What does aperture mean?

Pronunciation

/ˈæpər.tʃər/ 🔊

Part of Speech

Noun

Definition

A term in photography that refers to the size of the opening in the lens, controlling the amount of light that enters the camera, and affecting the depth of field and focus.

Examples

• The photographer adjusted the aperture to create a shallow depth of field.
• A wide aperture allows more light to enter the camera, resulting in a brighter image.

Synonyms

• F-Stop
• Lens Opening

Antonyms

• Closed Aperture
• Small Opening

Additional Information

A larger aperture (smaller f-stop number) results in a shallower depth of field, while a smaller aperture (larger f-stop number) results in a deeper depth of field. Aperture is an essential aspect of photography, as it controls the brightness and focus of an image.

In addition to photography, the term aperture is also used in other fields such as astronomy, where it refers to the diameter of a telescope’s primary mirror or lens.

Understanding aperture is crucial for photographers to achieve the desired effect in their images. It requires a balance between aperture, shutter speed, and ISO to capture a well-exposed and in-focus image.

Eymology

The term “aperture” comes from the Latin word “apertus,” meaning “open” or “opened.”

Usage Notes

In photography, aperture is often used interchangeably with f-stop, although technically, f-stop is a ratio of the lens opening to the focal length.

Cultural References

The concept of aperture has been featured in various photography-themed films and TV shows, such as “Blow-Up” (1966) and “Legion” (2017-2019).

Idiomatic Expressions or Phrases

• “Open up the aperture” (to increase the lens opening)
• “Stop down the aperture” (to decrease the lens opening)

Related Words or Phrases

• F-Stop
• Shutter Speed
• ISO

Collocations

• Wide aperture
• Small aperture
• Adjust the aperture

Frequency of Use

The term “aperture” is commonly used in photography and related fields, with a moderate frequency of use in everyday language.

Common Misspellings

• Apterture
• Apature
• Aperature