Benefits of ND filter vs High Shutter Speed?

DanDOF

DanDOF

Well-known member
Could someone elaborate on the reasons an ND filter would be used to maintain shallow depth of field in bright sunlight INSTEAD of just manually adjusting to a higher shutter speed?
 
If you are shooting moving images (i.e. movies) adjusting shutter speed have dramatic result. Normally people uses 180 degree shutter (1/48 for 24fps) for natural feeling.
Shorter shutter speeds result in stuttered motion and are used for special purposes.
 
If you adjust your shutter it will change the motion characteristic of your footage. When you lower shutter speed it increases motion blur, and when you increase it your image takes on that staccato Saving Private Ryan effect. If this is what you want and you're ok with the look then by all means skip ND's, but if you want a consistent shutter speed that mimics film and doesn't distract from changing wildly you'll want to use ND's to control shutter speed and exposure.
 
Maybe it's just me but has anyone tested out on 1080p using 60 frames vs 50. I was shooting some trees at a park and when I came home to edit the footage there seemed to be less codec breakup to little with 60. And I couldn't tell the difference in motion either. Anyone chime in?
 
rundavids said:
Maybe it's just me but has anyone tested out on 1080p using 60 frames vs 50. I was shooting some trees at a park and when I came home to edit the footage there seemed to be less codec breakup to little with 60. And I couldn't tell the difference in motion either. Anyone chime in?
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I shoot 1080 at a frame rate of 24p, but usually speed the shutter up to 1/60th of a second in the hopes of sharpening things up a bit, when I have enough light to do so (I shoot weddings).
 
DanDOF said:
Could someone elaborate on the reasons an ND filter would be used to maintain shallow depth of field in bright sunlight INSTEAD of just manually adjusting to a higher shutter speed?
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If you tried high shutter speeds on your own footage, then you should immediately be able to spot the difference that they make. Strange question. Just go out and shoot.
 
ydgmdlu said:
If you tried high shutter speeds on your own footage, then you should immediately be able to spot the difference that they make. Strange question. Just go out and shoot.
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Did Dan somewhere mention that he tried shooting high speed shutter? I didn't see it anywhere in his comment.
 
Ron Rodenmeyer said:
Did Dan somewhere mention that he tried shooting high speed shutter? I didn't see it anywhere in his comment.
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See, that's my point exactly. I don't see why he should need to ask such a question if he had actually tried it himself. The clear impression given by his original post suggests that he hadn't bothered to shoot any test footage.

It's not a hard test. It's one of the easiest tests imaginable. You just shoot a moving subject at 24p and 1/250th second and see what it looks like. The effect should be immediately obvious. Additionally, shooting with high shutter speeds is a very basic issue that's frequently mentioned in videography books, Web sites, and forums. So even if you don't want to take a moment to shoot a test, then the information could easily be found. Finally, any serious videographer would and should do camera tests whenever there's a technical question to be answered before undergoing a shoot. Reading about something is useful, but nothing beats trying and seeing for yourself. I know a lot of professionals who've jumped on the DSLR bandwagon, and how they learned the cameras was not through asking questions on forums like this. Most of the time, they just did camera tests.
 
Actually that was not MY point. I thought you were suggesting Dan stated that he had already tried it, and I was just trying to find where he said that. I misunderstood.

This is indeed a very elemental question, but most things are simple...if you know the answer. I thought Dan had a fair question, and that is why these boards exist.
 
ydgmdlu said:
See, that's my point exactly. I don't see why he should need to ask such a question if he had actually tried it himself. The clear impression given by his original post suggests that he hadn't bothered to shoot any test footage.

It's not a hard test. It's one of the easiest tests imaginable. You just shoot a moving subject at 24p and 1/250th second and see what it looks like. The effect should be immediately obvious. Additionally, shooting with high shutter speeds is a very basic issue that's frequently mentioned in videography books, Web sites, and forums. So even if you don't want to take a moment to shoot a test, then the information could easily be found. Finally, any serious videographer would and should do camera tests whenever there's a technical question to be answered before undergoing a shoot. Reading about something is useful, but nothing beats trying and seeing for yourself. I know a lot of professionals who've jumped on the DSLR bandwagon, and how they learned the cameras was not through asking questions on forums like this. Most of the time, they just did camera tests.
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write a book. it's simpler than responding to an simple question.
 
Well thanks tester13, Issaac and svecher, those were very clear explanations, minus the snappy, condescending, assumptive attitude. :undecided:nads:

Just to explain: I usually shoot 60p with any shutter speed above 1/60, aiming to have the choice for slow mo 24p. I have a Fader ND, but haven't found use for it since my D90 days, when I didn't have manual controls.

Hey, maybe now I'll experiment with a 1/48 shutter speed for that creamy motion look. Thanks again.
 
I do

1080 24 1/50 shutter
720 60p 1/60 shutter if footage is going to be converted to 24p
720 60p 1/120 shutter if slomo in a 24p protect is gonna be used or 60p footage is gonna be preserved that way
 
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