Shutter Speed controls the amount of light that falls on the sensor.
There is a shutter curtain (an opaque sheet that blocks light) in between sensor and lens. When shutter is released, the curtain opens to lets the light fall on sensor. The duration for which the shutter curtain opens is known as shutter speed. It is measured in seconds.
A values of 1/30 means that shutter opened for 30th fraction of a second. A shutter speed of 1 means that shutter opened for one complete second. Higher shutter speed means that shutter is opened for lesser time. Similarly reducing the shutter speed means increasing the duration for which shutter opens.
A values of 1/30 means that shutter opened for 30th fraction of a second. A shutter speed of 1 means that shutter opened for one complete second. Higher shutter speed means that shutter is opened for lesser time. Similarly reducing the shutter speed means increasing the duration for which shutter opens.
Shutter Speed of 1/400 is higher than 1/100 which is higher than 1/5 which is higher than 1 and so on...
Why is it important?Shutter Speed is the most frequently used camera setting. When in low light, shutter speed should be decreased to allow more light to fall on the sensor. Similarly, increase shutter speed to limit the light.
What is the appropriate value?
Depends on light condition and other settings. Also remember, if you are hand-holding the camera and shutter speed is very low, then it may lead to camera shake and hence blurred images. Minimum shutter speed at which you can hand-hold the camera and shoot sharp images varies from person to person. For me, it is 1/60 as my hands tend to shake alot.
Techniques using Shutter Speed
Have you seen racing pics in which the moving bike/car is in focus and the background is blurred? That is shot with low shutter speed (1 or 2) and moving the camera as the bike/car moves (known as panning). Another example is photographs in which 4-5 crackers are bursting in the sky. That is also done by keeping shutter speed low.
Shooting at higher shutter speed gives better sharpness. But you cannot always do that. So, when shooting at low shutter speed, always use a tripod.
See how the background is blurred giving that speed effect in the first pic above. On the contrary, second pic is shot at high shutter speed; although subject is sharp but so is the background and hence it lacks that speed effect.
