What shutter speed does and how to change it
Shutter speed is how long your camera's sensor stays open to light when you take a photo. A faster shutter speed (like 1/1000th of a second) freezes motion. A slower shutter speed (like 2 seconds) blurs motion and lets in more light. You change it by turning a dial on your camera body, using your camera's menu, or adjusting it in your phone's camera app.
The shutter is a physical curtain inside your camera that opens and closes. When you press the button, it opens for a set amount of time, then closes. That time is the shutter speed. A longer exposure means more light hits the sensor, so your photo gets brighter. A shorter exposure means less light, so your photo gets darker.
Where you change it depends on what kind of camera you have. On a DSLR or mirrorless camera, there is usually a dial on top of the camera body labeled with numbers and fractions. On a smartphone, you swipe up or down in the camera app, or tap a settings icon to find exposure controls.
Key Takeaways
- Shutter speed is measured in fractions of a second (1/500) or whole seconds (2"), and you change it using a dial on your camera or a slider in your phone's camera app.
- Faster shutter speeds (1/1000 or higher) freeze motion and work well for sports or moving subjects, but let in less light.
- Slower shutter speeds (1 second or longer) blur motion and brighten your photo, but require a tripod to avoid camera shake.
- Most cameras have an automatic mode that picks the shutter speed for you, and a manual or semi-automatic mode where you control it yourself.
How to change shutter speed on a DSLR or mirrorless camera
Look for a dial on the top of your camera body. On Canon and Nikon DSLRs, it usually sits on the right side of the top plate. On Sony mirrorless cameras, it is often on the left. The dial shows numbers like 125, 250, 500, 1000, and also fractions like 1", 2", 4" (the quotation mark means seconds). Turn the dial until the shutter speed you want lines up with a mark or indicator on the camera body.
If your camera is in automatic mode, the dial may not change anything. You need to switch to manual mode (usually marked M on a mode dial) or shutter-priority mode (usually marked S or Tv). In shutter-priority mode, you set the shutter speed and the camera picks the aperture automatically. In manual mode, you control both shutter speed and aperture yourself.
Some cameras also let you change shutter speed through the menu. Press the Menu button, look for an option labeled Shutter Speed or Exposure, and use the arrow buttons to select a new value. This method is slower than using the dial, but it works if your dial is broken or you prefer menu navigation.
How to change shutter speed on a smartphone
Open your camera app and look for a settings icon, usually a gear or three horizontal lines. Tap it to open the camera settings. Look for an option labeled Exposure, EV (exposure value), or Shutter Speed. Some phones show a slider you can drag left (darker, faster shutter) or right (brighter, slower shutter). Others show a number you can tap to change.
On iPhones, you can swipe up or down on the screen while in camera mode to adjust exposure, which indirectly changes how long the sensor stays open. This is not the same as manual shutter speed control, but it gives you some influence over brightness. For more control, use a third-party camera app like Halide or ProCam, which let you set shutter speed directly.
Android phones vary widely. Google Pixel phones have a slider in the camera app. Samsung phones often have a Pro mode that shows shutter speed as a number you can tap and adjust. If your phone does not show shutter speed controls, check whether your camera app has a Pro, Manual, or Advanced mode that unlocks these settings.
Understanding shutter speed numbers and what they mean
Shutter speeds are written as fractions or whole numbers. A fraction like 1/500 means one five-hundredth of a second — very fast. A whole number like 2 means 2 full seconds — very slow. The larger the denominator (the bottom number in a fraction), the faster the shutter speed. So 1/1000 is faster than 1/500, which is faster than 1/125.
Common shutter speeds on cameras go: 1/4000, 1/2000, 1/1000, 1/500, 1/250, 1/125, 1/60, 1/30, 1/15, 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 1", 2", 4", 8", 15", 30". Each step lets in roughly twice as much light as the one before it. If your photo is too dark, you can slow down the shutter speed by one or two steps. If it is too bright, you can speed it up.
The shutter speed you need depends on what you are photographing. For a still subject in daylight, 1/125 or 1/250 is typical. For a moving subject like a child running, you might need 1/500 or 1/1000. For a long exposure at night, you might use 15" or 30". For a waterfall you want to blur, you might use 1" or 2".
When to use fast shutter speeds
Use a fast shutter speed (1/500 or faster) when you want to freeze motion. This is essential for sports photography, wildlife, or any moving subject where you want sharp detail. A fast shutter speed also works well in bright sunlight, because it lets in less light and prevents your photo from being overexposed (too bright).
The trade-off is that fast shutter speeds let in very little light. If you are indoors or in shade, a fast shutter speed may make your photo too dark, even if your camera increases the ISO (sensor sensitivity) automatically. You may need to use a wider aperture (a lower f-number) or increase the ISO manually to compensate.
When to use slow shutter speeds
Use a slow shutter speed (1 second or longer) when you want to blur motion or brighten a dark scene. Slow shutter speeds are common in night photography, long-exposure landscape photography, and creative shots like light trails from cars or silky waterfalls. A slow shutter speed lets in a lot of light, so it works well in low-light conditions.
The catch is that any camera movement during a slow exposure will blur your entire photo, not just the moving subject. You must use a tripod to keep the camera steady. Even pressing the button can cause shake, so use a remote shutter release, a timer, or your phone's voice command to take the photo without touching the camera.
How shutter speed works with aperture and ISO
Shutter speed, aperture, and ISO are the three controls that determine how bright your photo is. Shutter speed controls how long light hits the sensor. Aperture (f-number) controls how wide the lens opens. ISO controls how sensitive the sensor is to light. Change any one of them, and your photo gets brighter or darker.
If you slow down the shutter speed to let in more light, you can use a faster aperture (higher f-number) or lower ISO to keep the photo from getting too bright. If you speed up the shutter to freeze motion, you may need to open the aperture wider (lower f-number) or raise the ISO to keep the photo from getting too dark. Learning to balance these three controls is the foundation of manual photography.
Frequently Asked Questions
What shutter speed should I use for everyday photos?
For most daylight photos of still subjects, 1/125 to 1/250 works well. For moving subjects like children or pets, use 1/500 or faster. If you are indoors or in shade, you may need to slow it down to 1/60 or 1/30 to keep the photo bright, but then you need a steady hand or a tripod to avoid blur.
Why do my photos look blurry when I use a slow shutter speed?
Slow shutter speeds require the camera to stay perfectly still. Any movement — your hand shaking, pressing the button, even breathing — will blur the entire photo. Use a tripod and a remote shutter release or timer. If you do not have a tripod, increase your ISO or open your aperture wider to use a faster shutter speed instead.
Can I change shutter speed in automatic mode?
No. In automatic mode, the camera picks the shutter speed for you based on the light available. You need to switch to manual mode (M), shutter-priority mode (S or Tv), or aperture-priority mode (A or Av) to control shutter speed yourself. Check your camera manual for how to access these modes on your specific model.
What is the fastest shutter speed most cameras can do?
Most DSLRs and mirrorless cameras can shoot at 1/4000 or 1/8000 of a second. Some high-end cameras go to 1/32000. Smartphones typically max out at around 1/10000 or slower, depending on the model. If you need an even faster shutter speed in bright sunlight, use a neutral density filter to reduce the light hitting the sensor.
Do I need a tripod for every slow shutter speed?
You need a tripod for shutter speeds slower than about 1/30 of a second, depending on your lens and how steady your hands are. Longer lenses magnify camera shake, so you may need a tripod at 1/60 or faster. Wider lenses are more forgiving. If you are unsure, use a tripod — it is the safest choice for any shutter speed slower than 1/15.