The aperture of the lens is one of the work tools that the photographer has access to in his routine and that serves as one of the biggest differentiators that photos can have, since they vary according to the unique vision. and exclusive to each professional.
In photography, understanding what this mechanism is and what it is for is considered one of the most important factors to obtain differentiated and creative photographs, maintaining a high standard of quality in the captured images.
- Then we will learn a little more about this important tool and its variations.
- Appreciating its use in everyday photographic life.
Essential for photographers who want to record photos creatively, the aperture of the camera lens is the control of photographic parameters that has an effect on the depth observed in the field of the image being recorded.
When determining the amount of light going from the lens to the sensor, the aperture size is fully related to this path and the adjustment is made through a diaphragm, which is located in the middle of the lens.
The size of this aperture may vary depending on the lens model used by the professional photographer, its representation is given by the letter f, which always has a number in its sequence.
f accurately expresses the size of the lens aperture in relation to its focal length. Let’s look at a simple example: a lens with an f/2 indication determines that the diameter of the lens aperture used is the same as the distance divided by two.
Although a bit complicated to understand, initially, being inversely proportional quantities, the f-numbers follow the basic rule that the smaller the number indicated in the indication, the larger the lens aperture, on the contrary, or in other words, the larger the f, the smaller the aperture, that’s true.
It should be noted that in openings considered large, for example, in an f/1. 8 lens, a greater amount of light can reach the sensor, while in f/16, which is a much smaller aperture than the first mentioned, that light reaches the sensor in smaller amounts.
Another very important factor for photographers is the brightness, or maximum aperture of the lens, which is also indicated by the letter “F”.
Therefore, it is necessary to adapt the use of the lenses, knowing first their specifications and maximums, the situation in which the photographer needs to photograph, to achieve a good final result, taking advantage of the capacity of his lens and all its variations in his favor. .
The aperture of the lens directly affects the amount of light that reaches the sensor at the time of the photo, but not only changes it, because the depth of field, recorded in the image, is also completely related to this factor.
It should be noted, again, this rule, also inversely proportional: the smaller the aperture of the target, the greater the depth of field obtained in the photo, while the greater the aperture, the less depth, even in the same landscape.
It should also be remembered that the focal length is also responsible for changing the depth of field, and for focus points near the camera, this capability will be visibly reduced.
One of the most common works in photography is to highlight a particular theme, considered the main theme, so that the photo viewer quickly directs their attention to the focus of the image.
Opening the lens is responsible for this function. It highlights the main theme of the photo, in relation to its background, drawing attention to the exact point at which the photographer wanted to give total importance, something easy to see in portraits, for example.
Therefore, it is recommended to work with lenses that provide high brightness, i. e. with a large maximum aperture, for example f / 1. 2-2. 8, and a reduced depth of field.
It is very common for beginners, or amateurs, to work leaving their camera in automatic mode during sessions, as this is the most correct shooting mode as it is suitable for each specific situation.
However, the automatic mode does not allow the photographer to influence the aperture and depth of the photo, which ends up being unfavorable for those who already have a little practice with these mechanisms.
For this reason, some EOS cameras offer Auto Create Mode (CA), which allows the person to adjust the depth to be reached in the image using a command on the LCD.
But watch out! The aperture priority AE (Av) mode is still considered the best option to fully control the depth of field, thus leaving the photographer as free as possible, bringing him closer to the results he is looking for.
The (Av) mode allows the professional to select the aperture of the lens and, automatically, the digital camera supports mechanisms such as shutter speed.
Finally, there is another way to mention, the manual exposure mode (M), in which the photographer can choose both the aperture of the lens to be used for a given job and the speed at which the shutter should be subjected. which in this mode, the exposure adjusts on its own.
After all this information, it is likely that you, dear photographer, will look forward to going there, capturing all the landscapes around you!Photographing, after all, is an exciting art.
But, before you take your camera and look for the perfect image, tell us, through the comments, what were your most notable experiences with the topics discussed here and what will be the improvements in the photography process after this information!