General Shutter Speed

andythefilmer

andythefilmer

Veteran
So I do not own any ND filters, so when I shoot video on my 7D, I adjust the shutter speed to maintain a high aperture for shallow DOF. My question is how much does the shutter speed really affect the recorded image? I have been told to keep the shutter speed twice that of the frame rate. If it really makes a difference, what ND filters would you recommend? I have heard a lot about fader ND's, but I have also heard that they cause desaturation and such...
 
It makes a difference. How much depends on how much movement is in your scene and what resolution you view the video with, but most audience members can identify a change in motion, at least subconsciously. Pushing a click or two over is fun, but once you hit 1/120 you run a risk.

The best choice for ND filters is the variable kind, but those are very expensive. Short of that, pretty much anything works, name brand or not. They're pretty simple filters. Read some customer reviews on B&H.
 
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Don't think you have to be stuck with the doubled shutter speed for everything, it really depends on what you're shooting and what look you're going for. Making the shutter speed twice the frame rate is meant to mimic what you see most frequently in film, but there are many applications where a higher speed would be better depending on how you want the motion to look. One of the most common examples is Saving Private Ryan where the shutter speed is much more than double the frame rate giving movement an exaggerated feel
 
Keep in mind also the the DOF you shoot with should be dependant on the visual you want to attain. NOT EVERYTHING has to be extremely shallow...

But IMO I prefer to use high quality ND's. A standard 0.9 ND will see you with a low f stop for most exterior shots.
 
Definitely don't be afraid of high shutter speed if that's the look you want, but it is without question a look and not just an exposure decision.
 
I've got a filter set of ND2,4, and 8. Way cheaper than a variable, and works just as well.

Good thing to remember: ND2 = 1 stop, ND4 = 2 stops ND8 = 3 stops.
 
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