After teaching photography for over 15 years, I’ve noticed that f-stops create more confusion than any other camera setting. The inverse relationship between f-numbers and aperture size trips up beginners daily. I’ve seen countless students struggle with why f/1.4 is “bigger” than f/16, and how this affects their photos.
An f-stop chart is your roadmap to controlling light and creativity in photography. Understanding these numbers transforms your camera from an automatic point-and-shoot device into a creative tool that captures exactly what you envision.
The complete f-stop chart is the best reference tool for mastering aperture because it shows every standard setting your camera offers, from wide-open apertures that create beautiful background blur to stopped-down settings that keep everything sharp. This guide will demystify f-stops with clear charts, practical examples, and the mathematical background you won’t find elsewhere.
I’ll share real-world scenarios where specific f-stops make or break the shot, plus troubleshooting tips from thousands of hours behind the lens. By the end, you’ll have this fundamental concept locked in, ready to make confident creative decisions.
What is an F-Stop?
An f-stop (or f-number) is the ratio of a lens’s focal length to the diameter of its aperture opening, controlling how much light enters the camera and affecting depth of field.
Think of your eye’s pupil. In bright light, your pupil constricts to a tiny opening – that’s like f/16. In dark conditions, your pupil widens to let in more light – that’s like f/1.4. Your camera works the same way, but with numbered settings instead of automatic adjustments.
F-stops work by adjusting the size of the lens aperture – smaller numbers (like f/1.4) mean larger openings that let in more light, while larger numbers (like f/16) mean smaller openings that let in less light. This inverse relationship confuses everyone at first, but it becomes second nature with practice.
F-stops are crucial because they control both exposure (brightness) and depth of field (how much of your image appears sharp), making them fundamental to creative photography. Every photographer from beginners to professionals needs to understand f-stops, as they’re essential for controlling the creative and technical aspects of photography.
Aperture: The opening in your lens that light passes through. Controlled by f-stops.
Depth of Field: The range of distance in your photo that appears acceptably sharp. Controlled by f-stops.
Complete F-Stop Chart Reference
Here’s the most comprehensive f-stop chart you’ll find online, covering full stops, half stops, and third stops that modern digital cameras use. I’ve organized these from widest to narrowest apertures for clarity.
| Full Stops | Half Stops | Third Stops (1/3) | Third Stops (2/3) | Light Gathered | Depth of Field |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| f/1.0 | – | – | – | Maximum | Minimal |
| – | f/1.2 | f/1.1 | f/1.2 | Very High | Very Shallow |
| f/1.4 | – | f/1.4 | f/1.6 | Extremely High | Extremely Shallow |
| – | f/1.7 | f/1.8 | f/1.8 | Very High | Very Shallow |
| f/2.0 | – | f/2.0 | f/2.2 | Very High | Very Shallow |
| – | f/2.4 | f/2.5 | f/2.5 | High | Shallow |
| f/2.8 | – | f/2.8 | f/3.2 | High | Shallow |
| – | f/3.4 | f/3.5 | f/3.5 | High | Shallow-Moderate |
| f/4.0 | – | f/4.0 | f/4.5 | Moderate-High | Moderate |
| – | f/4.8 | f/4.5 | f/5.0 | Moderate | Moderate |
| f/5.6 | – | f/5.6 | f/6.3 | Moderate | Moderate-Deep |
| – | f/6.7 | f/6.3 | f/7.1 | Moderate-Low | Moderate-Deep |
| f/8.0 | – | f/8.0 | f/9.0 | Moderate-Low | Deep |
| – | f/9.5 | f/9.0 | f/10 | Low | Deep |
| f/11 | – | f/11 | f/13 | Low | Very Deep |
| – | f/13 | f/13 | f/14 | Low | Very Deep |
| f/16 | – | f/16 | f/18 | Very Low | Extremely Deep |
| – | f/19 | f/18 | f/20 | Very Low | Extremely Deep |
| f/22 | – | f/22 | f/25 | Minimal | Maximum |
| – | f/27 | f/25 | f/29 | Minimal | Maximum |
| f/32 | – | f/32 | – | Minimal | Maximum |
Quick Summary: Each full stop doubles or halves the light. Moving from f/8 to f/11 halves the light entering your camera. Moving from f/11 to f/8 doubles it.
Modern digital cameras typically use 1/3 stop increments for precise control. This means between f/8 and f/11, you’ll find f/9 and f/10 as intermediate settings. Older film cameras often only had full stops, giving you fewer options but simpler decisions.
F-Stop Relationships at a Glance
- One stop difference: 2x light change (f/8 to f/11 = half the light)
- Two stops difference: 4x light change (f/8 to f/16 = quarter the light)
- Three stops difference: 8x light change (f/8 to f/22 = eighth the light)
- 1/3 stop: 1.26x light change (common on digital cameras)
- 1/2 stop: 1.41x light change (found on some cameras)
How F-Stops Control Depth of Field?
Depth of field (DoF) is perhaps the most creative aspect of f-stops. Wide apertures (small f-numbers) create shallow depth of field, perfect for portraits where you want blurry backgrounds. Narrow apertures (large f-numbers) create deep depth of field, essential for landscapes where everything should be sharp.
I learned this the hard way early in my career. I shot an entire wedding at f/1.8, only to discover later that in group shots, only the person in the middle was sharp. The bride’s face was soft, the groom’s face was soft, but the best man’s tie was perfectly focused. This costly mistake taught me to always consider depth of field for my subject.
Shallow Depth of Field (f/1.4 – f/4)
Wide apertures create that beautiful background blur photographers call “bokeh.” They’re perfect for:
- Portraits where you want to isolate your subject
- Low light situations where you need more light
- Food photography to make dishes pop
- Product photography with clean backgrounds
Remember: at f/1.4 on a portrait, you might only have a few millimeters of depth. If your subject moves slightly forward or back, they’ll go out of focus. I once shot a series of headshots at f/1.8 and had to refocus between every single word the subject spoke.
Deep Depth of Field (f/8 – f/22)
Narrow apertures keep everything from foreground to background sharp. Use them for:
- Landapes where foreground and background both matter
- Architecture where buildings should be sharp throughout
- Group photos where everyone needs to be in focus
- Street photography when you want context in the background
But be careful: very small apertures like f/22 can cause diffraction, which actually reduces sharpness despite the deep depth of field. Most lenses are sharpest between f/5.6 and f/11.
Practical F-Stop Guide for Every Photography Type
After shooting everything from weddings to wildlife for over a decade, I’ve developed go-to f-stop settings for different situations. These starting points will save you time and help you get the shot.
Portrait Photography
For single portraits, I typically start at f/2.8 for full-body shots and f/4 for headshots. This gives me beautiful background blur while keeping facial features sharp. For couples, I usually begin at f/4 and adjust based on how they’re positioned.
⏰ Time Saver: For groups of 3-5 people, start at f/5.6. For larger groups, use f/8 to ensure everyone’s eyes are sharp.
Landscape Photography
Landscapes need deep depth of field, but don’t automatically jump to f/22. I usually shoot landscapes at f/8 or f/11 for maximum sharpness. If I need extreme depth from foreground flowers to distant mountains, I might use f/16, but rarely f/22 due to diffraction concerns.
Low Light Photography
In dim conditions, you need wide apertures. f/1.4 to f/2.8 are your friends here. I’ve shot concerts at f/1.8, street scenes at night with f/2, and indoor events at f/2.8. Just remember the trade-off: you gain light but lose depth of field.
Macro Photography
Macro work presents unique challenges. At close distances, depth of field becomes razor-thin. I often shoot macro at f/8 or f/11 just to get a flower’s stamen and pistil sharp. Sometimes I’ll even use f/16 and stack multiple images for complete sharpness.
Sports and Action
Sports photography needs fast shutter speeds, which means wide apertures in many cases. I shoot indoor sports at f/2.8, outdoor daytime sports at f/4 or f/5.6. The exact setting depends on your distance to subjects and how much blur you want in the background.
The Mathematics Behind F-Stops
Understanding the math helps you grasp why f-stops work the way they do. The f-stop formula is simple:
f-number = focal length ÷ aperture diameter
This explains the inverse relationship that confuses so many beginners. A 50mm lens with a 25mm aperture opening gives you f/2 (50 ÷ 25 = 2). The same lens with a 12.5mm opening gives you f/4 (50 ÷ 12.5 = 4).
The area of the aperture (not diameter) determines how much light enters. Since area depends on the square of the radius, each f-stop change involves the square root of 2 (approximately 1.414). That’s why our f-stop sequence is 1, 1.4, 2, 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16…
For exposure calculations,记住 this: each stop change doubles or halves the light. If you’re at f/8 and switch to f/11, you lose one stop of light (50% less). Compensate by doubling shutter speed or increasing ISO by one stop.
Advanced F-Stop Concepts
Once you master the basics, these advanced concepts will elevate your photography.
Finding Your Lens’s Sweet Spot
Every lens has a sweet spot where it’s sharpest. I was taught in photography school that f/8 is usually the sharpest part of the lens before you start losing sharpness at its corners. They say as a general rule of thumb, your sweet spot is around 2-3 stops down from maximum aperture.
For an f/2.8 lens, the sweet spot is typically around f/8. For an f/1.4 lens, try f/4 or f/5.6. Test your lens by shooting the same scene at different apertures and examine sharpness at 100%.
Understanding Diffraction
At very small apertures (f/16 and smaller), light waves bend as they pass through tiny openings. This diffraction actually reduces overall sharpness despite increasing depth of field. I learned this after shooting an entire landscape series at f/22, only to find everything slightly soft when viewed on my computer.
✅ Pro Tip: For maximum sharpness, stay between f/5.6 and f/11 with most lenses. Only go smaller if you absolutely need the depth of field.
F-Stops vs T-Stops
You might see T-stops on cinema lenses. T-stops measure actual light transmission, accounting for light lost within the lens. F-stops measure the aperture opening mathematically. For still photography, f-stops are standard. For video work where exposure consistency matters, T-stops are preferred.
Using ND Filters with F-Stops
Neutral density (ND) filters reduce light entering your lens, letting you use wide apertures in bright conditions. With a 3-stop ND filter, you can shoot at f/2.8 in bright daylight instead of f/22. Calculate your exposure: if your scene needs f/16 but you want f/2.8, that’s a 5-stop difference. Use a 5-stop ND filter.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the f-stop for dummies?
An f-stop is a camera setting that controls how wide your lens opens. Think of it like your eye’s pupil – wider (smaller f-number) lets in more light, narrower (larger f-number) lets in less light. It also affects how much of your photo looks sharp.
What are the f-stops in order?
Full f-stops in order from widest to narrowest: f/1, f/1.4, f/2, f/2.8, f/4, f/5.6, f/8, f/11, f/16, f/22, f/32. Each step halves the light entering your camera.
How do you calculate f-stops?
Calculate f-stops by dividing your lens focal length by the aperture diameter. For a 50mm lens with a 25mm opening: 50 ÷ 25 = f/2. Each full stop change involves multiplying or dividing by the square root of 2 (1.414).
Which has a larger aperture, f 2.8 or f 11?
f/2.8 has a much larger aperture than f/11. Remember: smaller f-numbers mean wider openings. f/2.8 lets in 16 times more light than f/11 (4 stops difference), but creates much shallower depth of field.
What should my f-stop be set at?
For portraits: f/2.8-f/4. For landscapes: f/8-f/11. For groups: f/5.6-f/8. For low light: f/1.4-f/2.8. Start with these guidelines and adjust based on your creative vision and available light.
Is a higher f-stop always sharper?
No. Most lenses are sharpest 2-3 stops down from maximum aperture. Very high f-stops (f/16-f/32) can cause diffraction, which actually reduces sharpness despite increasing depth of field.
Final Recommendations
Mastering f-stops is essential for creative photography. After spending thousands of hours shooting everything from intimate portraits to sweeping landscapes, I can tell you that understanding aperture is what separates snapshots from compelling images.
Start by practicing with one lens at different apertures. Shoot the same subject at f/2, f/4, f/8, and f/16. Notice how the background changes and how much of your scene stays sharp. This hands-on experience builds intuition faster than any chart can.
Keep this f-stop chart bookmarked on your phone for quick reference. When you’re in the field and need to decide between f/5.6 and f/8, you’ll know exactly how it will affect your image. Photography is about making deliberate creative choices – f-stops give you the power to make those choices with confidence.
Remember: every great photographer started where you are now. The confusion about f-stops fades with practice, and soon you’ll be choosing apertures instinctively based on the creative vision in your mind.