What Are The Best Camera Settings for Car photography?
Do you want to take your car photography skill to the next level? Whether you are selling your car or click some quality shots to share with your clients or car dealers, a proper camera setting is essential. But what is the best camera composition?
The best camera settings for car photography depend on when and where you are capturing photos. In general, f/2.8 aperture, 1/80 seconds of shutter speed, and an ISO of 100 is the ideal camera setting for taking stunning car photographs.
Continue reading till the end to learn everything about the camera setting and car photography and capture professional pictures.
Table of Contents
Best camera settings for car photography
Here we collected a few special tips for camera settings for car photoshoot in different weather.
Best camera settings for night car photography
- Aperture: f/14 to f/28
- Shutter speed: 5 to 10 seconds
- ISO: Below 500
Many people often ignore taking car photos at night due to lack of lighting. But it can give a great sight of the car. The perfect hour is after sunset when it is still evening. A photographer must keep in mind that highly reflective surfaces can be problematic to photoshoot. If you are photographing at night, try to find a light source to show your car properly.
Depending on the lights available, set your camera aperture from f/5 to f/11. Nighttime photoshoot requires the techniques of slow shutter speed. 5 to 10 seconds will be the best shutter speed balance at night.
Although photographers tend to increase the ISO to get better lighting, that’s not a wise decision at that time. Higher ISO will likely cause grains. Try to keep it below 500.
Pro Tip: A longer exposure means holding the camera still for a long period. Try to use a tripod to stabilize the camera while shooting in the evening or at night to remove any issue with blur.
Pro Tip: A longer exposure means holding the camera still for a long period. Try to use a tripod to stabilize the camera while shooting in the evening or at night to remove any issue with blur.
Camera setting for taking motion car photography
- Aperture: Bellow f/5.6
- Shutter speed: 1/200 to 1/80 seconds
- ISO: 100-200
Cars are for driving, and motion photography can be one of the modern ways to capture them. Call your friends and ask them to help you out with this experiment.
While capturing a moving object, a wide aperture works well. But do not go above f/5.6 as there are enough sun lights during the day.
The car will pass the eye of the camera in a single glance. That’s why you need to keep the shutter speed fast with panning to capture the amazing shot. 1/200 to 1/80 of a second is the best shutter speed. Try to keep the ISO low and use a natural lighting source. 100 to 200 ISO is absolutely fine to get a high-quality car shot.
Pro Tip: Instead of only waiting for the car movement to pass your camera, you can use a second car. Get in that car, and capture photos from there while your friends are driving. Be cautious that your friends do not get distracted or break the rules.
Camera setting for capturing indoor car photography
- Aperture: f/2.8 to f/4
- Shutter speed: 1/100 to 1/40 seconds
- ISO: 100-200
Many people do not realise this, but indoor photography can also be a great action for car photography. You also can use a product photo studio.
For indoor automotive photography camera mode, use an aperture below f/4. A fast shutter speed is preferable, but not too fast. Try to keep it between 1/100 to 1/60. The light source can vary from place to place. Depending on the lights available, set ISO from 100 to 200. The light source can vary from place to place. Depending on the lights available, set ISO from 100 to 200.
Pro Tip: Take pictures of your car from different angles for greater visuals. Show off different parts of the subject. Try to focus on geometric shapes, as you will find a lot in an off-road vehicle.
Camera setting for taking outdoor car photography
- Aperture: f/2.8 to f/4
- Shutter speed: 1/125 to 1/60 seconds
- ISO: 100-20
This is the most common way of doing sharp car photography, and you are most likely to photograph your car outdoors. You can capture some stunning shots if you choose your background color carefully.
Using a narrow depth of field will give you an amazing bokeh effect by blurring the backdrop—narrow means f/2.8. If you want to tell a story through the backdrop, f/4 to f/8 is a better option.
Keeping the shutter speed fast and ISO low will give you sharper images. Shutter speed of 1/125 to 1/60 is good, while the best ISO setting is 100.
FAQ's for Best camera settings for car photography
1. What is car photography called?
Car photography is also known as automotive photography. Depending on the purpose of the photoshoot, many people also call it a static shot, panning shot, rig shot, studio photography, etc.
2. What is the best camera for car photography?
You can start car photography with almost every camera. DSLR and mirrorless models usually provide the best results. Sony A9, Nikon D850, and Canon 7D Mark II are some of the best cameras for car photography.
3. What is focal length for car photography?
24 to 70 mm is overall the best focal length for car photography. You can either go for close shots or wide shots. In both cases, you will be able to focus on your car with such lengths.
4. What lenses are best for car photography?
A 35mm is an excellent choice for doing car photography. If you want better control, then a 24-70 mm will be the best lens for car photography. You can quickly zoom in or zoom out to get an excellent frame.
5. Is 1/500 shutter speed enough?
For sports photography or running objects from any angle, a fast shutter speed will provide the best photos. A 1/500 shutter speed is enough for capturing running cars or other objects.
6. Is 35mm good for car photography?
35mm lenses are prime lenses and good enough for doing car photography. You can shoot with a wide aperture to create a bokeh effect on the background to make a stunning car picture.
7. Is a 50mm good for car photography?
A 50mm is one of the best lenses for car photography. It maintains the proportions, and you can capture some valuable shots with a 50mm.
Final Words
Having the best camera settings for car photography is not a hard and fast rule. If you find changing the settings a little will get you better results, go for it.
It’s understandable that we can’t make every shot flawless. Sometimes we need an image editing service after the car photoshoot. If you need to change the background of the car we are here to help. Our background removal service will help you get the best services for your car photo editing.
