what is the best way to learn f stop and apertures

[xsi 09]

what i mean buy this is how do you learn to just look at something you whant to take a picutre of and know what to set the camera too.

[Radtech1]

The practial way is to use the "Depth of Field Preview" button on your camera. That stops down the lens to the aperture that is currently set and allows you to see what the DOF will be. A more schollarly way is to check out the book "Understanding Exposure"

Rad

[Gentleman Villain]

Don't worry about it....the camera figures out all of that stuff automatically. There's no need to learn any of it

[Andrushka]

Green Box and Go!!! ;-)

There is a really awesome sticky on the "basics" - that if you actually put into use all that was written you would be way ahead of the game. I will look for it.

The smaller the number the less that will appear in focus in your shot, so don't miss focus!! If you want the blurry background and all that - the lower the F number the better.

If you want more of the foreground and background in focus, say a large group shot or a landscape - just as an exampe - the large the F # the better.

Smaller F #'s = more light to the sensor
Larger F #'s = less light to the sensor

[Radtech1]

Also, if anyone give you some idiotic advice, like, "Don't worry about it", ignore that.

Rad

[Andrushka]

Ok i found that link - the info is really well laid out - props to Ben!

If you actually comprehend and put this info into use, you should have decent control of your camera

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=414088

[Gentleman Villain]

Also, if anyone give you some idiotic advice, like, "Don't worry about it", ignore that.

Rad

people have too much stress in their lives...there's really no need to worry...if the apirture is wrong it can always be fixed in PP

[rral22]

people have too much stress in their lives...there's really no need to worry...if the apirture is wrong it can always be fixed in PP


:rolleyes: What?

[yogestee]

people have too much stress in their lives...there's really no need to worry...if the apirture is wrong it can always be fixed in PP

This is the most ridiculous statement I've read in these forums bw!

[SOK]

I see someone has already posted the link to Ben's Newbie Guide (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=414088)...

If you're after a more in-depth look at some of the maths behind what F stops refer to, this is an excellent read; http://www.uscoles.com/fstop.htm

[Andrushka]

come on guys you gotta know that the gentleman is joking...

[thomphoto]

Come again??? If you're not just kidding around, that's very bad advice to give to a beginning photographer.

[xsi 09]

thank you i will read that book snf guide. any one elis whant to sugest books becuse i take photography very seroucily and i whant to learn to acutaly use the camera not be like everyone elis who just puts it on auto and shoots.

[Mr. Bill]

thank you i will read that book snf guide. any one elis whant to sugest books becuse i take photography very seroucily and i whant to learn to acutaly use the camera not be like everyone elis who just puts it on auto and shoots.

OK not trying to be rude here, but your use of spelling has really given me a headache. :cry:

As previously mentioned, the book "Understanding exposure" is not bad, but I would do more searching on this site for more of the basics first.

[Naturalist]

To the OP
Start here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camera_lens

[xsi 09]

OK not trying to be rude here, but your use of spelling has really given me a headache. :cry:

As previously mentioned, the book "Understanding exposure" is not bad, but I would do more searching on this site for more of the basics first.
well if dont like it dont respond dont be argent dont say crap i cant spell and i am not downloading a spellcheck proggram for a fourm.

[xsi 09]

To the OP
Start here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camera_lens
thank you

[captainkimo]

If you're not sure on what settings to use, you may consider shooting on P mode first then look at the settings.. then shoot at Manual using that settings (and tweak them according to your own liking). You will eventually get the hang of it.

Cheers!

Captain Kimo

[xsi 09]

thank you i just whant to be able to look at something i want to take pictures of and know what manuale setings to use

[sandpiper]

The "sunny 16" rule is a handy guide. It is simple to remember, on a sunny day (assuming the subject is actually IN the sun) the exposure will be around f/16 @ 1/ISO

So, if you are shooting at ISO 200, you set the camera to 1/200th sec and f/16, or an equivalent exposure. Knowing those three parameters you can adjust each according to your requirements, if you want a wide aperture for less depth of field (say f/5.6) adjust the shutter speed by the same number of stops (in this case to 1/1600th).

In less sunny conditions alter accordingly, keeping shutter speed the same as the ISO, the aperture will be:

Sunny - f/16
Slightly Overcast - f/11
Overcast - f/8
Heavily Overcast - f/5.6

These are simply a guide however, as sunshine can vary in intensity depending on time of day, where you are etc. It is advisable to check the first shot's histogram on the camera, to ensure the exposure is correct.

[GregMik]

XSI09......

Practice, Practice, Practice..... The only way to learn. Just listen to a couple ppl you trust along the way and you will be off.

Greg

[tzalman]

Don't worry about it....the camera figures out all of that stuff automatically. There's no need to learn any of it

people have too much stress in their lives...there's really no need to worry...if the apirture is wrong it can always be fixed in PP


It is very interesting that this is the same "Gentleman Villain" who in a very long and sometimes contentious thread about 2 months ago argued at length and in part very rudely about the neccessity of "getting it right in the camera", condemned reliance on post-processing and deplored the lack of a system of accreditation which would certify good photographers as "master craftsmen".

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=664682 starting from post #52

I think you bring up an excellent point and it is a very valid topic of conversation. Personally, I do not crop my images and haven't needed to do so for about the past 9 years. It has always my goal in photography to get the image as close to final at capture without having to do much in post or "darkroom work." .....

I went to a photography school in 1994 and immediately ran into the 2 schools of thought when it comes to photography. One school of thought is the "anything goes" school...that is ...do whatever you want as long as it looks cool. THese people don't worry as much about their technique at capture and are willing to spend more time in post playing with images. Many times, they have no idea what the final product will look like at capture. They will often "wing it" and go-with-the-flow. That's cool, that's one school of thought.

Personally, that is not my school of thought. I always wanted to have absolute control over the medium of photography. I always wanted to be an excellent craftsman and be able to get the image as close to my visualization at capture as possible. This is the second school of thought.

[Spotmatic]

Always amazed at how sarcasm just doesn't translate on internet forums. I wish people would follow the thread like a conversation and pick up a little nuance now and again. When I read the OP I think he just wanted to know how you just look at a scene and gauge the settings you would use in Manual before you look through the viewfinder and start taking readings. The title of the thread was slightly misleading and easily sent the conversation down the well worn road of exposure. To this I can only suggest practice and pay attention the settings you have used on well exposed shots. Internalize them and ask yourself why those settings worked.

[Gentleman Villain]

that's true about sarcasm...Forums can also be humorless places too. The original un-edited post read like a text message from somebody riding a roller coaster. IF we can't have a little fun with a bad speller once in awhile then when can we have fun? I'm a bad speller too. OK now ...just so nobody thinks that's being too rude or condescending or whatever...here's a smiley face gif at the end :D

[Wilt]

what i mean buy this is how do you learn to just look at something you whant to take a picutre of and know what to set the camera too.

First learn the principles, then SEE the principle in action.

For example,

large aperture (small f/number) equates to 'shallow Depth of Field' and small aperature (large f/number) equates to 'deep Depth of Field'.
high shutter speed (bigger number) equates to 'action stopping' and low shutter speed equates to 'motion blur'
mall aperature (large f/number) and high shutter speed (bigger number) and low ISO value all translate to 'less light gathering power', which you have to juggle the three to obtain 'proper exposure'.Now put the principles into action!...

Go out and shoot the same scene employing a large aperture, then an intermediate aperture, then a small aperture, and go home an examine what that did to your DOF captured.
Now go out and shoot the same scene with moving objects (like a highway with cars zooming by) employing a fast shutter speed, then an intermediate shutter speed, then a slow shutter speed, and go home an examine what that did to the ability to freeze motion.
...all the while keeping in mind the need to alter one of the other settings, to keep 'proper exposure' the Constant

[SnapLocally.com]

Don't worry about it....the camera figures out all of that stuff automatically. There's no need to learn any of it

people have too much stress in their lives...there's really no need to worry...if the apirture is wrong it can always be fixed in PP

Oh man, this is gold! Thanks for the laugh, and those too that don't recognize jokes when you see them.

:lol:

[shooterman]

that's true about sarcasm...Forums can also be humorless places too. The original un-edited post read like a text message from somebody riding a roller coaster. IF we can't have a little fun with a bad speller once in awhile then when can we have fun? I'm a bad speller too. OK now ...just so nobody thinks that's being too rude or condescending or whatever...here's a smiley face gif at the end :Dbw! LMAO!!!

[Spotmatic]

Have you figured out "don't be argent" yet? I have found it easier to understand the OP's posts by reading them with a stereotypical and racist oriental accent. "argent" = "arrogant"
This also helps one forgive the pigeon english and spelling of a non native speaker.
Disclaimer: I in no way endorse racist humor and take no pleasure from jokes made at the expense of anyone's ethnicity other than my own. I make the above suggestion only as an english comprehension aid.

[Wilt]

Have you figured out "don't be argent" yet? I have found it easier to understand the OP's posts by reading them with a stereotypical and racist oriental accent. "argent" = "arrogant"
This also helps one forgive the pigeon english and spelling of a non native speaker.
Disclaimer: I in no way endorse racist humor and take no pleasure from jokes made at the expense of anyone's ethnicity other than my own. I make the above suggestion only as an english comprehension aid.

:D I know their English is far better than my Japanese or Romanian or Farci or Tagalog or Flemish or...

[Gentleman Villain]

Have you figured out "don't be argent" yet? I have found it easier to understand the OP's posts by reading them with a stereotypical and racist oriental accent. "argent" = "arrogant"
This also helps one forgive the pigeon english and spelling of a non native speaker.
Disclaimer: I in no way endorse racist humor and take no pleasure from jokes made at the expense of anyone's ethnicity other than my own. I make the above suggestion only as an english comprehension aid.

hahahahahahahahahahaha!!!

[nicksan]

This comes with experience and also experimentation.

Generally and very simplistically speaking, the more things you want in focus, the more you would stop down the lens. (meaning use smaller aperture, or bigger f-stop number) because stopping it down will widen the Depth of Field. (Area of Focus)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depth_of_field

http://www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html

You'll need to keep in mind that since you are making the lens opening smaller by stopping it down, you lose light coming in accordingly, which also means you'll lose shutter speed.

When you stop down the lens 1 full stop (say from f2.8 to f4) then you lose half the shutter speed. So if you achieved proper exposure at f2.8 1/200, then at f4, you'll get a shutter speed of 1/100.

I would stop down the lens when I want to get more things in focus, such as a group shot, landscape, etc. I would use the lens wide open if I want to get creative with the Depth of Field, want to isolate the subject from the background, want a more diffused background, or simply if I am shooting in low light and need all the shutter speed I can get.

I would suggest you set something up...a coffee mug, or whatever. Use a tripod, or sit your camera on top of something steady, then begin taking pics at different apertures to see the effects of it.

The Understanding Exposure book is a good one. That combines with asking questions in here should get you a long way. In fact, IIRC, that's the only book I have read in any serious fashion.:D

-Nick
thank you i just whant to be able to look at something i want to take pictures of and know what manuale setings to use

[number six]

This also helps one forgive the pigeon english and spelling of a non native speaker.
Disclaimer: I in no way endorse racist humor and take no pleasure from jokes made at the expense of anyone's ethnicity other than my own. I make the above suggestion only as an english comprehension aid.

I generally feel it's bad manners to correct someone's grammar or spelling.

But I'm afraid the word is "pidgin".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pidgin

-js

[Spotmatic]

Thanks, I thought there was a D in it but I didn't lose the E of the feathered kind. I deserve to be corrected after the comments I have made.

[Gentleman Villain]

tomato...tomata
potato....potata

pidgin...pigeon
apitur...aperture

all of it can be fixed in Post :p

[number six]

Thanks, I thought there was a D in it but I didn't lose the E of the feathered kind. I deserve to be corrected after the comments I have made.

All in good fun...

;)