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BetterPhoto Q&A
Category: Digital Photographic Discussions - Imaging Basics

Photography Question 

John J. Kierepka 		 

F stop test


 
  f8.00
f8.00

John J. Kierepka

  
  f3.20
f3.20

John J. Kierepka

  
 
I'm learning to use the manual seting on my camera and I started in the aperture priority mode. This is what I gather from the Fstop: the larger the Fstop number the smaller opening the aperture has. Is this correct?

Here are two photos taken in my test.
The first one had settings of:
Shutter: 1/90 sec
Aperture: f8.00
Exposure: aperture priority
Focal Length: 128.00mm
ISO speed: 80

And the second:
Shutter: 1/90 sec
Aperture: f3.20
Exposure: aperture priority
Focal Length: 128.00mm
ISO speed: 80

For some reason I thought the Fstop had something to do with stoping action but I guess I thought wrong because I don't see a difference in the movment of water.


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0 January 31, 2004

 

Bob Cammarata 		  You are correct that the smaller numbers indicate wider aperatures.

To stop action, you need a faster shutter speed to correspond with the f3.2 setting.
In addition to letting in light, aperature settings control depth of field.
If you look at the two photos closely, you will noticed the 3.2 setting is brighter, and has less depth of field. Since you used the same shutter speed for both, more light was allowed to enter on the wider setting.

If you have shutter priority, try setting at 1/250 sec, and see what happens.


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0 January 31, 2004

 
- Gregory LaGrange

BetterPhoto Member
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Gregory LaGrange's Gallery 		  It does have something to do with stopping action. Film speed, shutter speed, aperture, timing, light, all have something to do with stopping action.
You don't see a difference because you stopped the action with your flash.


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0 January 31, 2004

 
- Gregory LaGrange

BetterPhoto Member
Contact Gregory LaGrange
Gregory LaGrange's Gallery 		  and what's that little green thing in the corner?


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0 January 31, 2004

 

John J. Kierepka 		 
 
  Brandon's frog
Brandon's frog

John J. Kierepka

  
 
You don't miss a thing do you? You've got to have toys in the shower, especially if you have a two-year-old son.

You’re right about flash; I had no idea that the flash would suspend action. Lots to learn. I did an experiment today with the ceiling fan. I used the same settings, but used the flash with one to see the difference. The fan didn't look like it was moving with the flash and without you could see that it was rotating.


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0 January 31, 2004

 
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