What Are Frame Rates?

What Are Frame Rates?

Let’s dive into what it is and what it’s for. A frame rate is the amount of frames per second shown on screen when you are watching a show, movie or live news.

There are different frame rates for various different looks. For example you have 15fps, 24fps, 30fps, 60fps,120fps and beyond. 15fps is a very fast motion that can be used for a creepy unnatural scene.

24fps is the standard for film because it has enough motion blur that our brains can fill in the gaps from missing frames keeping us focused and it was used to keep the film stock costs low.

30fps is used for television and broadcast.

60fps can also be used for television or when converting it to 24fps it becomes slow motion as well as 120fps or higher.

Once you start shooting at higher frame rates you will have to adjust the shutter by doubling it. Your shutter is the mirror that allows light to hit the sensor of your camera. If you are filming on a DSLR with your shutter at 1/50 at 24fps then shooting it at 60 will change your shutter to 100 or 125.

If its on a cinema camera then your shutter will go from 180 to 240. You’re pretty much doubling the shutter from what the frame rate number is. You want your slow motion shots looking crisp.

Below is a video tutorial that I have done that can show how it will look on camera.