Shutter speed
Shutter speed is measured in seconds or generally in fractions of a second. Below, we have a list of some shutter speeds found in cameras. This will vary entirely on the brand and model of the camera you might have.
"B" (bulb), 1 second, ½, ¼, 1/8, 1/15, 1/30, 1/60, 1/125, 1/250, 1/500, 1/1000, 1/2000, 1/4000, 1/8000.
Each speed is twice as fast as the previous shutter speed (as a result, it allows half the amount of light to go into the camera), and vice versa, each speed is half the speed of the next shutter speed (thus, it allows twice as much light into the camera).
Let's see an example: 1/30th of a second is twice as fast as 1/15, and as a result, it will allow half the quantity of light than 1/15 does(1 point of light less). Meanwhile, 1/15th of a second is half the speed of 1/30, which means it will allow twice as much light into the camera as 1/30 (1 point of light more). Remember that in photography when we mention "1 point" we always mean twice or half as much.
Always remember, the larger the number of the shutter speed (1/8000) is, the the faster the speed will be. In the list above, I wrote above, I wrote 1/8000th of a second, which is the fastest speed, and 1 second, the slowest.
"B" or bulb keeps the shutter open as long as the shutter is pressed down. This can be done manually, or in the case of very long exposures, we can connect a cable to the shutter to keep it pressed for as long as we need. In some cameras with bulb, the shutter opens and stays open when we press the shutter. To close the shutter, we need to press the shutter once again. We will later see how to use the bulb.
Some cameras have the option of very slow speeds, such as 2 seconds, 4 seconds, 10 seconds, 30 seconds, etc. This will also depend on the brand and model of the camera.
SRL and DSRL cameras generally offer intermediate speeds which can be half a point or one third of a point.
Example: 1/30, 1/40, 1/50, 1/60, 1/80, 1/100, 1/125.
The speeds in black are whole points while the speeds in red are thirds of a point.
Example: 1/30, 1/45, 1/60, 1/90, 1/125, 1/180, 1/250.
The speeds in black are whole points while the speeds in red are half points.
As we mentioned at the beginning of the course, the shutter controls the amount of time during which light goes through the lens, into the sensor or film. However, shutter speed has a direct effect in movement in a photograph. What does this mean? On one hand, it will control whether a picture comes out moved or sharp depending on the speed we are using. On the other hand, if there is an object moving in the scene I'm shooting at, the shutter speed we use will determine if that object comes out moved or frozen.
