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View Full Version : Explaining Aperture



Kasey_Lynn
12-29-2009, 04:38 PM
What is Aperture?

In technical terms Aperture is the size of the opening of the lens.

When you are taking a photo there is a hole inside the lens. When you hit the shutter release button to capture the photo that hole opens up to process the image you are trying to take a photo of. Aperture setting effects the size of that hole and how much light you will allow your camera to take in.

The larger the hole, the more light. The smaller the hole, less light comes through.

Im sure you have heard the term 'F/Stop[s]'. F/Stop is what Aperture is measured in [example: f/2.8, f/4, f/5.6… etc].

The smaller the f/stop number [example: f/2.8] is actually a *larger* aperture and the higher the f/stop number [example: f/8], has a *smaller* aperture. Sounds weird and backwards doesn't it?

Note: Larger apertures let more light into the camera and small aperture numbers let less light come through the camera.

Depth of Field and Aperture.
There is no specific setting for [Depth of Field]. Aperture setting determines the depth of field of a photo.

Have you ever seen a photo where one object is in focus and the background is completely blurred out? That isn't the work of Photoshop, that is Depth of Field.
Large depth of field will mean that the majority of your image will be in focus. A small Depth of Field will mean that only part of the image will be in focus and the rest of the image will be blurred out.

The higher the Aperture number [f/stop] the more in-focus the WHOLE image will be.

The smaller the Aperture number the more out-of-focus the background will be, leaving the main object your camera is focused on, in focus.


****

Basically to get an idea of all of this is to play around with your aperture settings on your camera.

To change the aperture [f/stop] setting on your camera, turn the round dial [with all the little icons and M,A,S,P] to 'A'. Then hit the 'Info' button and turn the dial. Left or right. All circled in 'Pink'.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2710/4225085289_b2ed0e1015_o.jpg


As you turn the dial you will see the Aperture [f/stop] changing on the info LCD screen menu. f/stop is circled in the picture below.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2596/4225085321_252e6fed77.jpg

Note: You will also notice the 'Hole'. Pictured to the left of the LCD screen [circled in the picture above], changing sizes when you turn the dial.



Go take some photos and show us what you did!

~*DASHA*~
12-29-2009, 05:00 PM
Okay now that I figured out how to set that on my camera, when I take a picture it takes a really long time to process ..when it didn't before, and some turn out really really really blurry!!!

Kasey_Lynn
12-29-2009, 05:39 PM
Oh yes... Forgot to mention. The 'higher' the f/stop number the longer the shutter takes to open/close. Also the higher the f/stop number the more steady you really have to be with the camera. Works great with a tripod or if you have something to steady the camera on so it doesn't move.

~*DASHA*~
12-29-2009, 06:48 PM
Thanks for explaining that lol!! :) Yes I have a Tripod. On my camera when the camera is really wiggly or bouncy ..it will have a little yellow camera warning symbol .. I read that it means the camera is not steady enough. I just have to practice and mess with it some more.

<3 Susan <3
12-30-2009, 01:54 AM
Thanks for explaining this!!! I always wondered.........