Camera Basics

The major factors that affect a photograph are:

Film speed (or equivalent speed with digital)

• How sensitive a film is to light

• A higher ISO number is more sensitive, but may have more noise

Aperture

• The size of the opening that lets light through the lens

• Referred to as f-stop
• A small f-stop number is actually a larger opening (lets in more light)
• A larger f-stop gives a wider depth of field (distance range in focus)

         

f/2.8                     Very shallow depth of field

f/5.6       Shallow depth of field

f/14 Larger depth of field

         

f/5.6               Shallow depth of field

f/20             Larger depth of field  Background detail causes distraction

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