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[Gerard De Ruyter (Twistandshout)]

I'm sure the camera heads here can help advise on this (me being your average joe in this area - one notch past a holiday snapper at best):  i like full action freeze photos of dirt bikes in action, where you can see every bit of dirt stopped still.  so that to me means using the fastest shutter speed.  when i do this on my panasonic fz5 (on 1/1000 sec), i don't get enough light generally and it blinks red (as a warning won't get good shot).  but i take it anyway, with mixed results. 

what i want to know is, is 1/1000 overkill?  could i/should i wind back to maybe 1/500 or something?  what happens if i leave it at 1/1000 - you just don't get nicely lit pic but good action freeze?  if 1/1000 is the way to go, then perhaps this camera just doesn't have enough aperture opening ability to enable good fast action pics? (can't remember what max ap is).

[AjayVMX]

Yes, 1/500 is generally the minimum speed to freeze almost everything, faster is better, but 1/500 should get good results.

Also, change the ISO setting to a higher number, such as 400, to get the camera to take the photo at the highest possible exposure speed.

[gwedo]

!/500th sec is minimum and try to get as close to the action as possible(without getting hit)If you have a reasonably good flash you can shoot on 250th/sec or lower and freeze everything sharp as a bees d...Depends if you are shootin front on, side on or going for the panning shot...www.allactionphotos.com.au

[DJRacing]

Change your ASA(ISO) setting to 400, 600 or even 800 to (push) the film or in the digital format over expose the picture to keep the shutter speed as high as possible. The picture will become more grainy but the pictures you are wanting to take will be enhanced by that look. Also if you pan your shots the background will look more out of focus so you can drop your shutter speed down to 60/125, which will create movement to give the impression of alot more action and if you can open up the aperture which will shorten the depth of field so the forground and background will look even more out of focus and the object that you want sharp will stand out more.