What Are Frame Rates?

While there are natural differences between a photo and a video, such as movement, direction, sound, and more, they share one striking similarity; still images. 

As noted in our guide on understanding the differences between film, movie, and video, the term "movies" originally derived from "moving pictures." And that’s precisely what movies and videos are: a series of moving pictures played at a precise speed to create the illusion of movement.  

The exact speed can vary from video to video, but this speed is usually called frame rate. At its simplest, frame rate, or frames per second (fps), describes how many individual frames are set to be exposed to light each second. What do we mean by that? Using 35mm film may present the easiest demonstration.

Image via Warner Brothers

This image is of a film strip from “Lord of The Rings.” Each film frame is like a single picture. When loaded into a film camera, the film is fed from a magazine through the film gate, which is the area where the film is exposed to light. After each exposure, the film advances onto the take-up reel. The frame rate is determined by the speed at which each frame passes through the film gate.

This interesting video from The Slow-Mo Guys is a fascinating insight into how that process works and also just how fast it occurs!

As a side note, many image libraries and online outlets often refer to this as a film strip, which is incorrect. 

Image via Adobe 

While it appears correct, the film coming off the reel is horizontal, not vertical. This 35mm film strip more closely resembles film used in a 35mm still camera than motion picture film, even though it’s being shown coming off a reel.

As humans, we can perceive static imagery when the frame rate drops below 12fps. However, like a flipbook animation where flipping through the drawings quickly creates motion, frame rates above this threshold blur the individual frames together, creating the illusion of continuous movement. 

Frame rate is considered one of the camera's core technical principles. However, unlike ISO, aperture, and the focal length properties of your lens, frame rate can completely transform the look of your film. Set it too slow, and your footage may resemble stop-motion animation. Set it too fast, and it might look like a soap opera.

In this article, we’ll help decode the mysteries of frame rate so you can confidently choose the correct settings for your project.

Frame rate history

24fps is the standardized frame rate for cinema; the question here is why? In the early days of filmmaking, there was no standard frame rate. This was mainly because film was hand-cranked by the camera operator. As a result, frame rates varied depending on the operator and how tied their arm was. It’s why the earliest of films can sometimes look sporadic. 

Image via Arri 

Framerate math 

As technology advanced and cameras became mechanical, a standard frame rate still did not exist. In classic Hollywood fashion, many studios sought to use as little film as possible to save on costs. The lower the frame rate, the more they could maximize the use of a single film roll, and the less money they would be spending. 

Yet, toward the 1930s, filmmakers in North America settled on 24 frames per second (24 fps) as the standard. There are indeed a few variances as to how they got here, but the two notable factors that stand out: 

First, it comes down to the math. At 24 frames per second, the number is easily divisible. During the era of manual film editing, where editors physically spliced frames using tools like a splicer or Moviola, it was simple to calculate durations such as half a second or a quarter of a second by dividing 24 by 2 or 4.

The second factor that stands out is sound. 

Syncing sound 

In the early days of film, movies were silent or accompanied by live orchestras. A major challenge for engineers was syncing sound to film. Inventors like Lee De Forest attempted to synchronize audio by converting sound vibrations into etchings on a soft wax disk. However, visuals and audio were recorded separately and at different speeds, so they often fell out of sync.

This issue led De Forest to develop Phonofilm, a revolutionary invention that recorded optical sound directly onto the film strip. This method permanently synchronized audio and visuals. While de Forest worked on improving Phonofilm, Western Electric, and Warner Brothers advanced sound technology with the Vitaphone.

Image via MovingImageArchive

Vitaphone engineers resolved De Forest's synchronization problems by using synchronous electric motors to drive both the film projector and the audio disk from the same power source. They adopted a 16-inch disk format spinning at 33 1/3 rpm, which held about 11 minutes of audio, the same runtime as 1,000 feet of film at…you guessed it, 24 frames per second.

You can go into further detail on this topic with this 30-minute explainer video from FilmmakerIQ. 

Are there any other frame rates outside of 24fps? 

While 24 fps is the cinematic standard, other frame rates are frequently outside cinema.

Broadcast TV uses 29.97 fps in NTSC regions (North America, Japan, and South Korea). In PAL regions (Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia), 25 fps is standard, matching the 50-hertz electrical grid to avoid flickering from grid-power-supplied lighting.

For sports and live events, frame rates often jump to 50, 59.94, or 60 fps, ideal for capturing fast motion and reducing blur in high-speed activities like football or soccer.

Online platforms like YouTube support various frame rates, but 30 fps is common for content like screen recordings. Video games, designed for fluid and responsive action, typically run at 60 fps for smooth visuals.

Standard frame rates by category:

• Broadcast TV (NTSC): 29.97 fps, 30 fps, 23.976 fps
• Broadcast TV (PAL/SECAM): 25 fps, 50 fps
• Film & Cinema: 24 fps
• Sports & Live Events: 50 fps, 59.94 fps, 60 fps
• Online Video: 30 fps, 24 fps, 60 fps
• Gaming: 60 fps

Regarding online content, many platforms now accept a wide variety of frame rates. In today’s content-driven world, it could be argued that the formalities of framerates are not as important as they were just 20 years ago.

Before we move on, we should clarify why broadcasts in North America are set at 30 frames per second and not 24fps. 

Once again, it comes down to the technology of the time. Early televisions required a higher frame rate than 24 fps to minimize flicker and judder caused by the limitations of those early units. Additionally, since the NTSC region operates on a power frequency of 60 hertz, 30 frames per second fit neatly into this range when using the now-archaic interlacing method.

While modern digital technology could allow us to adjust the frame rate, there’s simply no need to. 30 fps's historical precedent, combined with the fact that it just works, has kept it firmly in place for broadcast in these regions. 

This leads us nicely into the next section. Given that digital cameras no longer have the limitation of limited film reels (although memory cards, of course, have a cap), and we know that a higher frame rate can give us sharper images, shouldn’t we be filming at a higher frame rate? 

Technically, yes. Aesthetically, no.

The aesthetic of framerates

This idea has been tested several times over the past 15 years, most notably by Peter Jackson with “The Hobbit” and later promoted by James Cameron. They aimed to release media at 48 frames per second to reduce motion blur, hoping to make action scenes feel more kinetic and immersive. While technically effective, the results sparked a common and valid criticism: the films looked too much like soap operas. 

Here’s the thing: you can watch both the 48 fps and 24 fps versions of “The Hobbit,” and while they feature the same shots, lighting, characters, and angles, the two formats feel very different. Doubling the frame rate gives the film a visual quality closer to a soap opera or TV sitcom, which feels distinctly uncinematic.

This short sequence from the Disney Research Lab shows how minimal, but noticeable, the difference is. 

So, why do filmmakers stick with 24 frames per second, even though it’s somewhat archaic? Quite simply, it’s because that’s what we associate with the cinematic experience. Since the dawn of cinema, approximately 500,000 feature films have been produced. The number likely climbs to millions if we include experimental films and narrative shorts uploaded online. And 99.9% of them have been shot at 24 fps.

This repeated reinforcement of the look and feel tied to 24 fps, complete with its motion blur, has ingrained it as the aesthetic of cinema. It’s not just a technical choice anymore; it’s a cultural one.

How to practically use framerates

So, what does all of this mean for you, the budding filmmaker? What frame rate should you use? 

It all comes down to the intent of your final project. If you’re working on an online video without giving it that so-called "cinematic" feel, 30 or even 60 frames per second is a solid choice, offering extra visual clarity.

However, if you’re creating a documentary or a narrative short film and want it to carry the feel of the big screen, 24 frames per second is the way to go. 

Here's a bonus tip for creators using a single camera to capture both a primary short film and behind-the-scenes (BTS) or vlog content to accompany it.

If you use the same frame rate for both the short film and the BTS content, the visual distinction between them might blur, potentially reducing the perceived production value of your short film. To address this, we recommend using a higher frame rate for the secondary content, such as your BTS or vlog footage. This approach helps create a clear separation in style and tone between the polished film and the supplementary content.

Conclusion 

Before we wrap this up, it’s important to highlight an important counterpart to framerate that must also be set correctly on your camera: shutter speed (or shutter angle when using a cinema camera). Ideally, you should aim to keep your shutter angle at 180 degrees. For example, shooting at 24 frames per second corresponds to a shutter speed of 1/48th of a second. Following this rule of thumb, setting your shutter speed to double your frame rate is an easy and reliable guideline.

For those looking to explore this concept further, this video from UglyMcGregor adequately explains shutter angle and how to use it in conjunction with frame rate.