F Stops

Why F Stops?
The reason for this apparently arbitrary sequence of numbers is that the f/stop is a ratio. The ratio is between the diameter of the aperture in the lens and the focal length of the lens. The beauty of f/stops is that the correct f/stop for any particular exposure is the same for everyone, regardless of camera and focal length used.

The f/stop Sequence

This is the standard sequence of f/stops from f/1.4 to f/22:

1.4

2.0

2.8

5.6

11

16

22

Although it may not seem intuitive at first, in this sequence the f/1.4 setting lets in the most light, while the f/22 setting lets in the least. Each f/stop has precisely the same halving / doubling relationship as the shutter speed sequence. This is called Reciprocity.

1/3 Stop Increments

Many digital cameras measure s/stops by 1/3 increments, which are also handy to know when using a flash meter that measures in fractions of a stop.

1.0 Extremely rare to find a lens this fast; Leica makes a 50mm f/1.0 6.3 1.1 Some 50mm f/1.2s available (f/1.2 is a half-stop, not a third) 1.3 1.4 Common in fast 35-50mm lenses; Leica does a 75 f/1.4 1.6 1.8 Common in 50mm lenses; a fast 85 or 100 2.0 A slowish 50; a really fast 28 or 300 14.3 2.2 2.5 Nikon's 105 is an f/2.5; they also made an f/1.8 2.8 Common from 20-135mm; a fast zoom lens 3.2 3.6 The Nikon 28mm is an f/3.5; this is a bit slow 4.0 Most zoom lenses start about here 4.5 Common for regular 300 mms 5.0 5.7 Generally called f/5.6. It's f/5.6569 if 7.1

you want to impress

8.0 Typical of long mirror lenses (500mm+) 9.0 10.1 11.3 Generally called f/11 12.7

16.0 Home of the sunny 16 rule; most 35-50s stop here 18.0 20.2 22.6 Generally called f/22; most wides & teles stop here 25.4 32.0 Common in long lenses, macros & PC lenses Occasionally lenses go beyond f/32. The full stop sequence is f/45, f/64, f/90, f/125, f/180. By the time you get to f/180 you are in pinhole territory on a 35mm camera.