EV is a number representing a combination of aperture and shutter speed at ISO 100. EV 0 = f/1.0 at 1 second. Each +1 EV halves the light (one stop brighter scene). Sunny day = EV 15, indoor room = EV 7-8.

EV 15: Bright sun, clear sky
EV 12-14: Daylight, light overcast
EV 9-11: Heavy overcast, shade
EV 6-8: Well-lit interiors
EV 3-5: Dim interiors
EV 0-2: Night scenes

EV	Scene	f/8 Shutter (ISO 100)	f/2.8 Shutter (ISO 100)
EV 15	Sunny	1/500	1/4000
EV 12	Overcast	1/60	1/500
EV 8	Indoor	1/4	1/30
EV 3	Dim room	4s	1/2

How does the exposure triangle work?

Aperture, shutter speed, and ISO each control one stop of light. Changing one requires compensating with another to maintain exposure. f/4 to f/5.6 = -1 stop, so shutter 1/125 to 1/60 = +1 stop to compensate.

Aperture: controls depth of field + light
Shutter: controls motion blur + light
ISO: controls noise + light sensitivity
Each full stop = 2× or 0.5× light
Reciprocity: changing one requires adjusting another

What is ISO and how high can I go?

ISO controls sensor sensitivity. ISO 100 = cleanest. Each doubling (100→200→400) adds 1 stop of light but also noise. Modern cameras are usable to ISO 3200-6400. Full frame sensors handle higher ISO better than crop.

ISO 100-400: Clean images, ideal for daylight
ISO 800-1600: Indoor, some noise
ISO 3200-6400: Low light, visible noise
ISO 12800+: Emergency only, significant noise
Full frame: ~1 stop better noise than APS-C

What aperture should I use for landscapes?

f/8-f/11 gives the sharpest results on most lenses (sweet spot). f/16+ causes diffraction softening. Use f/11 for front-to-back sharpness and focus at hyperfocal distance. Wide apertures (f/2.8) only for astrophotography.

f/8-f/11: Sharpest overall, ideal for landscapes
f/16: Maximum depth of field but diffraction
f/22: Avoid unless you need star-burst effects
f/2.8-f/4: Astrophotography, night sky
Focus at hyperfocal distance for max sharpness

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Last Updated: Jun 18, 2026

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