Does a higher shutter speed add more detail to a picture?

Question

dose it?

Answer 1

No.

Detail in your picture largely depends on the quality of the lens used, the f-stop used and the ISO chosen. The size of the film or digital sensor is also important.

Most lenses are designed to yield their best results at between f5.6 to f11.

In film cameras, a 35mm negative will have more detail than a 110 negative while a 2 1/4" x 2 1/4" negative will have more detail than a 35mm negative.

In digital cameras, the larger sensor of a DSLR like the Canon XTi or Nikon D60 or Sony A300 will have more detail than the small sensor in a Canon G9 and similar cameras. The full-frame sensor (24mm x 36mm, same size as a 35mm negative) of a Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III or 5D or Nikon D3 or D700 will yield more detail than the sensor in the aforementioned DSLR cameras.

Your shutter speed determines how motion in your scene is recorded. Use a slow shutter speed and any motion will be blurred. Use a fast shutter speed and motion will be stopped.

Additionally, the shutter speed is but one leg of the exposure triangle. The other two are the f-stop and ISO. A correct exposure is dependent on the relationship of all three.

ISO is a measurement of the sensitivity to light of a light sensitive surface, whether film or digital sensor. A low ISO (50, 100) is very insensitive and requires a lot of light - and gives the best detail in your picture. A high ISO (400, 800) is more sensitive and requires less light. Useful for sports/action photography or in low-light when a flash isn't used. The trade-off with a high ISO is a loss of detail.

The f-stop is the size of the opening formed by the diaphragm blades in the lens. A large f-stop (f1.4, f2) admits all of the light. A small f-stop (f8, f11, f16) admits very little light.

The shutter speed determines how long the light admitted by the lens is allowed to expose the film or sensor. It also determines how motion is recorded.

A good rule to remember is the "Sunny 16 Rule". It states: "On a sunny day, set your f-stop to f16 and your shutter speed to 1/ISO." So if we're out shooting in sunshine with ISO 100 we can set our f-stop to f16 and our shutter speed to 1/125* and get good exposures. If we need more shutter speed we just "open up" to f11 and our shutter speed becomes 1/250*. Still not fast enough? f8 yields 1/500*.

So for maximum detail, use a low ISO, have your lens at f8 or f11, an appropriate shutter speed**, mount your camera on a tripod and use a cable release or the camera's self-timer to release the shutter.

* The "Sunny 16 Rule" was invented way back when cameras were 100% mechanical. Shutter speeds were not variable as they are with today's electronically controlled "stepless" shutters" so we used the closest approximation. Your modern DSLR will come much closer to setting a shutter speed equivalent to the ISO.

** I shoot in Aperture Preferred 99% of the time and let the camera select the correct shutter speed. I check to make sure its not too slow when I'm shooting hand-held. When my camera is on a tripod its not as important - unless there is action I want to stop.

Answer 2

Shutter speed affects the amount of light.  It could add or take away detail depending on the situation.  Too much light and things will get washed out.  Not enough light and things are too dark.  It depends on the mood you're looking for too if it's something other than snapshots.

Answer 3

It's the opposite. The longer the shutter is open,the more light (and detail) is captured on the film.

Answer 4

The shutter speed is really the amount of time the film or sensor (on a digital camera) is exposed to light when you take a picture. If you're taking a picture of a moving object (like a person running), a higher shutter speed will help to prevent the photo from being blurry. However, if you're taking a photo of a statue, a higher shutter speed will not add more detail. Also know that a very high shutter speed can result in darker photos. The slower the shutter speed (the longer the film or sensor is exposed) the brighter the picture. So, slower shutter speeds are better for night photos. But be aware that slower shutter speeds can also result in a more blurry photo if the camera is shaky. When using slower shutter speeds, be very steady or use a tripod.

Answer 5

Shutter speed changes exposure time, so a higher shutter speed means you can get a sharper image in good lighting conditions. (Less motion blur)