Exposure Tools

Exposure Tools

Fast calculators and cheat sheets for real shooting situations. No downloads. Come back anytime.

Shutter speed helper

Gives a conservative minimum shutter speed for handheld shots, combining focal length, crop factor, stabilization, and subject motion.

ND filter calculator

Convert shutter speeds when adding ND, or solve how many stops you need to reach a target shutter.

Sunny 16 helper

A fast starting point for daylight exposures. Great when the meter lies or you want quick sanity checks.

Flash guide number (GN)

Solve aperture for a distance, or solve maximum distance for a chosen aperture. Assumes direct flash, ISO affects GN via square root.

Reciprocity (film long exposures)

This is a rule of thumb. Real reciprocity depends on film stock. Always check your film datasheet for accurate corrections.

Cheat sheets

Starting points you can tweak. These are intentionally simple and practical.

Outdoor portrait (daylight)

  • Start: ISO 100, f/2 to f/4, 1/1000 to 1/250
  • AF: Eye AF or single point on eye
  • Tip: If face is in shade, expose for the face and watch highlights

Indoor event

  • Start: ISO 1600 to 6400, f/1.8 to f/2.8, 1/250+
  • AF: AF-C / Servo, face detect if it works
  • Tip: Motion blur is the real enemy, raise ISO first

Night street (handheld)

  • Start: ISO 1600 to 12800, f/1.4 to f/2.8, 1/125+
  • Tip: Use stabilization but do not let shutter get too slow for people
  • Tip: Watch mixed lighting, set WB manually if needed

Landscape (tripod)

  • Start: ISO 100, f/8 to f/11, shutter as needed
  • Tip: Use 2s timer or remote to avoid shake
  • Tip: If windy, raise shutter speed and accept higher ISO

Sports (daylight)

  • Start: ISO 200 to 1600, f/2.8 to f/5.6, 1/1000 to 1/2000
  • AF: Continuous, tracking, high burst
  • Tip: Prefer shutter speed over everything else

Astro (basic)

  • Start: ISO 3200, f/1.4 to f/2.8, 10s to 20s
  • Tip: Manual focus, magnify, focus on a bright star
  • Tip: If stars trail, shorten shutter first

Note: calculators are guides, not guarantees. Cameras, technique, and subject motion vary.