10Lens · Exposure

Aperture Guide

$10USD

F-stops, depth of field, and the relationship between aperture and light. Control focus separation, manage exposure without touching ISO, and choose the right aperture for every shot.

Overview

Aperture is the opening inside your lens that controls how much light passes through to the sensor, think of it like the pupil of your eye, opening wide in the dark and shrinking in bright light. You set it with f-stop numbers, and here's the part that trips up every beginner: they work backwards. A small number like f/1.4 means a wide opening and lots of light; a large number like f/16 means a tiny opening and very little light. Just remember: small number = big hole = more light.

Aperture is unique among the three exposure controls because it has a strong creative side-effect: it sets your depth of field, how much of the scene is in sharp focus. Wide apertures throw the background into soft, creamy bokeh and make your subject pop; narrow apertures keep everything sharp front to back. It's one leg of the exposure triangle alongside shutter and ISO, and for video you usually control exposure through aperture and ND filters.

What's Inside

F-stops work backwards: a small number (f/1.4) is a wide opening with more light; a large number (f/16) is a small opening with less light
One stop = half or double the light, the same relationship that ties aperture to ISO and shutter in the exposure triangle
f/1.4–f/2.8 wide open, shallow depth of field and creamy bokeh for portraits, fashion, product and interviews (focus is critical)
f/4–f/5.6 mid range, versatile separation that keeps moving subjects sharp, for lifestyle, two-person, documentary and street
f/8–f/16 stopped down, deep, everything-sharp focus and peak lens sharpness for landscape, architecture and group shots
Depth of field isn't just aperture: longer focal lengths and closer subject distances both make focus shallower
In video: with the 180° rule and a locked ISO, control exposure with aperture + ND, fast lenses and a VND are essential
Beginner traps: don't always shoot wide open, remember aperture changes focus, carry ND filters, don't mix up f-stop direction, and stop down to f/4+ for groups

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