Calculate the correct exposure triangle settings for any lighting condition with depth of field estimates.
Quick Answer:Use the Sunny 16 rule as a starting point: on a bright sunny day at ISO 100, shoot at f/16 with 1/100s shutter speed. Adjust for other conditions and use exposure compensation as needed.
Recommended Shutter Speed
Calculating... seconds
Exposure Value
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Target EV at ISO 100
Depth of Field
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Based on aperture
Shutter Speed (exact)
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In seconds
Tripod Needed?
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Below 1/60s recommended
Modern cameras with AI-assisted metering are excellent, but understanding manual exposure remains essential for creative control. In 2026, most mirrorless cameras offer ISO invariance up to ISO 800-1600, meaning you can safely underexpose and recover shadows in post-processing without significant noise penalty. For golden hour and blue hour photography, use exposure compensation of +0.5 to +1.0 EV to preserve highlight detail and warm tones. Remember: expose for highlights in digital photography, unlike film where you expose for shadows.
The Sunny 16 rule states that on a sunny day, the correct exposure at f/16 is a shutter speed equal to the reciprocal of the ISO. For example, at ISO 100, sunny conditions call for f/16 at 1/100 second. This corresponds to an Exposure Value (EV) of 15 at ISO 100. It serves as a reliable baseline when you do not have a light meter available.
Aperture directly controls depth of field. A wide aperture (low f-number like f/1.4 or f/2) creates a shallow depth of field with blurred backgrounds, ideal for portraits and isolating subjects. A narrow aperture (high f-number like f/11 or f/16) produces a deep depth of field where more of the scene is in focus, ideal for landscapes and architecture. Note that very narrow apertures (f/22) can cause diffraction softening.
Exposure Value (EV) is a number representing a combination of shutter speed and aperture that gives the same exposure. It is calculated as EV = log2(f-number squared / shutter speed in seconds). Each full EV step doubles or halves the amount of light. EV 0 corresponds to f/1.0 at 1 second exposure at ISO 100. Higher EV values indicate brighter scenes requiring less light gathering by the camera.