Shutter Speed Chart
The shutter speed that freezes your subject depends on how fast it moves across the frame — not just its real speed. These are proven starting points; check sharpness at 100% and adjust.
Freeze or blur: recommended speeds
| Subject | Recommended | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Birds in flight | 1/2000 – 1/4000 s | Fast wings need the fastest speeds; use burst + tracking |
| Motorsport / racing | 1/1000 – 1/2000 s | Or 1/60 – 1/125 s for a panning shot with blurred background |
| Ball sports (tennis, soccer) | 1/1000 – 1/2000 s | Ball in frame = go faster |
| Kids & pets playing | 1/500 – 1/1000 s | Unpredictable movement; fast enough to save candid shots |
| Street / documentary | 1/250 s | Freezes walking subjects; wide enough for available light |
| Portraits | 1/125 – 1/250 s | People pose; this beats camera shake with stabilization |
| Handheld landscapes | 1/focal length (or 2× for APS-C) | With stabilization you can go 2–4 stops slower |
| Macro (handheld) | 1/200 s or faster | Magnification amplifies shake — see the macro guide |
| Waterfall — silky | 1/2 – 2 s | Tripod + ND filter; use the ND calculator |
| Waterfall — frozen | 1/500 – 1/1000 s | Bright day, fast shutter |
| City lights / night | 2 – 30 s | Tripod; bulb mode for longer |
| Star points (astro) | see 500/NPF rule | Max time before trails — use the star calculator |
Video: the 180° rule
For video, shutter is set by the 180° rule: 1/(2 × frame rate). The full math is in the shutter angle calculator:
| Frame rate | 180° shutter |
|---|---|
| 24 fps | 1/48 s |
| 30 fps | 1/60 s |
| 60 fps | 1/120 s |
| 120 fps (slow-mo) | 1/240 s |
Handheld rule of thumb
The classic anti-shake rule: shutter ≥ 1 ÷ focal length (35 mm equivalent). A 200 mm lens needs ≥ 1/200 s; a 24 mm can go as slow as 1/24 s. Modern image stabilization buys you 2–4 extra stops — but only for your shake, not subject movement.
Related tools & guides
Exposure Equivalence
Trade shutter for aperture/ISO without changing brightness.
Open →ND Filter Calculator
Get slow shutter speeds in daylight.
Open →Sports & Action DoF
Pair the right shutter with the right aperture.
Read →Shutter speed FAQ
Why do I need a faster shutter for a flying bird than a running dog?
It's about speed across the frame, which depends on distance and lens magnification too. A bird at 10 m with a 400 mm lens crosses the frame much faster than a dog at 5 m with a 35 mm lens — hence 1/2000+.
Is a slower shutter ever better?
Yes — when you want motion blur: panning with a car (1/60–1/125 s), silky water (1/2–2 s), light trails (seconds), or intentional camera movement. Blur tells the story of motion; freezing erases it.
Does image stabilization let me ignore the rule?
For static subjects, yes — you can go 2–4 stops slower handheld. For moving subjects, no: stabilization counters your shake, not the subject's motion. Keep the subject speed, not the rule.