Question a Day | Fast Shutter Speeds

Q: Hi! could you please elaborate a little more on how to adjust shutter speeds? What settings are best for a moving object? A toddler? What’s the most recommended for indoors? I LOVE your blog! Thanks!

A: Thanks!

In terms of adjusting the shutter speed on your particular camera, unfortunately your manual is going to be of more specific help than I will since each model is different. Mine? Mine is controlled by the top dial next to the shutter button. But yours could be different, so definitely look it up. If you don’t have the manual handy, the manufacturer should have the full script available on their website. 

The best shutter speed for a moving object such as a toddler is fast and faster. 

Manual | 1/400 at f/3.5, ISO 200

I caught Miss Lily above using a shutter speed of 1/400th of a second. As you can see, it was fast enough to catch the water droplets mid-air as she was splashing about. 

If I had shot this at a generous aperture of f/5.6, the photo would have been too dark, almost grey. In order to balance the composure, I had to keep the aperture wide open at f/3.5 to compensate for how little light was going to be allowed in through the shutter as it was so fast.

I also boosted the ISO to 200 rather than 100, even though it was a sunny day, as I wanted a fresh-looking photo erring on the side of over exposed. 

For indoors, you’re dealing with much less light so the instinct is to drop the shutter speed. If you still want fast, you could comfortably stick around 1/200 - 1/320 depending on the available light, but you’re going to have to consider compensating by:

• boosting the ISO
• keeping the aperture wide open, usually a number of f/5.6 or lower
• turn on all the available lights
• use a flash or external flash

Hope this helps! Thanks for the question. 

1 July 3 Permalink

Question a Day | Different lens, different price

Q: ambergray asked:

I’m so confused about lenses! I’ve been trying to decide on the next lens to buy and hear a lot of good things about the Canon (or Sigma in my case..) 24-70mm f/2.8. Except even the Sigma 24-70mm is around $800. Then I found the Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4.5 lens and it’s around $400!?? That sounds like the better option to me, more range, but am I completely missing something? Is the 24-70mm really the better choice?

A: I know. This is a great question. It can definitely seem confusing, especially when the numbers are that close together and don’t really seem to be that far off of each other. 

Here’s why one of those — the 24-70mm — is $800-ish while the 17-70mm is $400.

It’s not the focal length, it’s the aperture function at said focal length. 

Both lenses act as both a modest wide angle with zoom functionality and are equally incredibly flexible lenses for portrait, landscape, event and general picture taking merriment.

But the more expensive lens maintains a maximum aperture (opening of the lens) of f/2.8 whether you’re at 24mm or 70mm whereas the other one will only open as wide as f/4.5 at 70mm. If you want to get your opening as wide as f/2.8, you can’t be zoomed in on your subject much beyond 24mm.

Extra jargon alert: One lens I have is a 17-85mm f/4-5.6. Focusing at 17mm, the largest opening I can get on it — aperture — is f/4. At 24mm, it’s f/4.5. At 35mm, it’s f/5. At 50mm, it’s f/5.6, and remains there all the way up to 85mm. 

Numbers aside, what it means is, if you opt for the less expensive lens and have it extended beyond the 17mm mark, and want to keep the exposure the same, you need to lower the shutter speed to compensate for more light getting into the camera. 

You have to look at what type of photography you’re doing primarily, and that can help with the evaluation. If you’re photographing things that allow you to zoom with your feet, meaning get closer to your subject and don’t need to necessarily get to 70mm all the time, you can get away with the $400 lens and not notice much of a difference. 

I always advise to buy the best lens you can afford today, not yesterday or tomorrow. They hold their value much better than camera bodies so you can always resell later and put it towards an upgrade. Don’t settle, but don’t break the bank either.

30 June 3 Permalink