4 s
Shutter speed
+9.0
Stops vs 1/125 s
tripod
Longest handheld focal (FF, no IS)
tripod
…with 4-stop stabilisation
What 4 s is good for#
A shutter speed of 4 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. 4 s lets in 500.0× more light than 1/125 s.
Will 4 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) | 9,333 px | motion blur |
| Child running (11 km/h, 4 m, 50 mm) | 25,000 px | motion blur |
| Jogger (12 km/h, 10 m, 85 mm) | 18,700 px | motion blur |
| Cyclist (30 km/h, 10 m, 70 mm) | 38,733 px | motion blur |
| Dog sprinting (40 km/h, 10 m, 200 mm) | 146,667 px | motion blur |
| Car (50 km/h, 20 m, 50 mm) | 23,333 px | motion blur |
| Bird in flight (36 km/h, 20 m, 400 mm) | 133,333 px | motion blur |
| Race car (200 km/h, 50 m, 300 mm) | 220,000 px | motion blur |
| Waterfall / fast water (2 m/s, 5 m, 35 mm) | 9,333 px | motion blur |
Aperture to use at 4 s#
Correct exposure at 4 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/32 | too bright | too bright | too bright |
| EV 5 · Home interior at night | f/11 | f/22 | too bright | too bright |
| EV 2 · Distant city lights | f/4 | f/8 | f/16 | f/32 |
| EV -2 · Moonlit landscape | f/1 | f/2 | f/4 | f/8 |
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 4 s fast enough to handhold?
No — use a tripod or a solid support.
How many stops is 4 s from 1/125?
9.0 stops slower (more light).
Last updated October 03, 2026 · How we calculate · Sources