6 s
Shutter speed
+9.6
Stops vs 1/125 s
tripod
Longest handheld focal (FF, no IS)
tripod
…with 4-stop stabilisation
What 6 s is good for#
A shutter speed of 6 s is typically used for long exposures on a tripod: night skies, light painting, smoothing clouds and water.
Each step on the standard scale is ⅓ stop; doubling the time adds one stop of light. 6 s lets in 750.0× more light than 1/125 s.
Will 6 s freeze the motion?#
Image-plane blur for subjects crossing the frame at a right angle. Under ~2 pixels looks sharp; panning with the subject reduces blur dramatically.
| Subject | Blur on a 24 MP full-frame sensor | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Person walking (5 km/h, 5 m away, 50 mm) | 14,000 px | motion blur |
| Child running (11 km/h, 4 m, 50 mm) | 37,500 px | motion blur |
| Jogger (12 km/h, 10 m, 85 mm) | 28,050 px | motion blur |
| Cyclist (30 km/h, 10 m, 70 mm) | 58,100 px | motion blur |
| Dog sprinting (40 km/h, 10 m, 200 mm) | 220,000 px | motion blur |
| Car (50 km/h, 20 m, 50 mm) | 35,000 px | motion blur |
| Bird in flight (36 km/h, 20 m, 400 mm) | 200,000 px | motion blur |
| Race car (200 km/h, 50 m, 300 mm) | 330,000 px | motion blur |
| Waterfall / fast water (2 m/s, 5 m, 35 mm) | 14,000 px | motion blur |
Aperture to use at 6 s#
Correct exposure at 6 s for typical lighting, rounded to ⅓ stop.
| Light | ISO 100 | ISO 400 | ISO 1600 | ISO 6400 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EV 15 · Bright sun, distinct shadows (Sunny 16) | too bright | too bright | too bright | too bright |
| EV 13 · Cloudy-bright, no shadows | too bright | too bright | too bright | too bright |
| EV 12 · Heavy overcast / open shade | too bright | too bright | too bright | too bright |
| EV 10 · Just after sunset | too bright | too bright | too bright | too bright |
| EV 8 · Bright interior, city street at night | f/45 | too bright | too bright | too bright |
| EV 5 · Home interior at night | f/14 | f/29 | too bright | too bright |
| EV 2 · Distant city lights | f/5 | f/10 | f/20 | f/45 |
| EV -2 · Moonlit landscape | f/1.2 | f/2.5 | f/5 | f/10 |
Exposure calculator#
Your metered (or known good) exposure
New settings — change aperture and/or ISO, we solve the shutter speed
Equivalent shutter speed—
Exposure value (EV₁₀₀)—
Light conditions—
Nearby shutter speeds#
Frequently asked questions#
Is 6 s fast enough to handhold?
No — use a tripod or a solid support.
How many stops is 6 s from 1/125?
9.6 stops slower (more light).
Last updated October 03, 2026 · How we calculate · Sources