Shutter speed
Also known as: exposure time, shutter angle
How long each video frame is exposed to light, written as a fraction such as 1/120 s. It controls brightness and how much motion blur every frame carries.
Updated
What it means
Every frame of video is a separate exposure, and shutter speed is how long that exposure lasts. At 1/60 s a passing rider smears slightly across the frame; at 1/2000 s the same rider is frozen sharp. The shutter can never stay open longer than one frame, so at 60 fps the slowest possible setting is 1/60 s.
Together with ISO and aperture, it is one of the three controls of exposure. Action cameras and most small drones have a fixed aperture, which leaves shutter speed and ISO to do all the work - and in bright sun that drives the shutter extremely fast unless something cuts the light.
How it works in practice
By default, GoPro, DJI Osmo Action and Insta360 cameras choose the shutter automatically, and on a sunny ski slope that can mean 1/4000 s or faster. GoPro exposes manual shutter in its Protune settings, DJI and Insta360 cameras have a Pro or manual mode, and drone pilots usually lock it in the camera menu of the DJI Fly app.
The usual target for natural-looking motion is roughly double the frame rate - 1/50 s at 24 or 25 fps, 1/120 s at 60 fps - which is the 180-degree shutter rule. In daylight that only works with an ND filter on the lens.
What to watch out for
Very fast shutter speeds are a hidden reason many action clips look jittery. Each frame is razor sharp, so quick pans and vibration read as stutter instead of smooth movement, and electronic stabilization can leave odd micro-shakes. If you want a calmer, cinematic feel, slow the shutter with ND rather than trusting auto.
The opposite mistake happens in low light. A slow shutter on a shaky mount turns every bump into smeared motion blur, and stabilization can steady the frame but cannot remove the smear. Under artificial lights, pick a shutter that matches the mains frequency - 1/50 or 1/100 s in 50 Hz countries, 1/60 or 1/120 s in 60 Hz countries - to avoid flicker and rolling bands.
How RawClip handles it
Shutter speed is baked into the footage, so it has to be set in the camera. RawClip does not stabilize clips; it analyzes motion, jumps and peak action in what you upload and picks the strongest moments for the highlight. Well-exposed clips simply give it better material.