Exposure for video: shutter, ISO, aperture & white balance
Exposure for video has one extra rule photographers don't worry about: your shutter is mostly fixed. Lock that, control light with aperture, ISO and ND, and set white balance on purpose — and your footage grades beautifully.
- Shutter ~2× frame rate (the 180° rule) — keep it fixed.
- Control light with aperture, ND and ISO, in that order.
- Set white balance manually so clips match in the edit.
Watch: the exposure triangle
Shutter speed, ISO and aperture explained clearly and how they trade off — the foundation of every exposure decision.
Exposure, the video way
Set shutter to roughly double your frame rate for natural motion blur and leave it there. Now expose with aperture (which also sets depth of field), then ISO (watch for noise), and use a variable ND outdoors so you can keep shutter and aperture where you want them.
- 24/25fps → 1/50. 50fps → 1/100. Don't 'fix' exposure with shutter.
- Use your camera's base/native ISO when you can for the cleanest image.
- Use zebras or false colour to judge skin tones, not just the screen.
Watch: set white balance properly
How to set white balance the right way so colours are accurate and every clip matches.
Nail white balance
Auto white balance drifts shot to shot, which is a nightmare to match in the grade. Set a manual Kelvin value (≈5600K daylight, ≈3200K tungsten) or use a grey card. Consistency beats perfection — matching clips is easier than fixing each one.
- Daylight ≈ 5600K, indoor tungsten ≈ 3200K — set it, don't leave it on auto.
- A grey/white card at the top of a take gives you a reference in post.
- Shooting log? Still set WB — it bakes into the metadata for grading.
Ready to book your kit?
Browse the catalogue