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What is the Sunny 16 rule and does it apply to digital?


e_lin

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The Sunny 16 rule means that on a sunny day, you can set your shutter speed to the reciprocal of your film speed (or whatever's closest), and the aperture to f16 *or any equivalent combination.*

 

For example, if you're shooting 100 speed film, you would shoot 1/125 sec at f16, or 1/250 at f8, or 1/500 at f4, etc. With ISO 50 speed film, that becomes 1/60 at f16, or 1/125 at f8, 1/250 at f4, etc.

 

I don't know if it works as well with digital, but I don't see why not. It would be fun to try experimenting to see.

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aside from what has been explained, remember that the digital camera ISO rating is not what you think for a film. You have to test the ISO yourself to be sure it matches the same rated films. Often the ISO 50 in a digital camera is 65 or so. They tend to under rate the ISO in the specs.
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As I recollect use 1/ASA at f16 for bright sun, (open two stops) f8 for overcast skies

and (three stops) f5.6 for shade. So for bright sun you could shoot 1/(ASA * 4) at f8.

Since one of my cameras does not have a light meter (or a battery for that matter),

these rules are useful.

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No, it doesn't apply.

 

Well... the concept is the same, but since there is no f/16 and since you can check the actual exposure on the LCD before AND after the snapshot, I don't really see this rule being tremendously helpful.

 

However... don't forget digitals also include SLRs and medium format backs... both of which DO have f/16.

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