Understanding Aperture, Shutter Speed and ISO

Hakimi Halim

What is Aperature

Is referred to the lens diaphragm that REGULATES amount of light passes through onto the film inside the camera the moment when the shutter curtain in camera opens during an exposure process.

Or simply can be understood as a hole within a lens, through which light travels into the camera body.

The specific term for a ‘hole’ in photographic terminology is known as diaphragm.

Aperture

Aperture is a measure of how much light is let through your lens and into your camera (to expose the Sensor or film).

The little numbers engraved on the lens barrel like f22 (f/22),16 (f/16), f/11, f/8.0, f/5.6, f/4.0, f/2.8, f/2.0,f 1.4 etc.

Each of this value represents one time the amount of light either more or less in quantity

Aperture

. Meaning to say, f/16 will let in 1X the amount of light than a diaphragm opening of f/22 and so forth; while on the other hand, an aperture of f/4.0 will let in 1X lesser than that of f/2.8 etc.

It shows that, the smaller the number, the bigger the diaphragm size.

Aperture

f 1.4, f 2, f 2.8, f4, f5.6, f 8, f 11, f 16, f 22

Biggest opening Smallest opening

The lower the f stop number, the wider, or bigger, the aperture.

Aperture

Aperture is a measure of how much light is let through your lens and into your camera (to expose the sensor or film).

Aperture

Aperture

Most modern digital cameras use a one-third f-stop increment scale, ie

1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 1.6, 1.8, 2.0, 202, 2.5, 2.8, 3.2, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, 5.0, 5.6, 6.3, 7.1, 8.0, 9.0, 10.0, 11.0, 13.0, 14.0, 16.0, 18.0, 20.0, and 22.0.

The purpose of Aperture

The Effect Towards Exposure With the size of the aperture changing

the way it does, there is a correlating effect on the exposure

The larger the aperture, the more exposed the photo will be. The best way to demonstrate this is by taking a series of photos, keeping everything constant, with the exception of the aperture.

The Circle of Confusion

The Circle of Confusion

The purpose of Aperture

The Effect Towards Depth of Field

What is Depth of Field?Depth of field is the amount of distance between the nearest and farthest objects that appear in acceptably sharp focus in a photograph.

The purpose of Aperture

Although a lens can precisely focus at only one distance at a time, the decrease in sharpness is gradual on each side of the focused distance, so that within the DOF, the unsharpness is imperceptible under normal viewing conditions.

This condition is also known as Circle of Confusion

The purpose of Aperture

Relation Between Aperture and COC/DOF (Circle of Confusion and Depth of Field)

Circle of Confusion

Since there is no critical point of transition, a more rigorous term called the "circle of confusion" is used to define how much a point needs to be blurred in order to be perceived as unsharp.

When the circle of confusion becomes perceptible to our eyes, this region is said to be outside the depth of field and thus no longer "acceptably sharp”.

Relation Between Aperture and COC/DOF (Circle of Confusion and Depth of Field)

All you really need to know in terms of how it’s effected by aperture is that; the wider the aperture (f/1.4), the shallower the depth of field, and the narrower the aperture (f/22); the deeper the depth of field.

The shallower DOF, means that u will only can get the sharp image on the point that u set to be sharp by using your lens focusing, but the other areas of the picture will turn to be blur. The blur area can be recognize as the COC.

Relation Between Aperture and COC/DOF (Circle of Confusion and Depth of Field)

On the other hands, the deeper DOF can be produce by using the very narrow of f number such as f16 and f22. Which mean, u will get everything clear on your picture from foreground, middle ground and background. The result will show the decreasing of COC in your picture.

Deep and Shallow DOF

f22, f16, f11, f8,f5.6, f4, f2.8, f2, f1.4

Deeper DOF Shallow DOF

The Basic Visual Understanding of DOF

The Basic Visual Understanding of DOF

The Basic Visual Understanding of DOF

What is Shutter Speed

Shutter Speed is the mechanism in a camera that known as Shutter Curtain which is control the exposure time to allow light pass through/strike the film or sensor.

The shutter speed scales engraved on the shutter speed dial of conventional camera bodies with a shutter speed ring OR via some flickering digital numerals on the LCD screen like: 1/8000, 1/4000, 1/1000, 1/500, 1/250, 1/125, 1/60, 1/30, 1/15, 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 1 or -1, -2 etc

The Range of Speed

8000,4000,1000,500,250,125,60,30,S1S5,8,4,2,1

Fast Speed Slow Speed

The Speed Curtain

The Shutter Dial for Conventional SLR

Shutter Speed

The shutter speed dial provide the selection of shutter speeds, and indicates the timing of the shutter open and closes. A fast shutter speed such as 1/500 sec will close faster than, say 1/2 sec exposure time. In this case, the shutter curtain will close very fast and thus resulting in less light entering the film.

How Shutter Curtain Work

When you pressed the shutter . . . the shutter blade moved out of the way . . . the film was exposed . . . then the shutter blade moved back to re-cover the film.

Slow Speed

A slow shutter speed is considered to be less than 1/30th of a second to Bulb Exposure. Any slower than this (1/15th of a second or less), and it is too difficult to keep the camera still - photos look blurred.

To solve this problem, the photographer need tripod to make sure the camera get still until the shutter curtain close.

Slow Speed (Bulb Mode)

Bulb, abbreviated B, is a shutter speed setting on an adjustable camera that allows for long exposure times under the direct control of the photographer.

With this setting, the shutter simply stays open as long as the shutter release button remains depressed. An alternative setting common on film cameras is Time, abbreviated T, where the button is pressed once to open the shutter and again to close it.

Bulb Mode in Simple Words

Bulb mode will keep the shutter open as long as you push down the shutter button. So, you are in complete control of the exposure.

The bulb setting is used on some cameras, including some point-and-shoot cameras, to obtain shutter speeds slower than the maximum offered by the camera otherwise.

Bulb Mode Useful For…

To clean your Sensor by blowing the dust while the shutter curtain open.

To capture the firework picture

To make the special effect by using the super slow shutter. To get a Super Motion Blur on your picture. Example, smooth effect on water flowing at waterfall, Night Scene, Light Trail on the road etc.

The Usage of Slow Speed. In photography art, there is no actual rule

to make your picture perfect. Sometimes the blur effect on the photograph itself can create the high impact creative picture.

So, for the Slow Speed purpose, it allowed photographer to do such picture that produce motion blur for circumstances to make the photograph more interesting/powerful.

The Common Use of Slow Speed

To Capture Night Scene To Capture Light Trail on car

movement at night or low light To allow the usage of lens technique

such as zoom in/out To allow the usage of camera

movement technique for example Panning Technique

Light Trail

Michael Bosanko

Motion Blur

Cars Light Trail at Night

Zoom Technique

Light Trail Trough Glasses

FireWork

Motion Blur

Fast Speed

The idea on doing the fast speed photography is to capture the moving image for intention to make the subject/object to be freeze.

It also to capture the very great/ decisive moment that never be realize by our naked eyes.

For photographer, 1/60 to 1/8000 are considered as fast speed.

For modern Digital SLR, the Speed can be up to 1/64000!

The Use of Fast Speed

Fast Speed usually use for : Sport Photography Fast Speed Fine Art Photography Micro creature – bee, insert,

microorganism

Fast Motion

Freezing moment

Fast Speed by Vincent Riemersma

Freezing bullet hit the bottle

Gila lah…

Fast Speed Moment

Sport Photography

The Unseen of Human Naked Eyes Captured by the Fast Speed Mechanism

The Unseen of Human Naked Eyes Captured by the Fast Speed Mechanism

The Unseen of Human Naked Eyes Captured by the Fast Speed Mechanism

Fast Speed

Amazing Fast Speed by Mitesh Asher

What Is ISO

In very basic terms, ISO is the level of sensitivity of your film or Sensor to available light. The lower the ISO number, the less sensitive it is to the light, while a higher ISO number increases the sensitivity of your sensor or film.

The ISO number

Typically, ISO numbers start from 100-200 (Base ISO) and increment in value in geometric progression (power of two).

So, the basic ISO sequence is: 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, 6400.

The Usage of the ISO

The lower number ISO such as 100 – 400 basically or usually assist the photographer to expose the film with enough available light at the outdoor day scene.

But the use of Higher number of ISO (800 and above) basically use for low light phenomenon scene such as indoor photography, night scene, sport photography (that not allowed or impossible the flash gun to be use for some circumstances), Fast Move Images etc.

The normal phenomenon of ISO The lowers the numbers of ISO number will produce the FINE GRAIN.

The finest grain can help the photographer to get a fine detail of the picture

The higher the ISO numbers, the greater the GRAIN EFFECT or DIGITAL NOISE on your picture. But for some situation, the grainy picture can be accepted.

For Photojournalist, the grain matter in non issue, as long as they can capture the great moment on the event!

But for the commercial photographer such as advertisement photographer, fashion or glamor photographer grain effect never be sorry (in Malaysia). But some commercial photographer like to apply grainy effect to make the photo look vintage.

Some fine art photographer also like to apply grain effect into their picture to suggest a different mood towards audience.

Grain/Noise Matter

Fine Grain Greatest Grain/Noise

The Picture Using Great Number of ISO

ISO 800

The Picture Using Great Number of ISO

The Picture Using Great Number of ISO

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