Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) Practice Exam

If using a longer focal length lens, you would need to use ________to get the best results without a tripod.

1. Slower speeds

2. Faster speeds

3. Average speeds

4. No specific speed

The correct answer is: Faster speeds

Using a longer focal length lens typically requires faster shutter speeds to prevent motion blur in the image. This is due to the increased magnification of the subject, which also magnifies any camera shake or movement. When you have a longer focal length, the angle of view becomes narrower and any slight movement can cause noticeable blur in the photograph. For example, when photographing subjects at a considerable distance with a telephoto lens, even the slightest shake or movement of the camera can lead to significant blur because of the lens's high magnification factor. As a result, to maintain sharp images and avoid motion blur, it’s crucial to use faster shutter speeds. This ensures that the camera shutter is open for a shorter duration, reducing the chance of capturing movement. In contrast, shorter focal length lenses might allow for slower shutter speeds because they have a wider field of view and are less sensitive to camera shake. Thus, faster speeds become essential when working with longer focal lengths to achieve clearer and sharper images.