This is a great exercise for new photographers
who are serious about learning photography theory.
Use the Sunny 16 Rule
At an ISO of 100, which many digital cameras use for general-purpose photography, you
might want to rely on the traditional Sunny 16 Rule for a starting point. The Sunny 16 Rule is
very old??”it dates back to the earliest days of analog photography??”and it suggests that when
shooting outdoors in bright sunlight, you should choose an aperture of f/16 and a shutter speed
that??™s equivalent to your film speed. Since few cameras offer the ability to choose 1/100, most
photographers who rely on this rule use 1/60 or 1/125 when shooting with ISO 100 film. Here
is a chart that identifies other acceptable combinations. (All of these add up to the same overall
exposure.)
Shutter Speed Aperture
1/1000 f/4
1/500 f/5.6
1/250 f/8
1/125 f/11
1/60 f/16
1/30 f/22
54 How to Do Everything: Digital Camera
Keep in mind that these recommendations are just a starting point. Here are some tips that
can help you zero in on your ideal exposure:
?– Your camera will often recommend an ideal exposure, which you can accept or reject.
If the camera considers your setting out of bounds, it may flash a warning in your
viewfinder.
?– Adjust your exposure based on the ISO setting.
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