Understanding Aperture, the f-value

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What is Aperture ?

Aperture is the opening in a lens through which light passes to enter the camera.

In photography Aperture plays the similar role of an iris in your eye. It is opened and closed to control the amount of light that can pass through. The aperture is mentioned in ‘f values’ in photography. 

F-values or F-stops

Aperture is measured or defined in f values or f stops and is denoted with ‘f’ followed by a number , say f8. 

Larger the f value smaller will be opening in the lens and smaller f values denote wider opening in the lens. It can be represented as below :

Aperture also controls the Depth of Field in a picture. Depth of field is the focus plane area in a picture where the elements are in sharp focus or sharper than the rest of the planes. In simple words Depth of Field is the area in focus in a picture. Read more about Depth of Field.