Using a tripod and a 50mm lens whats is the lowest shutter speed for protraits?

rgrebby

rgrebby

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Richard
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if the subject isnt moving too much. for example just standing there.


Also, what is the cheapest manual flash around?
 
Strange question.... Depends on the shot effect you're going for. If you are talking about the lowest shutter speed to keep the subject sharp, then that depends on the available light. If you are using studio flashes, I'd say no less than 1/60 but usually you'd just use the highest shutter speed the camera sync's to (normally 1/250) to avoid ambient light affecting the shot. If you are using natural light, then the lowest shutter speed which gives you a good exposure relative to the aperture you are using (in ISO100). If you get blur, up the ISO or widen the aperture. If the subject is completely still though, then you can use whatever shutter speed you want.
If your subject is a human, then they will never be completely still (unless Cryogenically frozen) so I'd try to aim for at least 1/15 if mounted on tripod, or 1/60 if handheld.
 
Cheapest new manual flash would be a Vivitar 285HV. About £60 or so from HK. The Jessops one doesn't have any manual adjustment.
 
Selective reading again :LOL:
I saw "What's the cheepest flash"
 
The rule of thumb for a handheld shot is a shutter speed not slower than 1/focal length.

So for a 50mm lens a shutter of 1/50th should be maintaned. With flash you can go slower as the short burst of flash should keep your subject sharp.

With a tripod you can also go slower but you need to be more careful of subject motion.

1/50th is a good starting point and you can practice with slower to get different effects.
 
Thanks for the answers.
I mainly asked because I was doing some portraits and wanted some of the window light to come through. I had about f4 or so and around 1/60 as i was using it handheld. I wanted to use the light coming through the window to light the left side of the face but was wondering how low shutter speed I could drop to but avoid having a soft image.
I know they say if you want to stop a runner you need 1/100 or something, someone walking you need 1/60th (no clue if thats right) but what speed do you need to stop a normal subject when taking a portrait.
 
rgrebby said:
Thanks for the answers.
I mainly asked because I was doing some portraits and wanted some of the window light to come through. I had about f4 or so and around 1/60 as i was using it handheld. I wanted to use the light coming through the window to light the left side of the face but was wondering how low shutter speed I could drop to but avoid having a soft image.
I know they say if you want to stop a runner you need 1/100 or something, someone walking you need 1/60th (no clue if thats right) but what speed do you need to stop a normal subject when taking a portrait.
Click to expand...

If they are not moving you can use a pretty slow shutter speed but you may then need a tripod. Ask them to hold still and you'll be fine at 1/20th possibly slower if they are very still :)

I'd try and keep to 1/30th (with a tripod)or above
 
If you are using flash the slowest shutter speed will probably depend more on how much ambient light there is. The duration of the flash is usually much shorter than the shutter speed anyway - so if there is no ambient light you can go really low and the short flash duration will freeze the subject. The more ambient light there is the less this becomes an option.
 
Mmmm in the olden days they had props behind the sitters, and the exposures were very long
 
I'd say that if we're only talking MINOR movement (breathing) I'd be comfortable with 1/30, but if you're doing fashion stuff with a slightly moving subject and you want to keep things 'frozen' then experiment with 1/60 and upwards

Of course these are only rough guidelines!

Cheers,
James
 
Nope. My understanding is a manual flash is one where the power output can be manually adjusted.
 
A flash in manual mode fires flat out unless it has variable power, which allows you to adjust the power output.

Many flashes with manual mode do not have variable power.
 
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