Understanding F-Stops

How much light is allowed to enter through the lens.

How much is in focus. It controls the Depth of Field in the Image. (DOF)

F-Stops control 2 Things

F-stops are the opening on the lens.

There are numbers on the lens that correspond to the openings on the lens.

Most common F-stops are

22 16 11 8 5.6 3.5 2 1.4

(these are the ones you will see on tests)

The Depth of Field refers to the plane of focus.

What is an F-Stop

22 16 11 8 5.6 3.5 2 1.4

The Larger the number the smaller the opening the larger the Depth of

Field.

The Smaller the number the larger the opening the smaller the Depth of

Field.

Large Depth of FieldSmaller the Opening More is in Focus

Small Depth of Field

Larger the opening, less

that is in focus