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Why is aperture backwards??

Posted: Fri Feb 26, 2021 1:35 pm
by PaulCarter2478
So, I get that larger f numbers like f/22 actually mean that it's a smaller opening and that smaller f number like f/2 is a big opening. I learned that thanks to a really helpful beginner video I just watched - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpdxMUWF0k0. But my question is this...WHY is the size of the aperture backwards from the numbers. Shouldn't f/22 be a big aperture since it's a big number and f/2 should be a small aperture since it's a small number???

Re: Why is aperture backwards??

Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2021 7:35 am
by Andy
Perhaps the simplest answer is because it is a ratio or a fraction and not a numerical "size" number :-). Lots of info out there if you google it :-)

Re: Why is aperture backwards??

Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2021 7:35 am
by Andy
Perhaps the simplest answer is because it is a ratio or a fraction and not a numerical "size" number :-). Lots of info out there if you google it :-)