Shutter Speeds

NorBro

NorBro

Major Contributor
Does anyone ever break the 180 degree rule and shoot at higher shutter speeds? I've been experimenting a bit and I think I like the look of faster ones up to 250. I know there's a limit before things start looking weird and jittery, but just wondering...

What do you think?
 
NorBro said:
Does anyone ever break the 180 degree rule and shoot at higher shutter speeds? I've been experimenting a bit and I think I like the look of faster ones up to 250. I know there's a limit before things start looking weird and jittery, but just wondering...

What do you think?
Click to expand...

Break the 180 rule, never. Everytime I see someone make that mistake, I cringe. Faster shutter, it depends on what you're shooting. It's a stylistic call imo. I use it when shooting action fight sequences, it gives the action a unique look. But then I switch it back soon as the action is over because I'm usually going for a more filmic look for narrative work.
 
250 deegree is not "faster", it is "slower".
Smaller angles mean faster speeds. You may find this bit on shutter angles and shutter speeds educational.

You can certainly use both faster and slower shutter speeds if you can justify the look. Slower speeds are occasinally used with digital cameras for an extra stop of light, but result in more motion blur (some scenes in Michael Mann movies, for example). Faster shutter speeds can intensify action sequences. Think Crank, or Saving Private Ryan.
 
Yes, from time to time, if there's a reason.
E.g. some soldiers get into an empty town, one of them is going to get shot by a sniper, but the audience doesn't know that. I want the audience to become anxious in advance, and increased shutter speed does that, so when the soldiers get to the empty town I start playing with the shutter speed: go from 1/50 to 1/100, and then 1/200 until the sniper shoots the soldier.
 
gonzo_entertainment said:
Yes, from time to time, if there's a reason.

^ This
And that reason is NEVER for exposure.
Click to expand...
This is true for drama but not for events. When you cannot open the aperture any more, have raised the ISO as high as you feel comfortable then the extra get out of jail free card in your back pocket is to drop shutter speed to 1/30 for another stop of light.
 
Not just events.
There is at least one sequence in a best picture academy nominated film that was shot at slow shutter speeds purely for exposure reasons. Sometimes you do what you gotta do due to budget and schedule constraints.
 
I'd go higher ISO, even if it got into slightly noisy range before I touched the shutter speed.

Caveat: The exception to this would be a shot with almost no movement like an establishing shot of a building. I'd consider it there, but in the moment, would probably never think of it and wind up just bumping the ISO.
 
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