What does "small aperture" mean: a small opening or a small f-number?
Asked 4/27/2013
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In photography, people often say an aperture is "small" or "large," which can be confusing because f-numbers work in reverse. Does "small aperture" usually mean the physical opening in the lens is small, or that the f-number itself is small?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
13y ago
2 Answers
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This is confusing for many beginners. If you're talking to a beginner, all bets are off! :)
If you're talking to someone with knowledge in the space, the term "small" or "large" aperture do indeed refer to the physical size of the opening, and not the numeric value.
You may see a "small aperture" also referred to as "stopped down" or a "high f-number".
A "large aperture" may also be referred to as "opened up", "wide open" or a "low f-number".
Good question. I hope that helps.
Originally by user13555. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user13555
13y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
In normal photography usage, a small aperture means a small physical opening, which corresponds to a high f-number such as f/16, f/22, or f/32. A large aperture means a large opening, which corresponds to a low f-number such as f/1.8, f/2.8, or f/4.
The confusion comes from the fact that f-numbers are ratios, so a smaller number gives a larger opening. Because of that, many photographers avoid saying "small" or "large" by themselves and instead use clearer terms like:
- wide open / opened up = large aperture, low f-number
- stopped down = small aperture, high f-number
- wide / narrow aperture
Context usually makes the meaning clear, but if you want to avoid ambiguity, mention the actual f-number (for example, f/2.8 or f/16).
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