What is aperture? Photography tutorial for DSLR beginners
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- Опубликовано: 20 сен 2024
- This clip explores aperture and how it's used to control depth of focus, as well as how wide aperture can be used to shoot in low light with low ISOs. Tips on choosing lenses according to aperture, balancing ISO and shutter speed plus using AV and M modes.
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What is aperture?
Well, let’s look at some images:
This is a shot by the legendary landscape photographer Ansel Adams. I’d like you to consider the plant at the base of the central rock and the rugged mountain skyline. Think about focus and sharpness. Notice both the plant - just a few feet from the camera - and the mountain, many miles away are sharp - in focus.
Now, this is a shot by the not-quiet-so legendary Tom Greenwood. Notice that the opposite effect is in play here. The tent in the background and the child in the foreground are both nicely blurred.
What is responsible for these huge extremes in depth of focus? Yes, aperture.
Put simply, aperture refers to the size of the hole through which light travels before it hits our camera sensor or film and burns an image. Clearly the bigger the hole, the more light is allowed in; the smaller the hole, the less light is allowed in. VIDEO - lens varying aperture
It’s important to understand that aperture is a function of the lens NOT the camera itself (although on today’s digital SLRs we usually control aperture through dials on the camera).
Each lens is identified by its f number - in other words the size of its aperture when wide open. We can see that the lens on the left has a much smaller aperture than the lens on the right. Width of aperture is a major indicator of the quality of a lens.
Aperture - like ISO and shutter speed - is measured in stops, a measure that represents the halving or doubling of the light absorbed by the camera’s sensor. Unlike ISO and shutter speed, the sequence of numbers, or f-stops, seem a bit confusing.
But here are the important ones that you should really try to memorise:
F2, f2.8, f4, f5.6, f8, f11, f16, f22
Let’s look at how aperture works in practice. We are going to shoot some portraits. I’m using a 50mm lens with a wide - f1.4 - aperture. I suggest every photographer has a 50mm lens - a good f1.8 50mm can be bought for a very affordable $100. This really allows you to experience wide aperture in a way that an f4 lens really doesn’t.
So we’ll start shooting at f5.6. The background is reasonably sharp but let’s see what happens when we widen the aperture to f4, f2.8, f2 and f1.6. You can see the background soften and blur nicely.
Notice too that the closer we get to the subject the narrower the depth of focus.
Narrow depth of focus is a beautiful tool for highlighting the important features - such as eyes - in an image.
But it does require some caution. In these shots I’m focusing on the girl in front. Here at f5.6 both children are sharp but as we widen the aperture to f4, f2.8 and f2, the boy who is only a few inches behind gets out of focus.
So for group shots try to maintain a broad depth of focus: f5.6, f8 or f11 depending on how far from the camera - and each other - each person is.
Assuming the light remains the same, any changes to aperture require compensation in either ISO or shutter speed.
Let’s go back to the portraits:
Here we’re shooting at a ISO 800. The aperture is f5.6 and shutter speed is 1/125. Opening the aperture to f4 - one stop - requires a doubling of shutter speed to 1/250 or a halving of ISO. Changing shutter speed won’t have any effect on the image but since ISO 800 is quite high we can get a less ‘noisy’ image, by lowering it to ISO400. And opening the aperture another stop to f2.8, allows us to reduce the ISO again to 200.
This illuminates another fantastic benefit of wide aperture: it’s great for shooting in low light.
Since a wide aperture allows more light into the camera you can shoot at lower ISOs and therefore avoid nasty ‘noisy’ images.
Ultimately you should be aiming to shoot in manual or M mode but to begin experimenting with aperture, you might want to start by using AV - aperture priority - mode. NEED VIDEO - switch to AV mode
In this mode, you set the aperture and the camera adjusts the shutter speed to get a correct exposure. Note though, it doesn’t change ISO for you.
To sum up, aperture is great for two things: exploring depth of field and, assuming your lens is wide enough, shooting in low light. So, grab a 50mm lens and get shooting…
If you enjoyed this video, I recommend you also look at my videos on using DSLR modes, ISO and shutter speed.
Thanks and see you next time!
Best explanation on RUclips hands down! You sir are amazing
Hey, thanks, Kyle!
Just watched your videos on Aperture, ISO and Shutter Speed. These should be mandatory viewing for newbies to DSLRs. Subscribed!
Great - thanks for that!
same, actually really good - well put across arent they?
I've watched so many videos on aperture here on RUclips but I've never fully grasped anything. This is the BEST break down of aperture and shutter speed I've watched. Clear and to the point. It has finally clicked! Thank you.
Thanks for that. I'm really glad it worked for you!
you simplified the concepts to the right level. Now I understand how exposure is a function of aperture/shutter speed & iso.
Thank you !
What an incredible & diligent video! Very concise & explanative.
Thanks, Robert - I'm glad it was useful.
I've been watching videos on photography for beginners the last few days. This really hit the nail on the head for me. Thank you.
That's great - thanks!
you were born to impact knowledge! thanks for simplifying Aperture, SS and ISO! I'm now very comfortable shooting in Manual mode! Thanks again.
Wow, thanks Jo!
As a beginner who is getting into film photography your videos have by far been the most helpful to watch. Thank you for all of the tips. You must be a master of your craft because your teaching is excellent! I will recommend this video to other beginning photographers
I've watched all 3 of your videos ie. ISO, Shutter, Aperture and now I feel much more confident to take photos in manual mode.
I'm glad you found them useful!
thank you for this video! I'm just starting to get into photography and always have thought that the aperture was only important for low light. After watching, I've came out knowing more and will be using this further on with my "career"
That's great - thanks, Lander.
You have GREAT videos for beginners..! Thanks.
Thanks for that!
I’m so happy I found your page! The best explanation I’ve ever come across on RUclips! 👌🏾 thank you
This is how an explanation video should always be made, thank you for your work!
Best photography tutorials on RUclips! I would love tutorials on neutral density filters and other filters. There are many available on RUclips but they put me to sleep!!!
Thanks, Blake - I'll bear that in mind.
Beautiful, glorious clarity! Thanks, you're a beginner's best friend- I'll definitely have a few things to play around with now.
Great to hear - thanks, Robbie!
Amazing video. Very clear and well explained. Watched all your videos on aperture, ISO and shutter speeds. Keep it up!
I have watched your video repeatedly and learning photography. Thank you very much.
Thank you very much. This video makes so much sense compared to other tutorial I have seen so far. Even though my camera is differet I was able to follow and make these adjustments and I ordered a 50mm 1.8F lens :)
That's great - thanks, Zahra! Enjoy the 50mm!
Finally ! Someone I can understand. Thank you so much
I'm really glad it helped! All the best.
this is great and very helpful for beginners like me! thank you!
Cheers, Jankel!
This was incredibly helpful. Thank you so much! The practical examples really helped.
Wowww!! This is exactly what I'm looking for!! Very nice and clear explanation! Good Job Sir!
Very very useful. Thank you. It's wonderful people like you who make people like us get better at something they want to be really good at. Thank you.
Thanks, Sundeep!
Concise and very relevant to the title. absolutely brilliant!
Thank You.
Thanks, Gaurav!
So much better explanation then everywhere else! nice job!
This video is so clear and simply put! :D
Thanks, Brandy!
Brandy Renee Photography TV
Brandy Renee Photography TV
Thanks, Brandy!
thank you for this! i've watched 5+ videos before this and this was the easiest to understand.
That's great to hear!
Always had doubts with aperture. I understood iso, shutter speed but not aperture but this video helped me :)
Thanks, Shiben. I'm glad!
this is the best explanation I've every heard. love it
Simple, Clean & Very Informative Tutorial. Like it.
Cheers, Dilan!
Ansel Adams used a 4x5 view camera with a tilting lens to get the extreme range in sharpness in the image you used as an example. Yes aperture is a big part of depth of field too.
Very well explained. Thank you for this video.
I have been so confused with those 3 things until now..
Thankyou!
Do you have a frames per second tutorial?
Best simple and clear tutorials.
Thanks, Sudip!
Thanks!
Really helpful video. Straight to the point too. Thank you.
Thank you, many tutorials, yours by far one of the best
i thought this was very well done and put across in a nice way, easy to get your head around it.
Worth watching.
Brief and concise. Thanks!
Great. Thanks!
Probably the best explanation I've seen
Thanks for that!
great video! very well explained, I really like how to compare different isos
Thanks..... I'm a beginner in PHOTO CLASS @ GROSSMONT COLLEGE... You explain VERY WELL
Thanks, Lorraine!
what a wonderful presentation. thanks for the video.
Love your video tutorials, I'm a photography enthusiast, thanks! :)
very clear accent, to the point information, very nice video
thank you tom this video is very easy and understanding........ ady
Thanks, really glad it helped.
great video man. beautifully explained.
U are an absolutely amazing teacher! Thank u✌🏽
Thanks, Baz!
Finally got what I needed. So clear n understandable. Thnkz ☺
Thanks, Ananya!
Love the how it's explained
Subscribed! Very well explained. Thank you Sir!
today i bought nikon d5300.Your tutorial helped me alot.
That's great. Have fun with the Nikon!
wow 1st i have subscribed now, to get more video fro you .. it is very helpful for beginners like me! Thanks so much ...
How come my aperture won't get any lower than 3.5? The video was very clear to understand but I don't know why this is happening
Hi August. Lenses have different f numbers (maximum width of aperture). It seems yours is f3.5. Somewhere on the rim of your lens it should give you that number. If it's a zoom lens it might be f5.6 - f3.5, meaning that it's f5.6 when using a long focal length and f3.5 when using wide angle. Does that make sense?
Sydney Portraits Oh now I get it. Thanks for answering!
Great simple explaination
simply explained
thanks
Thanks, Siby.
damn.....the explanation rocked...well done and tq very much for the video....cheers to u..
Thanks, Sam!
thank you! your videos really help.
This video really helped me a lot..thank u sir...
Thanks for the video. I find the ISO and Aperture settings very confusing. What is the best way to learn this?
You might like to see my other clips...
Very helpful, thanks a bunch!
Great. Thanks for that, Doug.
wow very simple and super for all thank u master
Your children are so beautifull stay blessed
Now I understand why smartphone cameras don't go f1.5 as default aperture. Too wide will have disadvantages on some types of subjects.
Many Thakns for sharing with us your all video!! you can't imagine how helpful they are! any chance you can make video where you mix apptures\iso\shutter speed.... for videos in different situations. also in "film look" contect.. Thanks a lot in advance!
Very kind - thanks, Ibrahem!
excellent video sir :-) thnk u soo much
Thanks for that.
amazing vedio it's help me alot appreciate you thanks
I'm glad it helps. Thanks, Ayan!
very well explained. will visit your channel for more help in the future
this is awesome.. thank u
Thanks, John.
This is really helpful
I'm glad. Thanks, Dinesh.
Excellent video
Thanks to u sir, now i like my camera even more
My question
With good light condition the aperture is set to f11 or f16 to get maximum depth of field the foreground and background would b focus,
the other way round,
if for the same scene in low light condition the aperture is set to f2.8 to get maximum light in,
What would b effect on depth of field?
awesome awesome learning so much from your vidio clips! Thankyou
Thanks, Lisa!
thank you so much. now even i understood it.
Great explanation！
amazing explanation, i wish i could talk and share knowledge like you do. :'(
Well simplified.
Thank you for this video! :)
Great explanation. Thank you,
Thanks, Darren!
thanks for this tutorial
Im using D90 Nikon which i can minimize my aperture to only f/3.5. is that any Lenses that can help me to get aperture like f/1.8.
and whats your opinion about Nikon D90. BTW very clear information about this 3 things. Thankyou sir, and after all yes, I'm already subscribe to your channel.
so helpful thank you! :)
Thanks, Alice!
Why is it important to have 50mm lense? what does the number mean?
Good Video!
Hi, I'm just starting out, so I apologise for the silly question. In the video, you mention that by lowering the aperture by 1 stop you should either double the shutter speed or half the ISO to compensate for the change. If you are increasing the aperture, would you then do the reverse and half the shutter speed or double the ISO?
Thanks
Yes, exactly!
Sick and simple
thank you!
You're welcome, Vinny.
So helpful.
Thank you so much
Here's some stupid question, why he says 'stop' what does it mean in this situation? I been hearing it everywhere and I don't get it.
A 'stop' is a measure of light. It applies to aperture, shutter speed and ISO.
I'm so glad this video..thank you Mr. Tom!
You're welcome Lito!
2:47 what r thooooose!!!?
Sir, nobody can't answer to me wt is f/1.6,f/1.8...how it can measure
Apertyoor seems quite similar to aperture then.
Are You From Sydney ??
how come lens distortion wasn't mentioned?
Thank you
Is it work in the evening? Because i try to shoot with blur background. But my camera always saying "subject is too dark" i have nikon D3300 AF-P 18-55mm VR kit. Pls i want to know 🤔🤔🤔
You need more light. Make sure your len & camera is working correctly.
very helpful
Cheers, Ewirt!
Why at smartphone cameras the background don't blur? I have LG g5 with 1.8 aperture and everything in focus when I'm shooting
Hmm, that's because on a smart phone the lens is very close to the sensor. The further the distance between lens and sensor, the more the blur/narrow depth of focus.