Aperture is the opening in the diaphragm of a camera lens.
2
votes
1answer
248 views
Why is there a subtle shadow glow around the subject with large aperture?
I've noticed that in a number of photos I've taken with a small depth of field due to wide aperture and a fairly close subject, I get a rather pleasing but not entirely explicable diffuse shadow ...
2
votes
2answers
334 views
When should I use which aperture settings?
I just bought a new Canon EOS 60D and working to choose a great lens. I have used DSLR before but never seriously. I have few questions on aperture which might be obvious to many but very helpful to ...
3
votes
2answers
899 views
How do I configure a Nikon D90 with minimum shutter speed and aperture?
How can I configure my Nikon D-90 with minimum shutter speed of 1/60th of a second and aperture of f1.4 and have it adjust the ISO and speed as needed? I currently have it working with 1/60th fixed ...
15
votes
5answers
694 views
How do I find the aperture that produces the highest-quality images for a given lens?
I'm not talking about large aperture (f/1.8, f/2.8...), rather, about small apertures (f/18, f/20, f/23...). I read somewhere (actually I think it was on this site, but I don't exactly remember which ...
8
votes
3answers
535 views
Why do two different cameras using the same settings produce photos with different exposure levels?
Please refer to this photo:
The image on the left was taken with a Panasonic GH2, a micro-4/3rds camera with a crop factor of 2, and the right one was taken with a Nikon D700, a full-frame camera. ...
15
votes
8answers
685 views
Would a prime be redundant with a fast zoom?
Now that I am finally getting a fast zoom (Tamron 17-50mm 2.8) I've been considering a fast prime to go with it, specifically a Sigma 50mm 1.4. Despite its shortcomings, it still does really nice ...
19
votes
5answers
2k views
What is special about lenses with f-number < 1?
Talking about fast lenses, Wikipedia mentions
Nikon TV-Nikkor 35mm f/0.9-Fastest Nikon lens ever made
Why don't, for example, f/0.5 lenses exist?
Is there some special construction that comes ...
19
votes
2answers
1k views
Why use a small aperture when trying to see sensor dust?
Here and there I read of people who set their lens to a small aperture while testing their sensor cleanness, supposedly to get the best image of dust speckles. However, the image of the on-sensor dust ...
8
votes
3answers
1k views
How do I manually set the aperture and shutter speed, while auto selecting ISO with the Nikon D90?
I have a Nikon D90 and would like to set the aperture to f/1.4 and the shutter speed to around 1/60, all while having the camera compute what ISO is required for the current light conditions. I am ...
6
votes
3answers
2k views
Will a lens with a low aperture value give me better portrait photos?
I want to take pictures of people from 5-20 feet away. I attend lots of group events and am free to walk around and snap photos.
I just purchased a Canon t3i and it comes with a 18-55mm kit lens. The ...
11
votes
4answers
420 views
Is there a noticable difference in sharpness between a 1.8 lens and a 2.8 of similar design?
I recently bought a second-hand Carl Zeiss Jena PANCOLAR MC 1.8/50mm Lens off eBay (still waiting for it to arrive though) and am going to mount it to my Canon 7D via a M42 adaptor. I primarily shoot ...
4
votes
4answers
763 views
DIY pinhole lens' aperture is ƒ00, which can't be changed and pictures turn out mostly black
I just made a pinhole lens for my Canon EOS 1000D (Rebel XS), but now I have no idea what to do next. The bulb-mode is on and ISO is 400. Camera says the aperture is ƒ00, which I can't change. What ...
1
vote
1answer
180 views
Photography concepts using SX20
I've bought a Powershot sx20 half a year ago and I'm quite happy with it although I know it doesn't compare to a DSLR.
I've learning photography on my own: bought a 58mm ring and some filters (cpl, ...
6
votes
2answers
848 views
How to control “starbursts” around light sources?
How can you control the size of "starbursts" from light sources in photographs? For example, the lights on the shore in this photo have very sharp and long starbusts:
...
1
vote
2answers
424 views
What is the quantitative relation between f/# of the lens (aperture), exposure, and ISO?
Let's say we shoot with a DSLR camera and we have two interchangeable lenses.
Lens #1 has aperture f/X, X between 1 and 2 (see below).
Lens #2 is f/4.5. Same focal length and other characteristics as ...
11
votes
5answers
2k views
What is the meaning of “stopped down”?
Was reading this answer (emphasis mine):
It also tells us that the lens was stopped down, as if it were wide open there would be no corners to cause diffraction, regardless of the number of ...
14
votes
4answers
5k views
Why is the aperture ring removed from new Nikon lenses?
Maybe I'm wrong, but I notice that Nikon's newer lenses don't have an aperture ring. For example, an older AF 35 mm f/2D is now replaced by AF-S DX 35 mm f/1.8G, or AF 50 mm f/1.8D is replaced by a ...
13
votes
3answers
1k views
Does a bigger aperture create better photos?
I have observed that the wider the aperture, the more expensive the lenses are. However, I would like to know whether it really makes a difference in your photos or not?
0
votes
2answers
335 views
True or False: A two full F/stop change to either side of the starting F/stop will either double or half the amount of light from the original F/stop
Explain.
A two full F/stop change to either side of the starting F/stop will either double or half the amount of light from the original F/stop.
4
votes
6answers
287 views
Recommendation for low-priced faster fixed-focal-length lens for Nikon D50
I'm looking for a lens for portraits and closeups (leaves, branches, icicles) that would be fast enough to get a blurred background. Any suggestions? I'd like to get something for $200 or less.
...
7
votes
0answers
233 views
depth of field varies with distance?
I am wondering if there is a difference in the depth of field if I stand near the subject or far from it with the same aperture (like f1.4) ?
Thanks for responses
25
votes
7answers
3k views
When to use shutter priority instead of aperture priority?
Under what circumstances would you use aperture priority vs. shutter priority and vice-versa?
I typically don’t use shutter priority (ever) and favor aperture priority to try to get a max aperture ...
6
votes
4answers
474 views
Is depth of field and bokeh influenced by distance to the subject?
I know that the aperture size has a direct effect on the depth of field.
However, what about distance to the subject? Let's say I took two pictures, one at 24mm and one at 70mm, using the same lens ...
4
votes
1answer
559 views
Why Must I Lock The Aperture On My AF Lens On My Nikon D40
I am using the Nikon 50mm f1.8 AF lens on my D40 and the photographs look excellent - I have to manual focus, but this suits me just fine for the portrait shots I'm taking.
The problem is that to use ...
18
votes
8answers
1k views
What's the benefit of a tiny aperture?
In this answer to another question Rob Clement wrote:
Think background first. What story do you want to tell? Epic background, big mountains. Looking to deliver a sense of grandeur with your ...
10
votes
8answers
2k views
Will using a lens at max aperture (“wide open”) result in poor images?
I’m looking to add a second lens to my kit lens I got with my Nikon d7000.
I have read several reviews on both the 35 and 50 mm lenses made by Nikon in particular that said using either lens at the ...
4
votes
2answers
253 views
Is “slow” focusing/shutter release normal on a “fast” lens?
I just received a 35mm prime lens for Christmas (Nikkor 35mm f/1.8) and it is painfully slow to take pictures at times. Sometimes the shutter release is almost instantaneous, like with my other (kit ...
15
votes
4answers
2k views
Why is the depth-of-field preview in the optical viewfinder of my Canon 500D inaccurate?
I have noticed that in my Canon 500D, the depth-of-field preview in the optical viewfinder is inaccurate with large aperture settings.
If I press the DoF preview button, there is very little ...
31
votes
10answers
1k views
What are some tips for shooting in low light?
I own a Canon 450D with just the standard lens kit that comes with it (poor so won't be buy a new lens for a while) and one thing I tend to struggle with is shotting in lower light conditions, indoors ...
5
votes
7answers
944 views
Is there any way to stop down the aperture of a Canon PowerShot SD780 IS?
I have a Canon PowerShot SD780 IS point-and-shoot which I use as my carry-around-everywhere camera when I don't want to drag my SLR about. This tiny little camera works great and takes fabulous ...
9
votes
3answers
369 views
Are fast lenses only fast when shot wide open?
Given two lenses with different max apertures but the same size image circle (say, full frame on a Nikon FX DLSR camera) and taking shots at the exact shutter speed and focal length under the same ...
38
votes
2answers
12k views
What does f-stop mean?
What does f-stop mean? Is it the same thing when people say "2 stops" for example?
10
votes
1answer
226 views
What are the limits of extension tubes?
Given lighting is not a problem, can you hit a limit where you have too much extension tubes (a very long tube) and the quality of the image will suffer? For example a diffraction limit will be hit ...
