Photography cheat sheet: Shutter speed stops

Cheat sheet: shutter speed stops infographic
(Image credit: Digital Camera World)

Shutter speed determines how long the camera's shutter remains open, affecting the exposure of your image. But what do photographers mean by "one stop" or "two stops"? Read on to discover the essentials.

Even entry-level cameras typically allow control over shutter speed, a crucial factor in shaping the appearance of your photos. For more details, refer to our exposure triangle guide!

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Chris George

Chris George has worked on Digital Camera World since its launch in 2017. He has been writing about photography, mobile phones, video making and technology for over 30 years – and has edited numerous magazines including PhotoPlus, N-Photo, Digital Camera, Video Camera, and Professional Photography. 

His first serious camera was the iconic Olympus OM10, with which he won the title of Young Photographer of the Year - long before the advent of autofocus and memory cards. Today he uses a Nikon D800, a Fujifilm X-T1, a Sony A7, and his iPhone 15 Pro Max.

He has written about technology for countless publications and websites including The Sunday Times Magazine, The Daily Telegraph, Dorling Kindersley, What Cellphone, T3 and Techradar.

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