Exposure Calculator
Master the exposure triangle. Calculate perfect aperture, shutter speed, and ISO combinations for any shooting scenario.
Moderate — good for portraits
Freezes most movement
Clean image — minimal noise
Find Equivalent Exposures
The settings above define your base exposure. Below are equivalent combinations that produce the same brightness.
Complete Guide to Camera Exposure
Understanding exposure is the single most important skill in photography. Whether you shoot with a DSLR, mirrorless camera, or even a smartphone in manual mode, mastering the relationship between aperture, shutter speed, and ISO will transform your photography from guesswork to intentional artistry.
What Is Exposure in Photography?
Exposure refers to the amount of light that reaches your camera's sensor. A properly exposed photograph captures detail in both shadows and highlights, creating an image that looks natural to the human eye. Too much light results in an overexposed (washed out) image, while too little creates an underexposed (dark) image.
The Exposure Triangle Explained
The three pillars of exposure — aperture, shutter speed, and ISO — work together like a balanced system. Adjusting one requires compensating with the others to maintain proper exposure. This interdependence is what photographers call the "exposure triangle."
Aperture (f-stop)
Aperture is measured in f-stops (f/1.4, f/2.8, f/4, f/5.6, f/8, f/11, f/16, f/22). Counterintuitively, a smaller f-number means a larger opening, which lets in more light. Aperture also controls depth of field — the range of distance that appears acceptably sharp. Wide apertures (f/1.4-f/2.8) create beautiful background blur (bokeh) ideal for portraits, while narrow apertures (f/8-f/16) keep more of the scene sharp, perfect for landscapes.
Shutter Speed
Shutter speed is measured in seconds or fractions of a second. Fast shutter speeds (1/500s, 1/1000s, 1/4000s) freeze motion, essential for sports and wildlife photography. Slow shutter speeds (1/30s, 1s, 30s) allow motion blur, used creatively for waterfalls, light trails, and astrophotography. The general rule for handheld shooting is to use a shutter speed at least as fast as 1/focal length (e.g., 1/200s for a 200mm lens).
ISO Sensitivity
ISO controls the sensor's sensitivity to light. The base ISO (usually 100 or 200) produces the cleanest images with the least noise. As you increase ISO (400, 800, 1600, 3200), the sensor becomes more sensitive, allowing shooting in darker conditions — but at the cost of increased digital noise (grain). Modern cameras from Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Fujifilm have dramatically improved high-ISO performance, making ISO 3200-6400 perfectly usable for many situations.
How to Use This Exposure Calculator
Our exposure calculator helps you in several ways: (1) Set your current camera settings to see the resulting Exposure Value (EV) and understand the lighting conditions it's appropriate for. (2) Find equivalent exposures — different combinations of aperture, shutter speed, and ISO that produce the same brightness. (3) Use scene presets to get recommended starting settings for common photography scenarios.
Frequently Used Exposure Rules
The Sunny 16 Rule
On a bright, sunny day, set your aperture to f/16 and your shutter speed to the reciprocal of your ISO. At ISO 100, use f/16 and 1/100s (round to 1/125s). This gives you a solid starting point without needing a light meter. Variations: f/11 for slight overcast, f/8 for overcast, f/5.6 for heavy overcast or open shade.
The Reciprocal Rule
For sharp handheld photos, your minimum shutter speed should be 1/(focal length × crop factor). For a 50mm lens on a full-frame camera, use at least 1/50s. On an APS-C camera (1.5× crop), use at least 1/75s. Image stabilization can gain you 2-4 stops slower.