What is the default shutter angle of motion picture cameras?

What is the default shutter angle of motion picture cameras?

• A. 90 degrees
• B. 120 degrees
• C. 180 degrees
• D. 270 degrees

Answer: (C)

The main idea is that shutter angle controls how long the camera’s shutter stays open for each frame, and 180 degrees is the standard default because it yields natural motion blur at typical cinema speeds. When the shutter angle is 180 degrees, the shutter is open for half of each frame interval. At the common cinema frame rate of 24 frames per second, that’s about 1/48 second of exposure per frame, giving a balanced look of sharpness and motion blur that audiences expect from film. If you use a smaller angle, like 90 degrees, you’d get crisper frames with less blur and a more staccato feel. A larger angle, such as 270 degrees, would increase exposure and blur, producing a softer, more dreamy look and potential overexposure. A 120-degree angle would fall between these, altering the look away from the familiar default.

The main idea is that shutter angle controls how long the camera’s shutter stays open for each frame, and 180 degrees is the standard default because it yields natural motion blur at typical cinema speeds. When the shutter angle is 180 degrees, the shutter is open for half of each frame interval. At the common cinema frame rate of 24 frames per second, that’s about 1/48 second of exposure per frame, giving a balanced look of sharpness and motion blur that audiences expect from film.

If you use a smaller angle, like 90 degrees, you’d get crisper frames with less blur and a more staccato feel. A larger angle, such as 270 degrees, would increase exposure and blur, producing a softer, more dreamy look and potential overexposure. A 120-degree angle would fall between these, altering the look away from the familiar default.