A Beginner’s Guide to Shooting Video in Manual Mode

If you’re used to shooting video using a smartphone or your camera’s auto mode, shooting in manual mode may sound intimidating, but it’s the key to getting more creative control over your shots. In this guide I’ll break down the basics of manual mode and share ideal settings for your camera to get you started. If you or your company is looking to delve deeper into your video productions, this guide is for you.

Video Guide: Setting Your Frame Rate

Your camera’s frame rate determines how many individual images, or frames, it captures per second (fps). Your frame rate is a determining factor for some other settings, so it’s important to start here.

Your ideal frame rate depends on the video you’re making. Below are the three most common frame rates you’ll find in your camera settings and when to use them.

24fps: The Cinematic Standard

24fps is the standard frame rate for most modern films. When shooting at 24fps you get a slight motion blur that feels natural to the human eye. 

If you’re looking for a nice cinematic shot for your video 24fps is the way to go, but if you’re looking to capture detailed motion, you’ll be better served by shooting at a different frame rate.

30fps: The Old Faithful

30fps is the standard frame rate for broadcast television and most online video platforms. This frame rate preserves the natural motion you can get at 24fps while offering more clarity in the motion.

60fps: High Action

60fps is ideal for shoots involving a lot of fast-paced action. Capturing twice as many frames per second, the motion is less blurred which makes it perfect for creating smooth slow-motion clips in editing.

It’s best to set your frame rate at the beginning of a shoot and leave it because editing clips with different frame rates can be tricky.

Setting Your Shutter Speed

Your camera’s shutter speed determines how long its shutter is open, allowing light into the lens. This setting is measured in fractions of a second, and while you may adjust this setting during still photography shoots, for video recording you want to set it at the beginning of your shoot and then leave it alone.

Luckily, there is a tried-and-true method for setting your shutter speed for video! All you have to do is double your frame rate and select the shutter speed closest to that number. 

• If your frame rate is 24fps, your shutter speed should be 1/50.

• If your frame rate is 30fps, your shutter speed should be 1/60.

• If your frame rate is 60fps, your shutter speed should be 1/125.

The only time you should adjust your shutter speed is when you have also adjusted your frame rate!

Adjusting Your Aperture

Your camera lens’ aperture is the opening within a lens that allows light into the camera. Aperture is measured in f-stops. Not all lenses have the same aperture, so check the range of your lens. Some lenses have variable apertures (called zoom lenses), while others only have one aperture setting (called prime lenses). 

The relationship between the size of the aperture and its f-stop value are opposites, meaning a larger aperture has a smaller f-stop value. A larger aperture, like f/2.8, will yield a brighter image whereas a smaller aperture, like f/22, will yield a darker image.

Aperture also controls the depth of field, which affects how much detail you can see in the background. A low f-stop has a shallow depth of field, meaning the subject of focus is crisp and clear, but everything else is soft and out of focus. A high f-stop has a deep depth of field, meaning that you can see more detail in the surrounding environment as well as detail of the subject.

Unlike your frame rate and shutter speed, you can adjust your aperture throughout a shoot to best suit your needs. Just be aware that getting a deeper depth of field will mean you may need to brighten the shot in other ways such as adding more light on location or adjusting your ISO.

Adjusting Your ISO

Your camera’s ISO determines how sensitive its sensor is to light. As you increase your ISO, your image will get brighter and vice versa. Your camera’s ISO works in tandem with its aperture to brighten an image.

A general rule of thumb is to try and keep your ISO below 1000, that’s the point for most cameras where the image will begin to appear grainy. It is always better to add more light into the physical space you’re shooting in or widen your aperture before increasing your ISO, but sometimes it is unavoidable.

Making the jump from auto mode to manual might feel like a big step, but it’s one of the best ways to level up the quality of your video. Once you get the hang of these basic settings, you’ll start to see just how much control you have over the look and feel of your footage. 

Don’t be afraid to experiment! Manual mode isn’t about perfection right away; it’s about learning what works for your style. Keep practicing, stay curious, and you’ll be shooting like a pro in no time.