McFade Settings Shifter
Input your "Base" exposure, then change the "Target" aperture.
for an equivalent exposure.
Mastering the Shift: Equivalent Exposure Guide
In photography, there is rarely just one “correct” set of settings. You can achieve the exact same brightness (exposure) using many different combinations of Aperture, Shutter Speed, and ISO. This is known as Reciprocity, and understanding it is the key to creative control.
What is an Equivalent Exposure?
Imagine you have a perfect exposure at f/8 and 1/60th. If you want to blur the background by opening your aperture to f/2.8, you are letting in 3 extra stops of light. To keep the brightness the same, you must “shift” your shutter speed by 3 stops in the other direction.
The Maths of “Stops”
Photography settings are measured in Stops. One stop represents either a doubling or a halving of the light. The maths follows an inverse square law for aperture:
$$New\ Shutter = Old\ Shutter \times \left(\frac{New\ f}{Old\ f}\right)^2$$
When to Shift Your Settings
The “Settings Shifter” is most useful in these three scenarios:
- Portraits: Shifting to a wider aperture (lower f-number) to get a blurry background while increasing shutter speed to compensate.
- Waterfalls: Shifting to a narrower aperture (higher f-number) to force a longer shutter speed, creating that “silky” water effect.
- Action: Shifting to a faster shutter speed to freeze a moving subject while opening the aperture to maintain brightness.
The Exposure Triangle
Think of exposure like a see-saw. If you add weight to one side (letting in more light with a wider aperture), you must remove an equal amount of weight from the other side (using a faster shutter speed) to keep the see-saw balanced.
Struggling with Manual Mode? The “Exposure Triangle” is one of the first things we master on our Beginners Photography Courses. We take the mystery out of the maths and get you shooting with confidence. Join us for a day in Yorkshire and master your camera.