What Speed for Shutter Speed Priority Mode?

Links to Training Videos etc.

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What Speed for Shutter Speed Priority Mode?

Post by sjj1805 » Mon Mar 16, 2009 11:00 pm

Having looked at various books, magazines Web Sites etc.
This link gives the typical advice for setting the shutter speed when using Shutter speed Priority:
Shutter speed and the difference between fast and slow shutter speeds

Earlier today I was out on the local Nature Wildlife Reserve and had my camera in Aperture Priority Mode - the mode I tend to use most often.
The next most used mode I tend to use is fully manual.

I noticed a few \"Action\" shots - there was a railway line running along one of the boundaries of the nature centre and so a passing train would make a good action shot. A few flying geese would provide another action shot.

I turned the dial from Av to Tv and then realised that the last time I had set the camera to TV (Shutter Priority Mode) was a poor attempt at taking a shot of the full moon on a clear night sky. (Must get back to my books on that one!)

So there I am stuck out in the middle of nowhere and my camera is set to something like a 3 second exposure. I had to think quickly what shutter speed to set the camera to in order to get the sort of action shot I wanted.

:idea: Inspiration set in :D :D :D

1. Set the camera to Av (Aperture Priority Mode) and select your depth of field (Small number - lots of blurred stuff, Big Number lots of in focus stuff) and then focus on the area that your \"Action shot\" is expected to take place.

2. The Camera now decides the best shutter speed for that aperture setting. Make a mental note of it.

3. Turn the Dial to Tv (Shutter Priority Mode) and then set the speed to that indicated in step 2 above.

4. Now you can adjust the speed. Want to blur the action to get that feeling of speed? knock the speed down one or two notches.
Want to freeze the action dead in its tracks - knock the speed up one or two notches.

Perhaps it is not the \"Text Book\" way of doing things but it works.

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