Exposure time is a balance between which two factors?

The correct choice focuses on the balance between light gathered and motion blur, which are critical elements in determining exposure time in photography and video capture.

Exposure time, or shutter speed, refers to the duration that the camera's sensor is exposed to light. A longer exposure time allows more light to be gathered, resulting in a brighter image. However, if the exposure time is too long, any movement within the frame can lead to motion blur, making the image appear smeared and unclear. Therefore, this choice effectively captures the compromise photographers must make: they can choose a longer exposure time to capture more light for a well-exposed image, but they must be cautious of potential movement that could degrade image clarity.

In contrast, the other options do not accurately define the relationship relevant to exposure time. For instance, light diffusion and lens quality are more about optics and image characteristics rather than the direct timing of light exposure. Similarly, camera shake and ambient light refer to different phenomena; camera shake relates to the stability of the camera during exposure, while ambient light describes the surrounding lighting conditions but does not directly tie to the duration of exposure in terms of motion clarity. Frame rate and image quality are also more related to video capture rather than the photographic concept of balancing exposure time