FH6 Photo Mode Settings — Best Aperture, Shutter & FOV
Every slider in Forza Horizon 6 photo mode, what it does, and the values pros actually use.
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This is the technical-deep-dive companion to our FH6 Photo Mode Tips page. If you want one place that explains exactly what each FH6 photo mode slider does and the value to put in it, this is that page.
Camera tab — exposure & lens
| Setting | Range | Default | Recommended | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aperture | f/1.4 – f/22 | f/5.6 | f/2.8 – f/4 | Smaller number = more background blur. Smaller-than-f/2.0 numbers also blur the car's rear bumper. |
| Focal length | 14 – 200mm | 50mm | 50–85mm | Longer = compressed perspective. 14mm wide-angle distorts body lines. |
| Shutter speed | 1/4000 – 1/4 | 1/250 | 1/30 – 1/60 | Slower = more motion blur on moving objects (wheels, background). |
| FOV | 10° – 90° | 40° | ~30° | Narrower compresses the scene. Pairs with longer focal length. |
| Exposure (EV) | −2.0 – +2.0 | 0.0 | +0.3 | Brightens highlights without crushing shadows. |
| White balance | 2,000K – 10,000K | 5,500K | 5,200–5,800K | Cool = electric neon; warm = sunset / sakura. |
Filters tab — colour & tone
| Setting | Range | Recommended | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contrast | −50 – +50 | +10 | +20 in rain to lift reflections. |
| Saturation | −50 – +50 | +5 | Avoid +20 — it eats highlights on red cars. |
| Highlights | −50 – +50 | −5 | Slight roll-off recovers neon detail. |
| Shadows | −50 – +50 | +8 | Opens up the wheel arches. |
| Vibrance | 0 – 100 | 20 | Cleaner alternative to cranking saturation. |
| Vignette | 0 – 100 | 15–25 | Pulls the eye to the car. Don't go above 30. |
| Grain | 0 – 100 | 0–10 | Optional film look. 10 is "polished", 30 is "Instagram". |
Effects tab — motion blur & DoF
- Motion blur (slider): 0–30. The slider blur is screen-space, looks artificial. Prefer shutter speed for motion.
- Depth of Field strength: 100% — let aperture do the work.
- Focus distance: auto-locks on the car. Tap manual focus to pull onto a torii or rider in the background for an artsy shot.
- Bokeh shape: hexagonal looks "filmic"; circular looks "anime". Both are fine.
Three presets to memorise
Preset A — wallpaper
f/3.2, 70mm, 1/100s, FOV 28°, +0.3 EV, Contrast +10, Saturation +5, Vignette 20. Works in 90% of locations.
Preset B — action / drift
f/4, 50mm, 1/40s, FOV 35°, +0.0 EV, Contrast +15, Vignette 10. Open mid-slide. The 1/40 shutter gives the wheels a believable spin.
Preset C — night Tokyo
f/2.0, 85mm, 1/15s, FOV 25°, +0.5 EV, white balance 5,200K, Contrast +20, Saturation +5, Vignette 25. Park on wet asphalt.
Platform notes (PS5 / Xbox / PC)
- PS5: max in-game render 1440p; downsamples to 4K only on PS5 Pro VRR TVs.
- Xbox Series X: 4K render in photo mode regardless of game performance mode.
- Xbox Series S: 1440p; some HDR clipping on neon — pull Highlights to −10.
- PC: full 4K + DSR / DLDSR for 8K poster shots. Disable motion blur slider globally in graphics settings to avoid stacking with shutter speed.
Related
FAQ
What aperture should I use in FH6 photo mode?
f/2.8 to f/4 for most shots — soft background blur, sharp car. Drop to f/2.0 for night Tokyo neon bokeh, climb to f/5.6+ for landscape touge shots where the mountains should stay in focus.
What shutter speed gives the best motion blur in FH6?
1/30 to 1/60 keeps the wheels spinning and the background streaking without smearing the car. 1/15 is the long-exposure night look. 1/250 freezes the action mid-corner.
What FOV is best for FH6 photo mode?
About 30 degrees. It compresses background mountains and signs into the frame. Anything under 25 starts to look telephoto-flat; anything over 60 distorts the car body.
Should I use motion blur in FH6 photo mode?
Yes, but only via shutter speed — not the explicit motion blur slider. Slider blur looks plastic; shutter-speed blur looks real. Set motion blur slider to 30 max.