24 FPS vs 30 FPS vs 60 FPS: Which Frame Rate Should You Use?

If you’ve ever looked through your camera settings and wondered whether you should be shooting at 24 FPS, 30 FPS, or 60 FPS, you’re definitely not the only one.

Frame rate can make a surprisingly big difference in how your footage looks and feels.

For music videos, the choice between 24 FPS, 30 FPS, and 60 FPS isn’t simply about which number is better. Each frame rate gives you different options when you’re shooting and editing.

I’ve used different frame rates for different types of projects, and one of the biggest things I’ve learned is that you should choose your frame rate based on what you’re trying to make—not just because a higher number sounds better.

Here’s how I think about it.

What Does FPS Mean?

FPS stands for frames per second.

It’s basically the number of individual frames your camera records every second.

So:

24 FPS = 24 frames every second

30 FPS = 30 frames every second

60 FPS = 60 frames every second

The more frames you’re recording per second, the more motion information you’re capturing.

But that doesn’t mean 60 FPS automatically looks better than 24 FPS.

It looks different.

That’s an important distinction.

What Is 24 FPS?

24 FPS has been widely associated with traditional film and cinematic motion.

When people talk about a “cinematic” frame rate, 24 FPS is usually what they’re talking about.

At 24 FPS, movement generally has more visible motion blur and a particular type of motion cadence.

That’s part of why 24 FPS has become so associated with movies, television, music videos, and narrative filmmaking.

For a music video, 24 FPS can be a great choice when you’re trying to create a more cinematic or film-like feeling.

It’s especially useful for:

• Narrative music videos
• Cinematic performances
• Dramatic scenes
• Slow camera movements
• Atmospheric videos
• Controlled camera movement
• Music videos where you want a traditional film aesthetic

But there’s nothing magical about 24 FPS.

A video doesn’t automatically become cinematic just because you set the camera to 24.

Lighting, lenses, composition, camera movement, production design, color grading, and editing all matter.

What Is 30 FPS?

30 FPS gives you slightly more motion information than 24 FPS.

It’s commonly used for video intended for television, online content, social media, and other applications where a little more motion smoothness can be useful.

30 FPS can be a good middle ground.

It’s still visually natural, but motion can feel a little smoother than 24 FPS.

For music videos, 30 FPS can work well if you want something that feels more like modern digital video rather than trying specifically to imitate a traditional film look.

It can also be useful for:

• Performance videos
• Social media content
• Interviews
• Behind-the-scenes footage
• Events
• General-purpose video
• Projects that may be distributed across different platforms

There’s nothing wrong with shooting a music video at 30 FPS.

The important thing is to know why you’re choosing it.

What Is 60 FPS?

60 FPS means your camera is capturing 60 frames every second.

That gives you significantly more frames to work with than 24 FPS.

One of the biggest reasons filmmakers use 60 FPS is for slow motion.

If you record at 60 FPS and place that footage into a 24 FPS timeline, you can slow the footage down to roughly 40% speed while maintaining normal playback of every captured frame.

That’s one of my favorite reasons to shoot 60 FPS.

You can capture:

• Slow-motion performance shots
• Camera movement
• Walking
• Dancing
• Hair and clothing movement
• Cars
• Water
• Objects flying through the air
• Crowd movement
• Atmospheric shots

60 FPS can also look very smooth when played back at normal speed.

But again, that doesn’t automatically make it better.

24 FPS vs 30 FPS vs 60 FPS

Here’s the simplest way I think about it:

Frame Rate	Main Characteristic	Common Use
24 FPS	Cinematic motion	Music videos, film, narrative
30 FPS	Slightly smoother motion	General video, online content
60 FPS	Very smooth motion / slow motion	Slow motion, action, movement

These aren’t strict rules.

You can use any of these frame rates for almost any kind of project.

The question is what you want the final video to feel like.

What FPS Should You Use for a Music Video?

For a traditional music video, 24 FPS is a very solid choice if you’re going for a cinematic look.

But I don’t think you need to shoot the entire music video at 24 FPS.

A workflow I really like is shooting the main footage at 24 FPS and using 60 FPS for shots that I know I may want to slow down.

That gives you both.

Your primary footage maintains the 24 FPS look while your 60 FPS footage gives you the ability to create slow-motion moments.

For example, you could shoot the main performance at 24 FPS.

Then you might shoot:

• A close-up of the artist moving toward the camera at 60 FPS
• A jacket moving in the wind at 60 FPS
• A slow-motion walking shot at 60 FPS
• A car driving past at 60 FPS
• A dramatic camera movement at 60 FPS

Then you can mix those shots together in the edit.

That can create a really good visual contrast.

Can You Mix 24 FPS and 60 FPS?

Absolutely.

In fact, it’s extremely useful.

The important thing is understanding what happens when footage recorded at different frame rates is placed into the same timeline.

If you’re editing a music video on a 24 FPS timeline, 24 FPS footage plays normally.

60 FPS footage can be conformed or interpreted for slow motion.

At 40% speed, 60 FPS footage fits naturally into a 24 FPS timeline because the additional frames can be used to create smooth slow motion.

This is one of the easiest ways to get professional-looking slow-motion footage without needing a specialized high-speed camera.

What Happens If You Shoot Everything at 60 FPS?

You can absolutely shoot an entire project at 60 FPS.

But there are reasons you might not want to.

If you shoot everything at 60 FPS and play everything back at normal speed, your footage will have a different motion characteristic than 24 FPS footage.

You also lose the opportunity to use those extra frames specifically for slow motion.

If everything is already being recorded at 60 FPS, you’re not really creating a special slow-motion moment by using it.

That’s why I usually think of higher frame rates as another tool rather than simply a quality setting.

What About 120 FPS?

Some cameras can shoot 120 FPS or higher.

This is where you can get extremely slow motion.

120 FPS footage can be slowed to 20% speed on a 24 FPS timeline while using the captured frames.

That’s great for very dramatic shots.

But higher frame rates often come with tradeoffs depending on the camera.

You may have limitations with resolution, autofocus, dynamic range, low-light performance, recording time, or other camera features.

You also need significantly more light for high-frame-rate shooting in many situations depending on your shutter settings.

So again, use it when you actually need it.

Frame Rate and Shutter Speed

Frame rate is also connected to shutter speed.

A commonly used guideline is to set your shutter speed to approximately double your frame rate.

That means:

24 FPS → approximately 1/48 or 1/50 shutter

30 FPS → approximately 1/60 shutter

60 FPS → approximately 1/120 shutter

This helps produce motion blur that looks natural for the selected frame rate.

This isn’t an absolute law.

There are plenty of reasons you might intentionally use a faster or slower shutter speed.

But if you’re just learning video, the roughly 180-degree shutter guideline is a useful starting point.

Why Does Shutter Speed Matter?

Imagine you’re shooting someone running.

If your shutter speed is extremely fast, individual frames can look very sharp with very little motion blur.

That can create a harsher, more staccato appearance.

If the shutter is much slower, movement can become extremely blurry.

That might look cool in certain situations, but it can also become distracting.

For most normal motion, keeping shutter speed relatively consistent with your frame rate creates a more natural appearance.

Does 60 FPS Look More Professional?

Not necessarily.

This is one of the biggest misconceptions about video.

Higher FPS does not automatically mean higher production value.

A beautifully shot 24 FPS music video can look far more professional than a poorly lit 60 FPS video.

Frame rate is one piece of the image.

It’s not the entire image.

If you’re trying to make a professional music video, pay attention to:

• Lighting
• Composition
• Exposure
• Lens choice
• Camera movement
• Locations
• Performance
• Editing
• Color grading
• Production design
• Sound
• Story

Those things will have a much bigger impact on the final product than simply selecting the highest FPS number available.

What Frame Rate Should You Use for Slow Motion?

If you’re planning to slow footage down in editing, shoot at a higher frame rate.

For a 24 FPS project:

30 FPS can provide a small amount of slow motion.

60 FPS can provide substantial slow motion.

120 FPS can provide very dramatic slow motion.

The exact workflow depends on your camera and editing software, but the basic concept is simple:

Record more frames than you’re going to display each second, then spread those frames over a longer period of time.

That’s what creates slow motion.

What I Would Use for a Music Video

If I were planning a music video where I wanted a cinematic base with some slow-motion shots, I’d probably build the project around 24 FPS.

Then I’d shoot specific shots at 60 FPS when I know I want slow motion.

That gives me a lot of flexibility during editing without making every shot look like slow motion footage.

The 24 FPS footage becomes the foundation.

The 60 FPS footage becomes another visual tool.

That can be especially effective when you’re cutting between high-energy performance shots and slower atmospheric moments.

Don’t Let Frame Rate Become the Whole Conversation

I’ve seen artists spend way too much time worrying about whether they should use 24 or 30 FPS while not thinking about lighting, locations, composition, or the actual idea for the video.

Don’t do that.

Frame rate matters.

But it’s not going to save a bad concept.

A 24 FPS video with bad lighting is still a video with bad lighting.

A 60 FPS video with boring framing is still boring.

A 30 FPS video with an incredible concept can still be incredible.

The goal isn’t to find the magic FPS that makes your footage professional.

The goal is to choose the frame rate that supports what you’re trying to create.

Final Thoughts

For me, the easiest way to remember it is:

24 FPS for your cinematic foundation.

30 FPS when you want a little more natural video smoothness.

60 FPS when you want smooth motion or slow-motion options.

And there’s nothing wrong with using all three when the project calls for it.

The best frame rate is the one that fits the project.

Don’t shoot 60 FPS just because your camera says it can.

Don’t shoot 24 FPS because somebody told you that it’s automatically cinematic.

Know what you’re trying to make first.

Then choose the settings that help you make it.

The camera settings should serve the video—not the other way around.

By Pop Hitchcock