Congratulations to @kwiksilver for winning Camera Settings Challenge 14-01: AE Lock with her shot, Dancing with AE Lock:
@kwiksilver has selected me to host the next Camera Settings Challenge, csc14-02.
Do some of the camera settings intimidate you? Do you want to learn how to develop your photography skills and learn how to use your camera effectively without always going back to the "auto" function? These challenges are for you!
This week’s challenge is Aperture Priority and Wide Apertures.
Explanation:
For this challenge, you will shoot in Aperture Priority Mode (A or Av generally on your dial) and shoot with the widest aperture value available for your given lens or lenses. For many kit lenses, this will be a value like f/3.5 or f/5.6. If you have a prime lens, like a 50mm, you may have f/1.8 as your widest aperture.
Basic idea:
Aperture is a measurement of the opening inside your lens that lets in light. A wide aperture means that you camera is letting in more light, which allows for a faster shutter speed. A wide aperture will also create a narrow depth of field (area of the photograph in focus). This can create pleasing background 'blur,' while keeping the subject in focus. The idea behind this challenge is to really explore what a wide aperture can do for you and how to use it to great advantage in your images.
(A note on confusing nomenclature: aperture values are actually fractions, so f/4 is really 1/4, while f/22 is really 1/22. Thus, f/4 is actually a 'larger' number than f/22, even though 4 seems to be a 'smaller' number than 22. I prefer talking about wide vs. narrow apertures (rather than bigger vs. smaller) to avoid the confusion, but you may find all kinds of terms used in photography literature.)
Experienced photographers who are knowledgeable in this particular setting are encouraged to offer "kind and constructive" suggestions on the posted entries. Those entering this challenge want to learn and improve.
This challenge starts immediately, today, Wednesday, January 15th, and lasts until Sunday, January 26th at 11:59pm Central Standard Time (16:59 Zulu time http://www.zulutime.net). All photos must be taken during these dates to be considered. Enter as many as you would like - the idea is to practice and learn. TAG your photo CSC14-02 AND post your picture in this thread to receive feedback from other experienced photographers specific to this challenge.
Voting will take place on Tuesday, January 28th (and remain open 24 hours), and the winner will be announced on Wednesday, January 29th. The winner of the challenge will select an experienced photographer to host a new challenge. It is the winner’s option on who they want to host the next challenge; it may be someone they follow whose work they admire, or someone who is active offering suggestions on previous CSC challenges. The winner may also select an experienced photographer from the list of photographers who have agreed to host future challenges as another option. Here is the link to that list: http://365project.org/archaeofrog/365/2013-12-18 .
Expect to receive constructive suggestions on how to improve your skills.
How to post your photo on this discussion thread:
1) Upload your photo to 365, and be sure to add CSC14-02 as one of the tags.
2) Go to your page that has the photo you wish to post.
3) Copy the “share” code in the bottom right section of that page.
4) Return to this thread and paste the code under comments.
Katie, I think we could explain the f/x number a little better and still not confuse folks.. Let me try.
The f/stop is actually the ratio of the focal length of the lens divided by the aperture, both in millimeters (or centimeters, doesn't matter as long as both are the same). It is, in every case a number greater than 1, not a fraction. Example: 200mm focal length, shooting at f/4 gives you 50cm for the diameter of the aperture. 200/50 = 4. 200mm shooting at f/8 gives you 25cm for the aperture. 200/25 = 8.
But since the diameter is on the *denominator* of the ratio, a lower number (f/stop) gives you a longer diameter for the same focal length, and thus a wider aperture. Lower f/stop, wider aperture. Which we all knew, but now you know why.
It also explains why the f/stop is not a linear exposure parameter, but a "squared" parameter. That is halving the f/stop (doubling the diameter of the aperture) does not double the exposure (allow twice the light in) but quadruples it. Area is proportional to length squared, 2 squared is 4, as we all know from high school math. And it's the aperture *area* that is proportional to the light let in.
Example - going from f/2.8 (with say 1/200 shutter) to f/1.4 for the same ISO and the same focal length, you have to compensate with 1/800 shutter, not 1/400. Which we sort of all knew, but now you know the whole story.
It's also the reason why with your zoom lenses with variable minimum f/stops, the longer the focal length, the higher will be minimum f/stop, since your lens can still open "all the way," but "all the way" is constrained by the diameter of the lens barrel. It's why you see sports photographers with those huge diameter lenses shooting close-ups in poor light, so shooting telephoto they can "open up" the lens to get a low f/stop.
And why is the f/stop an exposure parameter anyway? Think of the angle of view. Smaller angle of view (longer telephoto focal length), the smaller the surface areas that will send light onto your sensor (or film), so the more you have to open up the lens to compensate.
it also explains why the wider open is the lens, the narrower is the DoF, but you have to draw some ray diagrams to see that, the light rays have to "bend" more from the lens edge to the sensor. But I'll quit now. Thank goodness I think I heard you all say!
If you are still with me, thanks for putting up with my innate desires to have to explain the physics of things...
@frankhymus Love physics. My aim was not to overwhelm while getting big ideas across, but this is a very helpful detailed addition for those who didn't shy away at the first mention of math! :)
55-200mm kit lens at f/5.6
Any and all feedback is welcome! I think this is best viewed large as you can really see a lot more detail in the colt's hair.
I am tagging you here because you have previously served as a host for the Camera Settings Challenge. I am looking to update the list of interested/available hosts to help out those winners who might not want to host the challenge themselves. Please respond if you are (or are not) willing to be contacted again as a host. Thanks so much!
@archaeofrog Glad to see the challenge still alive :)
Right now my status here is passive and unfortunately I am not able to host a challenge any time soon.
Hope you all have fun and learn a lot though!
@swilde@pocketmouse Thanks so much, Sue and Teresa! I have the full list of previous challenges here ( http://365project.org/archaeofrog/365/2013-12-18 ) but since it is a new year with many new participants, and this challenge has been going on for quite some time, we decided that it is perfectly acceptable to start repeating challenges too.
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Katie, I think we could explain the f/x number a little better and still not confuse folks.. Let me try.
The f/stop is actually the ratio of the focal length of the lens divided by the aperture, both in millimeters (or centimeters, doesn't matter as long as both are the same). It is, in every case a number greater than 1, not a fraction. Example: 200mm focal length, shooting at f/4 gives you 50cm for the diameter of the aperture. 200/50 = 4. 200mm shooting at f/8 gives you 25cm for the aperture. 200/25 = 8.
But since the diameter is on the *denominator* of the ratio, a lower number (f/stop) gives you a longer diameter for the same focal length, and thus a wider aperture. Lower f/stop, wider aperture. Which we all knew, but now you know why.
It also explains why the f/stop is not a linear exposure parameter, but a "squared" parameter. That is halving the f/stop (doubling the diameter of the aperture) does not double the exposure (allow twice the light in) but quadruples it. Area is proportional to length squared, 2 squared is 4, as we all know from high school math. And it's the aperture *area* that is proportional to the light let in.
Example - going from f/2.8 (with say 1/200 shutter) to f/1.4 for the same ISO and the same focal length, you have to compensate with 1/800 shutter, not 1/400. Which we sort of all knew, but now you know the whole story.
It's also the reason why with your zoom lenses with variable minimum f/stops, the longer the focal length, the higher will be minimum f/stop, since your lens can still open "all the way," but "all the way" is constrained by the diameter of the lens barrel. It's why you see sports photographers with those huge diameter lenses shooting close-ups in poor light, so shooting telephoto they can "open up" the lens to get a low f/stop.
And why is the f/stop an exposure parameter anyway? Think of the angle of view. Smaller angle of view (longer telephoto focal length), the smaller the surface areas that will send light onto your sensor (or film), so the more you have to open up the lens to compensate.
it also explains why the wider open is the lens, the narrower is the DoF, but you have to draw some ray diagrams to see that, the light rays have to "bend" more from the lens edge to the sensor. But I'll quit now. Thank goodness I think I heard you all say!
If you are still with me, thanks for putting up with my innate desires to have to explain the physics of things...
Good luck with the challenge. It's a good one.
f 2.8 widest aperture on my 100mm lens
f2.8, manual focus on my bridge camera. Slightly enhanced in PSE 11 just to make the black a bit blacker!
I did not take this photo for this competition but I was thinking why not?? :)
40mm lens F/2.8
I am a complete beginner so this is the first time I have used this setting! Feedback greatly appreciated - thanks!
Any and all feedback is welcome! I think this is best viewed large as you can really see a lot more detail in the colt's hair.
I am tagging you here because you have previously served as a host for the Camera Settings Challenge. I am looking to update the list of interested/available hosts to help out those winners who might not want to host the challenge themselves. Please respond if you are (or are not) willing to be contacted again as a host. Thanks so much!
Right now my status here is passive and unfortunately I am not able to host a challenge any time soon.
Hope you all have fun and learn a lot though!