F stop - depth of field.

When it comes to depth of field, the most important tool you have is the f-stop, or aperture setting. The size of the aperture controls how much light enters the camera. In turn, the aperture affects how much of the image appears sharp. A higher number, like f/8 or f/16, means the camera will use a smaller aperture opening and, therefore, deliver a broader depth of field, with more of the image appearing in focus. A lower number, like f/2, gives you a larger aperture opening and a shallower depth of field, softening the background.

In order to manually adjust f-stops to affect depth of field, your digital camera needs to have an aperture priority or manual exposure mode. In aperture priority mode, you choose the aperture and the camera chooses the shutter speed [ in manual mode, you choose both ]. Keep in mind that, unlike DSLRs with a full range of aperture settings, some compact cameras have a limited range of f-stops, often topping out at f/8 or, at the higher end, f/16. No worries, both are sufficient to give you increased depth of field.

Assuming you want an increased depth of field, with more of the image appearing sharp, set your camera on aperture priority and stop down the aperture [ set the aperture to a higher number ]. At the same time, be sure to check the shutter speed the camera has chosen. If it’s too slow to hand hold, either use a tripod to steady the camera or open up the aperture until the shutter speed is faster.

by Theano Nikitas  Photo.net