stop number
- noun
- Specialized
:
número f-stop
- A lower stop number means a wider aperture and more exposure.
Examples
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The photographer adjusted the stop number to control the amount of light entering the camera.
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Many beginners confuse the stop number with shutter speed when learning about camera settings.
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The stop number determines how much light enters the camera.
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Many photographers consider the stop number essential for exposure.
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A lower stop number means a wider aperture and more exposure.
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The photographer adjusted the stop number to control the amount of light entering the camera.
-
Many beginners confuse the stop number with shutter speed when learning about camera settings.
Synonyms
72
8.5
How much light a camera lens lets in
1
7.8
A number showing how bright an image is, found by dividing focal length by lens diameter
A value that shows how wide a camera lens opens to let light in
Surface Forms
Morphology
The photographic sense of 'stop number' (an optical ratio indicating aperture) is a specialized technical term whose meaning is not derivable from 'stop' as a device that prevents movement or 'number' as a count. A B1 learner who knows the constituent words would not predict this optical ratio from the literal meanings, so the expression is idiomatic/technical and therefore opaque.
Etymology
Stop number comes from the idea of a stop, a hole that controls light, and a number that measures how much light passes. A low stop number means a wide hole and more light, a high one means a small hole and less light, so photographers use it to show the lens 'aperture' and control how much light reaches the camera.