Exposure Triangle Simulator

Camera settings cheat sheet

Starting settings for the situations you shoot most. Load any row into the simulator above to see the result, then adjust. These are starting points for a full-frame camera. The meter always has the final say.

Tap the scene to focus
M 1/250 f/2.8 ISO 200 50mm

Light budget

Histogram & aperture

shadows0.0% clippedhighlights

What the camera is telling you

    Training missions 0 / 6

    Your shots

    Key takeaways

    The short version

    • Portraits: f/1.8–f/2.8, 1/250 s or faster, lowest workable ISO.
    • Landscapes: f/8–f/11, ISO 100, tripod if below 1/focal length.
    • Sports: 1/1000 s or faster, wide aperture, Auto ISO.
    • Sunny day: f/16 at 1/125 s, ISO 100.

    Last updated · Exposure Triangle Simulator editorial team · How we test

    Cheat sheet

    Settings by situation

    SituationApertureShutterISO
    Sunny day (Sunny 16)f/161/125100
    Portrait, soft backgroundf/21/250100
    Portrait, extreme blurf/1.41/500100
    Landscape, all sharpf/111/250100
    Sports and trafficf/2.81/1000200
    Motion blur, tripodf/81/8400
    Blue hour, tripodf/81"100
    Night street, handheldf/1.81/602500
    Light trails, tripodf/88"100
    Indoor, window lightf/2.81/125800
    Stars, tripodf/2.815"–20"3200–6400
    Rules of thumb

    Five rules worth memorizing

    1. Sunny 16: in bright sun, f/16 at 1/ISO. More
    2. 1/focal length: the slowest safe handheld shutter speed. More
    3. Choose what matters first: motion means shutter first, depth means aperture first, ISO last.
    4. Protect the highlights: blown whites can't be recovered, dark shadows usually can.
    5. Sharp beats clean: raise ISO before you accept a blurry photo. More
    By lens

    Minimum handheld shutter speed by lens

    Focal lengthFull frameAPS-C (×1.5)With 4 stops of stabilization
    24mm1/251/401/2
    35mm1/401/501/3
    50mm1/501/801/4
    85mm1/1001/1251/6
    135mm1/1601/2001/10
    200mm1/2001/3201/13

    Stabilization helps with your hands, not with moving subjects.

    Page 1 of the free Camera Settings Cheat Sheet PDF, showing the ISO chart
    Free download

    Get the printable camera settings cheat sheet

    Two pages to keep in your camera bag: the full ISO chart, settings for 10 common shots, handheld shutter speeds by lens, ND filter times and the five rules worth memorizing.

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    FAQ

    Frequently asked questions

    What are the best camera settings for beginners?

    Aperture Priority at f/4, Auto ISO with a maximum of 6400 and a minimum shutter speed of 1/250. It handles most situations while you learn.

    What are good settings for portraits?

    f/1.8 to f/2.8, 1/250 or faster, the lowest ISO that gives a correct exposure, and focus on the nearest eye.

    What are good settings for landscapes?

    f/8 to f/11, ISO 100, and whatever shutter speed balances the exposure, on a tripod if it drops below 1/focal length.

    What are good settings for sports?

    Shutter Priority or Manual at 1/1000 or faster, the widest aperture your lens has, and Auto ISO.