X7 shutter speed

[visionaryaerials]

I recently noticed the following in the X7 user manual and was curious what you all think?

"For sharp and clear videos, the shutter speed should be no shorter than 1/500s when using a focal length longer than 35mm; and a shutter speed no shorter than 1/600s when using a focal length longer than 35mm." - Page 6 in the X7 user manual

I was under the impression that the shutter speed should be twice the frame rate or multiples of that.

 

[Florida Drone Supply]

Although that is what DJI says I bet you will see better results varying slightly from the "norm" as most photographers know.

 

[InterMurph]

I was under the impression that the shutter speed should be twice the frame rate or multiples of that.

You are referring here to the "180 degree rule", which is in fact a rule of thumb. If your goal is natural motion, then you want the shutter to be open for 1/2 of the interval between frames. So if you are shooting 30 frames/second, the frames are 1/30 of a second apart, and thus you want your shutter speed to be 1/60th of a second.

Again, this is recommended "if your goal is natural motion". This just looks natural and cinematic to the human eye. But since the shutter is open for so long, each individual frame is not sharp; if there is any movement in the scene, then it will exhibit image blur. So if you load up such footage in your editor and look at an individual frame, it will appear blurry.

But that is the goal of this technique: natural motion blur.

DJI's advice above is toward a different goal: for sharp and clear videos. They are recommending a much faster shutter speed to freeze the action and minimize or eliminate motion blur. In such footage, individual frames will look sharper and clearer, but video playback will look choppy and more jumpy. Think of the opening beach scene in Saving Private Ryan. If that is your goal, then you can definitely use this technique. But if your goal is "natural motion", the 180-degree rule is your best friend.