Nikon Camera F3AF - Manual (Page 51)

EXPOSURE —Continued-
Shutter speed (sec.) 1/2000 1/1000
1
1/500 1/250 1/125 1/60
Aperture (f-number) 2.8 4 5.6 1
______1
8 11 16
Relationship Between Shutter Speed and Aperture
The amount of light reaching the film plane is determined by a
combination of the shutter speed and the lens aperture. A
shutter speed of 1/125 sec. lets in twice as much light as a set­
ting of 1/250 sec. and only half as much light as 1/60 sec. An
aperture setting of f/11 lets in twice as much light as f/16, half
as much as f/8. Thus, if the correct exposure for a particular
picture-taking situation is 1/125 at f/11, then 1/250 at f/8 or 1/60
at f/16 will give the same exposure.
The table above illustrates the interrelationship between shutter
speed and aperture.
The best combination will depend on the results you want. Use
fast shutter speeds to freeze motion; use slow speeds to pro­
duce a deliberate blur. Also, small apertures give greater depth
of field, while large apertures restrict the zone of sharp focus to
the main subject. (For more detailed information about depth
of field, refer to page 36.)
A good rule to follow in preventing camera shake is to select a
minimum shutter speed which is the reciprocal of the focal
length of the lens in use. For example, when using a normal
50mm lens, select a speed no slower than 1/60 sec. (the closest
number to 1/50). For a 200 mm super-telephoto, use no less
than 1/250 sec. and so forth.
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