# Chapter 3: Elements of Exposure, Aperture

<span lang="EN">The **F-Stop** setting determines how much light is allowed to enter a camera through the lens to reach the imaging sensor. F-stop is normally a setting of the lens that is attached to the camera, and is controlled mechanically, by opening or closing the lens ***aperture***. </span>

<span lang="EN">Different lenses have different apertures and so can handle different f-stop ranges. </span>

<span lang="EN">The **Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II USM lens** that is normally kept on the SCiL DSLR cameras has an **adjustable f-stop range**from **f/4** (wide open) to **f/22** (nearly closed). It will retain the f-stop you set through its entire zoom range from 24mm to 105mm.</span>

<span lang="EN">When the camera is set to **video mode**, you can **set the f-stop** on the Canon EOS 5D Mk IV using the **large dial** around the "set" button located at the lower right of the camera body.</span>

![canon_aperture_setting.png](https://scil-wiki.su.edu/uploads/images/gallery/2025-01/scaled-1680-/canon-aperture-setting.png)

<p class="callout info"><span lang="EN">**Lower f-stop numbers** (like f/4) indicate that the **aperture is more open**, **allowing in more light**.</span></p>

<p class="callout info"><span lang="EN">**Higher f-stop numbers** (like f/22) indicate that the **aperture is more closed**, a**llowing in less light**.</span></p>

**<span lang="EN">F-stop settings influence the [depth of field](https://scil-wiki.su.edu/books/photography/page/chapter-8-depth-of-field "Depth of Field").</span>**

<p class="callout success"><span lang="EN">**f/1.2 - f/2.8** - lets in a **lot of light**, with a correspondingly **shallow depth of field**.</span></p>

<p class="callout success"><span lang="EN">**f/4 - f/8** - useful in many scenarios, with a somewhat **wider depth of field**.</span></p>

<p class="callout success"><span lang="EN">**f/11 - f/32** - best for **bright settings**, with a **wide depth of field**.</span></p>

In the chart below, see how different **f-stop settings change the amount of light reaching the sensor and the depth of field**:

[![image.png](https://scil-wiki.su.edu/uploads/images/gallery/2025-01/scaled-1680-/i6Mimage.png)](https://scil-wiki.su.edu/uploads/images/gallery/2025-01/i6Mimage.png)