Updated : Saturday, February 18th, 2012
By definition, we consider that the exposure is constituted by three different points which are combinatorial. We have time of exposure, the Opening in the Light and the light sensitivity. Make it, everything is a question of light in photography. A lot nobody forget that these three points are connected with the luminous exposure, or exposure value which is the measure of the bright exposure, make the result of three others.
To make a correct photo which is neither too vague, nor too black or nor too much burned, you go to have to play with these four points. With devices from now on, it is very easy to modify such or such parameter. We can modify with no problem at all the exposure value (HE or EV), the sensibility of the cell (ISO or ASA), the Opening of the objective (F) and the shutter speed (time of exposure in second).
For the same photo, the regulations will never be the same. Between morning and in the evening, the light changes so much direction that intensity and color. That you are at your home, outside, in forest, on the beach or another place, will change automatically the configuration which you will have to use. Without forgetting that a configuration for a landscape, will not be necessarily the same that for one wore.
Generally, when I arrive on a place where I want to take a photo and where I does not know how to take myself too much there, I leave the device in automatic and I see the indications which the system gives me. Then, me work around these data according to the work which I want to obtain on the image.
Anyway, I recommend you to use always the automatic system, when you use a new device, the time when you get acquainted with. Then, you can modify or put your own configurations at your convenience.
By modifying the sensibility of the cell upward, you go to return the much more bright photo, and by lowering the sensibility you will darken it. By opening the objective, you go to allow to pass more or less of light. By playing at the time of exposure, you go to allow more less light to bring in and thus to strike the cell. A simple small modification and your commonplace photo can become a new masterpiece.
Photo taken with a Canon 5D MkII and a MP-E 65mm (ISO2500 - f/16 - 1/200).
Boards below, are going to give you indications onto the generally used parameters. Do not take literally them, but inspire in you.
The first one, gives you the use which you have to make with the raising sensitization of the cell. The more the figure will be raised, the more you can use it in places dark and conversely.
| Board for information purposes | ||
|---|---|---|
| ISO | Opening | Utilisation |
| 100 | f/2.8 |
 Outside right in the sun. |
| 200 | f/3.5 |
Outside cloudy sky. |
| 400 | f/4.5 |
Outside right in the sun. Outside cloudy sky. |
| 800 | f/5.6 |
Dawn, Twilight, ... |
| 1600 | f/6.3 |
Concert, parties, at night, ... |
| 3200 | sup. f/6.3 |
Night-Photos of the sky. |
The second, informs you about the time of nominal pose according to the opening. For the opening, the best explanation which I give, is that the figure has to allow you to divide the quantity of light that sees your eyes; even if it is not the reality. In light for an opening F/5.6, I declare that I have 5,6 times less light which goes into the objective which my eye sees. It is simple, but people understand better like that, what that means.
|
Board of Lumination (IL), the Opening (F/) and of the speed of exposure ( Time in seconds) |
||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | f/45 | |
| IL-9 | 480 | 900 | 1800 | |||||||||
| IL-8 | 240 | 480 | 900 | 1800 | ||||||||
| IL-7 | 120 | 240 | 480 | 900 | 1800 | |||||||
| IL-6 | 60 | 120 | 240 | 480 | 900 | 1800 | ||||||
| IL-5 | 30 | 60 | 120 | 240 | 480 | 900 | 1800 | |||||
| IL-4 | 15 | 30 | 60 | 120 | 240 | 480 | 900 | 1800 | ||||
| IL-3 | 8 | 15 | 30 | 60 | 120 | 240 | 480 | 900 | 1800 | |||
| IL-2 | 4 | 8 | 15 | 30 | 60 | 120 | 240 | 480 | 900 | 1800 | ||
| IL-1 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 15 | 30 | 60 | 120 | 240 | 480 | 900 | 1800 | |
| IL 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 15 | 30 | 60 | 120 | 240 | 480 | 900 | 1800 |
| IL1 | 1/2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 15 | 30 | 60 | 120 | 240 | 480 | 900 |
| IL2 | 1/4 | 1/2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 15 | 30 | 60 | 120 | 240 | 480 |
| IL3 | 1/8 | 1/4 | 1/2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 15 | 30 | 60 | 120 | 240 |
| IL4 | 1/15 | 1/8 | 1/4 | 1/2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 15 | 30 | 60 | 120 |
| IL5 | 1/30 | 1/15 | 1/8 | 1/4 | 1/2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 15 | 30 | 60 |
| IL6 | 1/60 | 1/30 | 1/15 | 1/8 | 1/4 | 1/2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 15 | 30 |
| IL7 | 1/125 | 1/60 | 1/30 | 1/15 | 1/8 | 1/4 | 1/2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 15 |
| IL8 | 1/250 | 1/125 | 1/60 | 1/30 | 1/15 | 1/8 | 1/4 | 1/2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 8 |
| IL9 | 1/500 | 1/250 | 1/125 | 1/60 | 1/30 | 1/15 | 1/8 | 1/4 | 1/2 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| IL10 | 1/1000 | 1/500 | 1/250 | 1/125 | 1/60 | 1/30 | 1/15 | 1/8 | 1/4 | 1/2 | 1 | 2 |
| IL11 | 1/2000 | 1/1000 | 1/500 | 1/250 | 1/125 | 1/60 | 1/30 | 1/15 | 1/8 | 1/4 | 1/2 | 1 |
| IL12 | 1/4000 | 1/2000 | 1/1000 | 1/500 | 1/250 | 1/125 | 1/60 | 1/30 | 1/15 | 1/8 | 1/4 | 1/2 |
| IL13 | 1/8000 | 1/4000 | 1/2000 | 1/1000 | 1/500 | 1/250 | 1/125 | 1/60 | 1/30 | 1/15 | 1/8 | 1/4 |
| IL14 | 1/8000 | 1/4000 | 1/2000 | 1/1000 | 1/500 | 1/250 | 1/125 | 1/60 | 1/30 | 1/15 | 1/8 | |
| IL15 | 1/8000 | 1/4000 | 1/2000 | 1/1000 | 1/500 | 1/250 | 1/125 | 1/60 | 1/30 | 1/15 | ||
| IL16 | 1/8000 | 1/4000 | 1/2000 | 1/1000 | 1/500 | 1/250 | 1/125 | 1/60 | 1/30 | |||
| IL17 | 1/8000 | 1/4000 | 1/2000 | 1/1000 | 1/500 | 1/250 | 1/125 | 1/60 | ||||
| IL18 | 1/8000 | 1/4000 | 1/2000 | 1/1000 | 1/500 | 1/250 | 1/125 | |||||
| IL19 | 1/8000 | 1/4000 | 1/2000 | 1/1000 | 1/500 | 1/250 | ||||||
| IL20 | 1/8000 | 1/4000 | 1/2000 | 1/1000 | 1/500 | |||||||
| IL21 | 1/8000 | 1/4000 | 1/2000 | 1/1000 | ||||||||
| IL22 | 1/8000 | 1/4000 | 1/2000 | |||||||||
Photo taken with a Canon 5D MkII and a Canon 24-70mm (ISO100 - f/5 - 1/100).