What is Shutter Speed in Photo? In Which Cases is Shutter Priority Mode Used?

Hello, followers of fotografmania.com. In this article, I will talk about the questions and answers of “What is shutter speed”, “What is shutter speed priority”, “Where is the shutter speed, with which settings we should use”. Let’s take a hand together with shutter speed after Iso and Aperture, our indispensable trio for photography.

 Shutter Speed In Photos

The mechanism by which the light falling on the sensor is adjusted in terms of time is called Shutter Speed (or curtain, or shutter). It comes from the French word “instantané”. Cameras have a screen in front of the sensor (or film). When we press the shutter, this curtain will open and close instantly during shooting. The time that passes until the curtain opens and closes can be called Shutter speed. The shutter speed can also be called shutter, enstantane or curtain. Although these are different words used in photography, they actually mean the same thing. Determines the amount of Light that will fall on the sensor in terms of time. In short, we would say the exposure time.

Shutter Priority Mode

We express the duration of the photo in seconds. So the shutter speed unit is ‘seconds‘. The shutter-priority mode is the mode in which we set the exposure time of the photo on the camera and other values ​​are automatically assigned. The user, adjusts the time and the camera sets the ISO and aperture settings accordingly.

If there is no automatic lens on the camera that can give such settings, your camera will not be able to create the ideal photographic conditions, and therefore take a shutter spees that is not ideal (too dark or too bright) at the shutter speed you set. So sometimes we take pictures that are too bright or sometimes too dark. Because the qualifications of the machine are also related to the qualifications of the lens. For example, while the aperture suitable for 1/200 shutter speed is 1.4, if the lens does not have this aperture and its largest aperture is 5.6, the photo will be too dark, since the non-camera f1.4 will not be able to take. In this case, you should either increase the ISO value or decrease your shutter speed to 1/13. (Since there are 4 full stop diaphragms between 5.6 and 1.4, you should go down to 1 / 100- 1 / 50- 1/25 – 1/13 respectively.)

While the speed priority mode (Nikon, Sony, Olympus, Fujifilm, etc.) is indicated by the letter S (Shutter) on the camera, it is symbolized by the letters TV in Canon cameras. When you switch from the mode dial to S mode, you have started to use shutter-priority mode. In shutter-priority mode, up to 30 s to 1/4000 s (or 1/8000 if camera allows) can be taken on the camera. In some advanced cameras, the maximum value can be up to 1/32000 with the help of electronic front curtains. In addition to the shutter-priority mode, there is also a function called Bulb in manual (M) mode. In this function, it means that the camera will take pictures as long as you press the shutter of the camera. This is like using a shutter speed priority mode. Because we determine the duration. The difference is that it is in manual mode.

BULB mode

Bulb mode is mostly used for exposures longer than 30 seconds. Photographs will continue to be taken as long as the shutter of the photographic camera is held down in BULB. Bulb is not included in the priority mode; is in manual (M) mode. Bulb is to be used with an external remote control or now controlled by wifi. It should not be in contact with the machine; otherwise, the vibrations will be reflected in the photo. Used in very long exposures, such as night star exposures.

So, which shutter values should we use for which type of photos?

If you want to shoot an object in motion completely frozen, you need to use a high shutter speed. For example 1/4000. High shutter speeds can be used to stop the raindrops floating from the sky, to freeze the fast-going race car, to draw someone jumping in the net clearly. Conversely, to give the perception of movement to the elements in our frame (which can move quickly or very slowly), you should use the smaller snapshot other; Like 1/2 or 2 sec. Even lower shutter speeds can be used to give a waterfall effect to a waterfall, to draw clouds as if moving, or to show that a walking man stepped in, or to draw the headlight of cars on the road at night in a line.

Here I should also mention: Using S or TV mode from time to time may be a bit risky. Because this mode will work depending on the adequacy of the diaphragm. Sometimes the camera may not be able to (or descend) to the desired aperture values. For example, you want to take pictures very quickly without the phenomenon of movement in the dusk, and for this you have set the shutter value to 1/500. Here, the value that the aperture should receive is very clear. However, since it does not have this aperture from my lens production, it will not reach the desired value and will prevent enough light from entering your photo. Therefore, the photo you take will be a darker, darker photo, not an ideal one.

You can see the details by clicking here for ISO from the magnificent trio of the photo and click here for Aperture.

May your light be of good quality.