Action Settings
Shutter Speed & Motion Blur
Calculate the exact shutter speed needed to freeze action, pan subjects, or safely shoot handheld.
50mm
Zooming in magnifies motion blur.
Minimum To Freeze Action
1/250sor faster
Recommended for Panning
1/60sapprox.
Hand-Holding Limit
1/60sUse Tripod
(Based on 1/focallength rule)Motion, Distance, and Focal Length
Choosing the right shutter speed to freeze motion isn't just about how fast the subject is moving in real life. It's about how fast the subject moves across your camera sensor.
The Geometry of Speed
- Angle: A car driving directly towards you barely moves across the sensor side-to-side, allowing much slower shutter speeds. The same car driving perpendicular across your frame requires extreme speeds to freeze.
- Focal Length: A wide-angle lens makes subjects appear smaller, meaning they cross fewer pixels per second. A telephoto lens magnifies the subject, drastically increasing the speed at which it traverses your frame!
Common Cheat Sheet
Freezing Sports & Action
For unpredictable, fast human motion (tennis, soccer, sprinting), start here.
Silky Waterfalls
To blur moving water into a smooth mist, use a slow shutter speed combined with an ND filter (Requires tripod).
Panning Vehicles
Track the moving car smoothly with your camera while exposing to blur the background while keeping the car sharp.
Astrophotography (Stars)
To prevent stars from trailing due to Earth's rotation, divide 500 by your lens's focal length (e.g., 500 / 20mm = 25s).
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