Question about minimum Shutter Speed

When it comes to controlling camera shake I am familiar with the 1/focal length rule for shutter speed. My question has to do with preventing motion blur. When I am photographing middle school age athletics, I always try for a minimum of 1/500 (Although not always possible). But what about general snap shots around the house? In particular, when people are not necessarily moving, but you don't want to have to tell them to act like a statue. Given that I have a good IS lens to avoid camera shake, what SS can I get away with to avoid motion blur? Does 1/60 seem about right? Could I go lower?

Thanks

Tim

tim1970 wrote in post #17830180
When it comes to controlling camera shake I am familiar with the 1/focal length rule for shutter speed. My question has to do with preventing motion blur. When I am photographing middle school age athletics, I always try for a minimum of 1/500 (Although not always possible). But what about general snap shots around the house? In particular, when people are not necessarily moving, but you don't want to have to tell them to act like a statue. Given that I have a good IS lens to avoid camera shake, what SS can I get away with to avoid motion blur? Does 1/60 seem about right? Could I go lower?

Thanks

Tim

There is no hard and fast rule, but I find 1/60 too slow to ensure that there is no motion blur in people photography. I try to be at least 1/125, if the light allows.

That being said, if you need to be at 1/60 or slower because of low light, I say take the shot and embrace the motion blur . . .

If shooting something moving you are using AI Servo right?

A lot of factors also depending on the light. What lens are you using? ISO? Aperture?

My question is completely independent of what focus mode,lens, ISO and Aperture I am using. I am not talking about getting a proper exposure, or avoiding camera shake. I am just talking in general about casual shots. My aperture will be whatever is appropriate to get my subject in focus, and obviously I want my ISO to be as low as possible, hence why I am asking what minimum shutter speed I can get away with to avoid motion blur when my subjects are not moving.

I would apply the same rules that serve me for BIF...SS north of 1/1000.

tim1970 wrote in post #17830229
My question is completely independent of what focus mode,lens, ISO and Aperture I am using. I am not talking about getting a proper exposure, or avoiding camera shake. I am just talking in general about casual shots. My aperture will be whatever is appropriate to get my subject in focus, and obviously I want my ISO to be as low as possible, hence why I am asking what minimum shutter speed I can get away with to avoid motion blur when my subjects are not moving.

You gotta give folks more to go on. If you subjects aren't moving, you'll NEVER get motion blur. If it don't move, it can't blur due to motion.

If people, animals and other objects all moved at the same speeds, we could tell you what shutter speed. However, this simply isn't the case, so every single situation will have a different answer. If you use a flash, you can go to 1/200 or 1/250th to use the flash to get a single stop action frame. If no flash, then your shutter speeds have to be varied depending on what you are shooting.

Sometimes my kids are running around, and I have to go to fast shutter speeds. If they are just sitting in a chair then I would go for 1/250th or a bit faster, because just a slight move by the kids to look at me will blur at 1/60. There simply isn't a single answer here. If I had an elderly person vs a 5 year, the minimum shutter speeds would be very different.

I guess looking for a general guideline for people sitting on a couch, or standing and posing for a shot. Not technically motionless, since they are living and breathing, but not moving around either.

For instance, inside my house at night, I could get away with 1/60 SS without having to raise my ISO to extreme levels, which would enable to grab some quick shots without using my flash. 1/250 would not be possible.

...only one way to find out, conduct your own experiment at home and see how low of a shutter speed you can get away with. really no definitive answer for your question!

tim1970 wrote in post #17830280
For instance, inside my house at night, I could get away with 1/60 SS without having to raise my ISO to extreme levels, which would enable to grab some quick shots without using my flash.

What is the light source?

You're right. Unfortunately there is no definitive line between blur/no blur. It will be each person's opinion on how much blur is acceptable vs how important the shot is.

I guess why worry about ISO? Both the 5D3 and 7D2 do very well at higher ISOs, so set a fast shutter speed and shoot away!

ISO 6400 this evening as I tried to catch her off guard playing minecraft in a dark room with just a CFL lamp...

you want to get the fastest shutter speed you can get away with...1/60 isn't going to always give you a motion blur free shot...but there are certainly times where it can work...i'd shoot for 1/125 if you can...if you can't then just shoot a few shots in burst when you do, and hope you can get one clean shot

John from PA wrote in post #17830292
What is the light source?

Overhead ceiling lights. (formerly tungsten, now LED) I have been trying to slowly replace all of our lights with 5500K LEDs instead of the standard warm lights you normally get (Much to my wife's dismay)

We tried that but nobody liked the surgical room look everywhere. We went with warm LEDs in all 25-30 can lights, and I just shoot a custom WB.