What is the difference between aperture and shutter speed?
Aperture
- Controls the amount of light entering the camera sensor.
- Measured in f-stops (e.g., f/1.8, f/2.8).
- Smaller aperture numbers (e.g., f/1.8) allow more light in, while larger aperture numbers (e.g., f/22) allow less light in.
- Controls the depth of field, which is the range of distance from the subject that is in focus.
- A wider aperture (e.g., f/1.8) results in a shallow depth of field, where only the subject is in focus, while a narrower aperture (e.g., f/22) results in a deep depth of field, where the background is also in focus.
Shutter speed
- Controls the duration of time that the shutter is open, allowing light to reach the sensor.
- Measured in seconds (e.g., 1/250s, 1s).
- Longer shutter speeds allow more light to enter the camera, which can be used to capture fast action or create a slow-motion effect.
- Short shutter speeds freeze motion, as the shutter remains open for a brief period of time.
- Aperture and shutter speed work together to control the amount of light that reaches the sensor and the resulting image.
In summary, aperture controls the amount of light entering the camera, while shutter speed controls the duration of time that the shutter is open.