An introduction to the three elements of photography exposure: how aperture, shutter and ISO work together
Explains how aperture, shutter speed, and ISO work together to affect exposure, and the image effects and trade-offs brought about by shutter/aperture/ISO adjustments; no claims are made that any one setting will universally guarantee image quality.
Exposure is controlled by three related settings
Aperture, shutter speed and ISO are closely related and together form the basis of exposure control. A parameter change will affect exposure and picture effects. When shooting, a balance must be made between brightness, motion performance and the desired effect. 〔G-EX-01〕
Aperture: opening size and amount of light entering
Aperture is expressed in terms of f-number / f-stop. The smaller the f/number, the larger the opening; for example, changing f/11 to f/5.6 will allow more light to pass through the larger opening. Every time the aperture changes by one stop, the amount of light is doubled or halved. The maximum/minimum aperture available for a lens depends on the lens itself. 〔G-EX-02〕
Shutter: Exposure duration and motion presentation
The shutter determines how long the photosensitive material receives light. A fast shutter speed freezes faster motion; a slower shutter speed leaves motion blurred in the frame. When choosing, you should not only look at the exposure, but also consider the movement effect you want to freeze or express. 〔G-EX-03, G-EX-05〕
ISO: sensitivity settings and costs
Lower ISOs generally require more light for proper exposure; raising ISO reduces the amount of light required, but may increase noise and reduce color saturation. Don’t think of ISO as a free brightness knob, combine it with aperture/shutter and target adjustment. 〔G-EX-04〕
Use the shooting target to decide which item to adjust first
When you want to freeze action, you can first choose a suitable shutter speed; when you want to control the aperture effect, set the aperture first, and then adjust it with other exposure settings. Nikon's information also cites Auto/Program mode as an option to let the camera control exposure. The trade-offs here are shooting suggestions, not fixed numerical recipes for each scene. 〔G-EX-03, G-EX-05〕
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