutter speed, the motion blur will be higher. Very simple.

Link Between Shutter Speed and Frame Rate

Shutter speed and frame rate are linked, and along with ISO settings, can make a huge difference to your video quality. The general rule for deciding shutter speed for recording videos is the 180° shutter rule. You might have heard about it before. It is very simple. You just double the frame rate, and you get your shutter speed.

For example, when you set the ISO on your camera according to the conditions, such as 100 for bright light, 200 for not so bright, 400 for overcast, or 800 for a really gloomy day, you can set your shutter speed to be double the frame rate. To make this simple, if the frame rate is 25

FPS, set the shutter speed to 1/50th.

If you have a frame rate that, when doubled, cannot exactly match a shutter speed, for example, 24 frames per second sets the shutter speed to the closest available; in this case, it would still be 1/50th, but at 29.97, it will be 1/60th.

Some cameras don't use a shutter speed and instead rate a shutter angle. This is because they use a rotating mechanism. In this case, to get half of the frame rate, simply set the shutter angle at 180°, which is half of 360°, a full circle of the mechanism.

Use of Variable ND Filter

When you shoot indoors under controlled lighting, it is easy to shoot at a wider aperture. Even if the video is overexposed, you can dial down the light intensity and fix it. The problem comes when shooting outdoors during the day if you want to follow the 180° shutter rule.

To follow the 180° shutter rule and get natural motion blur while still shooting outdoors at a wider aperture for that shallow depth of field you need, use a variable ND filter.

Many people compensate for exposure by increasing shutter speed, but that makes the video look choppy and the motion blur unnatural. Do not do that. The video does not look professional. Instead, use a variable ND filter.

This variable ND filter reduces light from one stop to five stops, which is a very useful range for shooting in daylight. The advantage of a variable ND filter over a fixed ND filter is that you can adjust the intensity by rotating the filter and get proper exposure during the day while still following the 180° shutter rule.

You do not have to worry about rain or snow because the nano coating makes the filter water-resistant. If you are a cinematographer, this purchase is worth it.

When to Break the 180° Shutter Rule

The 180° shutter rule is mainly used to get natural motion blur, but there are situations where you can break it.

One situation is when you are recording a video in low light, and there is not a lot of motion in the scene. In this case, you can use a slightly slower shutter speed. Since there is very little movement, the motion blur is not very noticeable. This also allows you to lower the ISO and get better video quality.

The second situation is the opposite. When you are shooting fast-moving subjects and a lot of motion blur is present, you can intentionally use a faster shutter speed. In such cases, the subject appears sharper compared to the video you shot strictly following the 180° shutter rule.

The 180° shutter rule is a good starting point, but there will be times when breaking it makes sense, and you should not be afraid to do so with the frame rate settings.

Part 4. What is the Best Frame Rate and Shutter Speed for Video?

The best frame rate and shutter speed combo depends on what kind of video you're shooting and how you want it to look. There's no one-size-fits-all setting, but some combinations work better for specific types of content.

For cinematic style capturing, shoot at 24 FPS and set the shutter speed to 1/48 or 1/50. Not only that, you get that natural motion blur you see in movies and TV shows.

If you're recording live broadcasts, vlogs, or any type of everyday content, 30 FPS paired with a shutter speed of 1/60 works great for smooth motion.

For capturing sports or fast-paced action, 60 FPS and a 1/120 shutter speed are a good combination for fluid movements and controlling motion blur as well.

Slow motion is a different story. You need extra frames to stretch time properly. You can record at 120 FPS or higher and set the shutter speed to at least 1/240. That way, when you slow the clip down later, the clarity and detail are maintained.

Part 5. Best Tip for Selecting FPS and Shutter Speed While Shooting In Low Light

Now you know about setting the shutter speed, following the 180° shutter rule, and the best combination of frame rates and shutter speeds. One tip is not to shoot at higher FPS in low light. When you shoot at 120 FPS, the shutter speed goes up to 1/250th of a second. Because of this, you have to increase the ISO, and the video quality drops.

When shooting in low light, make sure there is enough ambient light and that the scene is not pitch dark. In these situations, it is better to shoot at a maximum of 60 frames per second. This way, you do not need to use an extremely fast shutter speed, and you can still slow the video down to 50 percent without losing much quality.

Part 6. FAQs of Shutter Speed

Conclusion on Shutter Speed

Shutter speed can often be a confusing subject for photographers to understand because your camera shutter speed controls more than one aspect of your image. Hopefully, this guide covered all your queries. At this point, it is important to understand that a video cannot have a variable frame rate. For example, if you shoot a video for two minutes, you cannot have the first minute at 30 FPS and the second minute at 60 FPS. That's not how it works, and it will mess up the shutter speed as well.