Shutter speed is the length of time your camera's sensor is exposed to light
Shutter speed controls how long the camera's shutter stays open when you take a photo. A faster shutter speed (like 1/1000th of a second) lets in less light and freezes motion. A slower shutter speed (like 1 second) lets in more light and creates motion blur. The number before the slash is what matters — the bigger the number, the faster the shutter closes.
Where you adjust shutter speed depends on your camera type and which shooting mode you're using. On most cameras, you'll find the setting in the menu system or on a physical dial. The exact steps change between phone cameras, point-and-shoot cameras, and DSLR or mirrorless cameras.
Key Takeaways
- Shutter speed is measured in fractions of a second (1/500) or full seconds (2", 5"), and you adjust it through your camera's menu or mode dial depending on your camera type.
- Faster shutter speeds freeze action but need more light, while slower speeds capture motion blur but work in dim conditions.
- Most cameras have an automatic mode that picks shutter speed for you, and a manual or semi-automatic mode where you control it yourself.
- Shutter speed changes have the most visible effect when you're photographing movement or shooting in low light.
Adjusting shutter speed on a smartphone camera
Most smartphone cameras don't show shutter speed as a number you can change directly. Instead, they use automatic exposure that adjusts shutter speed behind the scenes based on lighting. If you want more control, you need to open a camera app that offers manual settings.
On iPhone, open the Camera app and look for a sun icon with a slider — that controls exposure (brightness), which indirectly affects shutter speed. For direct shutter speed control, download a third-party app like Halide or ProCamera. On Android, the Google Camera app has a "Night Sight" mode that uses a slower shutter speed automatically. For manual control, try Open Camera or Manual Camera apps. Open the app, look for a settings icon or "Pro" mode, and you'll see shutter speed listed as a fraction or decimal number. Tap it to change the value.
Adjusting shutter speed on a point-and-shoot or compact camera
Point-and-shoot cameras usually have a mode dial on top with letters like P, A, S, and M. The S mode (or Tv on Canon cameras, which stands for "Time Value") lets you control shutter speed while the camera adjusts the aperture automatically. Turn the mode dial to S, then use the arrow buttons or a dial on the back to change the shutter speed number. The display on the back or in the viewfinder will show you the current setting.
If your camera doesn't have an S mode, look for a menu button (usually marked with three horizontal lines or a gear icon). Press it, navigate to "Exposure" or "Shooting Settings," and look for "Shutter Speed" in the list. Use the arrow buttons to highlight it and change the number. Press OK or the menu button again to confirm and exit.
Adjusting shutter speed on a DSLR or mirrorless camera
DSLR and mirrorless cameras have more direct control. Look for a mode dial on top of the camera body. Turn it to S (Nikon, Sony, Pentax) or Tv (Canon), which stands for Shutter Priority mode. In this mode, you control shutter speed and the camera picks the aperture. Use the main dial (usually on the back right) to scroll through shutter speed values. You'll see the number change on the LCD screen or in the viewfinder.
If you want full manual control over both shutter speed and aperture, turn the mode dial to M. In M mode, use the main dial to change shutter speed and a secondary dial (often the one you press or rotate while holding a button) to change aperture. Check your camera's manual for which dial does which — it varies by brand. Some cameras also have a dedicated shutter speed dial on the top plate that you can turn directly without entering a menu.
Understanding shutter speed numbers and what they mean
Shutter speeds are written as fractions or whole numbers. A speed of 1/1000 means the shutter is open for one-thousandth of a second. A speed of 2" means two full seconds. The faster speeds (1/2000, 1/1000, 1/500) are written as fractions because they're so quick. The slower speeds (1, 2, 5, 15") are written as whole numbers or with a quotation mark to show seconds.
Most cameras display shutter speed without the fraction slash — you'll see "1000" on the screen instead of "1/1000," and "2"" instead of "2 seconds." The camera knows which one you mean based on context. When you're scrolling through options, you'll move from fast speeds like 1/4000 down to slow speeds like 30 seconds, depending on your camera's range.
Choosing the right shutter speed for what you're photographing
For moving subjects like sports or wildlife, use a fast shutter speed (1/500 or faster) to freeze the action. For stationary subjects in good light, you can use a medium speed (1/125 to 1/250). For low-light situations like indoors or at night, use a slower speed (1/30 to 2 seconds or longer) to let more light in. The trade-off is that slower speeds require a steady hand or a tripod, because any camera movement will blur the entire photo.
If you're trying to capture motion blur intentionally — like a waterfall flowing or car lights streaking — use a slow shutter speed (1 second or longer) and a tripod. If your camera is showing "underexposed" (too dark) in the viewfinder, try slowing down the shutter speed. If it's showing "overexposed" (too bright), try speeding it up. Most cameras will warn you when the shutter speed is too slow to hand-hold safely — usually anything slower than 1/60 of a second.
What happens when shutter speed is too slow or too fast
If your shutter speed is too fast for the available light, your photo will be too dark. The sensor doesn't have enough time to collect light. You'll see this on the camera's preview as an underexposed image. To fix it, slow down the shutter speed, open the aperture wider (lower f-number), or increase the ISO (sensor sensitivity).
If your shutter speed is too slow, your photo will be too bright and washed out. This is overexposure. To fix it, speed up the shutter, close the aperture (higher f-number), or lower the ISO. If you're hand-holding the camera and your shutter speed is slower than 1/60 of a second, you'll likely see motion blur from your hands shaking — this is called camera shake. Use a tripod or rest the camera on a stable surface to avoid this.
Frequently Asked Questions
What shutter speed should I use for everyday photos?
For most daylight photography with stationary subjects, 1/125 to 1/250 works well. Your camera's automatic mode picks something in this range. If you're indoors or it's cloudy, go slower (1/60 or 1/30). If you're photographing movement, go faster (1/500 or 1/1000).
Why does my photo look blurry even though I used a fast shutter speed?
Blur can come from autofocus not locking on the subject, or from the aperture being too wide and creating shallow depth of field. Check that your camera focused on the right spot. If the subject itself is sharp but the background is blurry, that's depth of field, not shutter speed — it's normal and often desirable.
Can I use a very slow shutter speed without a tripod?
Not reliably. Anything slower than 1/60 of a second will usually show camera shake from your hands moving. A tripod, monopod, or resting the camera on a stable surface is needed for shutter speeds slower than 1/30. Some cameras have image stabilization that helps, but it's not a substitute for a tripod at very slow speeds.
Does shutter speed affect video, or just photos?
Video has a related but different setting called frame rate (how many images per second) and shutter angle (how long each frame is exposed). Shutter speed as a number doesn't apply to video the same way. Most cameras handle video exposure automatically or through separate video settings in the menu.
What's the difference between shutter speed and ISO?
Shutter speed controls how long light hits the sensor. ISO controls how sensitive the sensor is to that light. A slow shutter speed (2 seconds) and high ISO (3200) can both brighten a dark photo, but slow shutter speed risks blur from movement, while high ISO adds grain to the image.