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Photography vocabulary · Camera Parts & Settings

Aperture priority

Meaning in photography, with examples

nounCommon term

In photography, aperture priority means: A semi-automatic mode, marked A or Av, in which you choose the aperture and the camera chooses the shutter speed for a correct exposure.

In Turkish: diyafram önceliği, A modu, Av modu

How it is used

Probably the most popular mode among enthusiasts, because it gives quick control over depth of field. Photographers often combine it with auto ISO and exposure compensation. Av (aperture value) is Canon's name; most other brands use A.

Example sentences

  1. For street photography I use aperture priority at f/8 and let the camera handle the rest.

  2. In aperture priority, watch your shutter speed so it doesn't drop too low indoors.

Common collocations

  • shoot in aperture priority
  • aperture priority mode
  • aperture priority with auto ISO
  • shutter priorityA semi-automatic mode, marked S or Tv, in which you choose the shutter speed and the camera sets the aperture.
  • manual modeA camera mode, marked M on the dial, in which you set the aperture, shutter speed and usually the ISO yourself, and the camera changes nothing.
  • apertureThe adjustable opening inside a lens that lets light through. A wider opening lets in more light and gives a shallower depth of field.
  • exposure compensationA setting that tells the camera to make its automatic exposure brighter or darker, usually in steps of a third of a stop, shown as +1 or −0.7.

More terms: Camera Parts & Settings

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