Set shutter speed correctly - tips

You should set the shutter speed correctly for cameras in order to achieve a good image result. In this practical tip, we will give you advice so that you can properly manage exposure times.

Photography: short shutter speeds

The shutter speed controls the duration of the light falling on the image sensor. If you set the shutter speed as short as possible, the aperture remains open for a short time and little light falls on the image sensor. Short shutter speeds are exposure times that are less than 1/60 seconds.

• If you want to take pictures of fast movements such as sports events, you should set a fast shutter speed. Moving moments of short duration are frozen by short exposure times.
• With extremely fast shutter speeds of 1/2000 seconds, for example, water drops that cannot be seen with the naked eye can be captured.
• A great advantage of short exposure times is that camera shake is eliminated.

Photography: slow shutter speeds

Slow shutter speeds mean that a lot of light hits the image sensor. The aperture remains open for a long time. The exposure times are greater than 1/60 seconds.

• Slow shutter speeds are used in poor lighting conditions, such as night shots or when deliberately blurred. Fast movements are blurred and dynamically blurred with long exposure times.
• Note that blurring may occur when taking pictures at slow shutter speeds. You should therefore always use a tripod.
• Choose a shutter speed that is faster than the inverse of the selected focal length. This means that at a focal length of 60 mm, you should set a shutter speed of 1/60 seconds or faster to avoid blurring.