Optimum film shutter speed at DVinfo.net

Bill Anderson · November 18th, 2004, 08:56 PM

With film transfer in mind, has anyone tested for optimum, smoothest, shutter speed in 24P mode - for objects moving across the frame (of a locked off camera.) 1/48th? My guess would be that faster speeds would be a trade off in smoothness due to the dead time between frames which I see as inducing a stutter in motion, as opposed to the smoother but more image blurred slower speed of 1/48.
Sorry I don't have the camera yet or I'd be testing this minute.
Any thoughts?

Barry Green · November 19th, 2004, 12:18 AM

Film cameras operate at a wide variety of shutter speeds. Some have shutters of 1/43 of a second, some at 1/50th, some at 1/60th or even faster.

1/48 corresponds to a shutter angle of 180 degrees, and is a fairly common film shutter speed. But you can use slower or faster and as long as you're shooting 24P, it'll still look filmish, just with a different shutter speed.

Your summation is generally correct: longer shutter speeds = more motion blur, less strobing, and more light sensitivity. Shorter shutter speeds = sharper footage, more strobing, and less light sensitivity.

November 18th, 2004, 08:56 PM	#1
Bill Anderson Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Ottawa. Canada Posts: 163	Optimum film shutter speed With film transfer in mind, has anyone tested for optimum, smoothest, shutter speed in 24P mode - for objects moving across the frame (of a locked off camera.) 1/48th? My guess would be that faster speeds would be a trade off in smoothness due to the dead time between frames which I see as inducing a stutter in motion, as opposed to the smoother but more image blurred slower speed of 1/48. Sorry I don't have the camera yet or I'd be testing this minute. Any thoughts?

November 19th, 2004, 12:18 AM	#2
Barry Green Barry Wan Kenobi Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 3,863	Film cameras operate at a wide variety of shutter speeds. Some have shutters of 1/43 of a second, some at 1/50th, some at 1/60th or even faster. 1/48 corresponds to a shutter angle of 180 degrees, and is a fairly common film shutter speed. But you can use slower or faster and as long as you're shooting 24P, it'll still look filmish, just with a different shutter speed. Your summation is generally correct: longer shutter speeds = more motion blur, less strobing, and more light sensitivity. Shorter shutter speeds = sharper footage, more strobing, and less light sensitivity.