Lets talk high shutter speeds

Lucas 7D

Lucas 7D

Active member
Hey guys I recently did some tests using a 1.4 lens and high shutter speeds as fast as 1/3000. After looking over the footage I notice that my smooth slider shots are a bit choppy. I dont want to over do this effect but I do want to shoot faster than 1/50 while shooting with a 1.4 lens.

What shutter speed would you recommend for that saving private Ryan effect? How fast is too fast?
 
The rule of 180 degree shutter is very important. This means if you are shooting at 30 fps, you should have a shutter speed that is double that, i.e. 1/60. Any slower and you will get motion blur. Any faster and you will get the staccato look you are noticing.

The way to maintain a 180 degree shutter while shooting wide open (lower f-stops) is to use ND filters. The best options for the average DSLR shooter are FaderND or VariND filters. These give you variable stops of light reduction. Otherwise you can buy a mattebox and get some 4x4 ND filters for several hundred dollars more.
 
Good question- Remember your shutter speed is related to your frame rate. For example at 24 fps, a 1/48 shutter speed would be considered a minimum for smooth motion. Lower shutter speeds give you more light per frame= better in low light- but at a cost of smooth motion. The lower- the more smeary and video-like the motion will look.

Higher shutter speeds give you less light per frame but sharper motion. At around 3 times your frame rate- that's when things begin to look stacatto- i.e. the saving private ryan effect. That effect becomes more pronounced as you go higher. Personally I say the upper limit is about 5 times your frame rate. The camera will continue to allow you to set a shutter speed higher but personally I think the look doesn't change much above that.

Noah
 
For the SPR and 28 days later look they used a 45 degree effect at 24 fps, that's 1/192nd of a second, so try 1/200th or so.
 
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