How does aperture setting and camera (or is it film) speed affect the image?

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Question:

I'm shopping for my first film camera (film is cheaper than digital)!. I want to find the best for what I want to do, as well as find out what kind of film and what lens I'll need to get!. I want to do get some kind of telephoto lens and I also want to be able to do night photography around the city and the beach area I'm going to in a month!.

I'm having trouble figuring out how aperture and speed affect the photograph!. I wish I could find example pictures that showed visually what the effects look like!. I mean, when you are shooting the picture and looking through the eye piece, can you visibly see the difference that the f/stop and whatever 'speed' refers to, or is that something where you don't see if it worked out well or poorly until you develop the film (and then realize you wasted all that time and a roll of film for pictures that didn't work out)!?Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

Samples here to show you!.

At different aperture settings:

http://www!.flickr!.com/photos/little_pook!.!.!.

Another

http://www!.flickr!.com/photos/little_pook!.!.!.

http://www!.flickr!.com/photos/little_pook!.!.!.

Above, left at f 1!.8, right at f 5!.6

Different focal lengths:

http://www!.flickr!.com/photos/little_pook!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Here is the short answer!.
When you are focusing your camera you probably not see the image as it appears on film (or the digital version) for a number of reasons:
a!. The lens aperture ('f' stop) of the camera is usually fully open when you are taking the picture and therefore you can't see the effect of depth of field would be at the actual taking aperture!. In short, you will see less depth-of-field in the viewfinder!.

b!. Most viewfinders actually only show about 90% of what the total image is on film!. This is generally good as you probably would like to "crop" when you print the image anyway!.

c!. Shutter speed is a whole different thing and since you cannot exactly "see" during the moment of exposure it is impossible to judge what will happen at that "decisive moment!."

d!. Shutter speed controls the stopping of action, while 'f' stop controls depth of field, since both of those adjustments work in conjunction with each other to control exposure, you will need to decide which is the most important to get the visual effect you are trying to achieve!.
e!. The "Sunny 'f' 16 rule" will probably get you close in exposure for daylight situations, but at night, you need to experiment and go by what you learn!. Night photography is a whole field into itself and there are many books covering details on the subject!.

The other answers will give you the responsibility to delve deeper into your topic and eventually learn a whole lot more than you were askingWww@QuestionHome@Com

You should get a photography magazine or book from the library- they'll show you what affects what!.
I believe digital is cheaper actually, depending on what sort of photography you want to do though!. And film cameras are becoming extinct practically!.
Get a disposable camera if you're on holiday as they're cheapish and if you lose them it's not as bad!.
You probably ought to get digital- it's said that you're lucky to get
one good shot on a roll of film with film!.

I believe aperture is the focus point!. The little window that covers the lens!. Small aperture focuses on objects far away, i think!. get lots of books out of the library!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

PLEASE!.!.!.!. completely ignore your first, (kelby's), answer!.!.!. it only reinforces my desire that there was some kind of qualification tests to take to be able to answer questions in certain categories!. That answer is so ridiculous and WRONG it is pitiful!.

Now!.!.!. Edwin!.!.!. gave you a GREAT answer!. Do follow his advice and read the book!. If you do otherwise you will only be in for aggravation and lots of wasted money and will end up hating photography and / or film only because you did not take the time to educate yourself!.

We cannot teach you photography in a few sentences on this forum!.

steveWww@QuestionHome@Com

Buy a copy of "Object & Image: An Introduction To Photography, Third Edition" by George M!. Craven!. Most all your questions will be answered in that book!.

The Pentax K1000 is a 35mm 100% manual camera that is great to learn with!. Get it with a 50mm f1!.7 lens and the Owner's Manual!.

Here is a brief explanation of the aperture (f-stop), ISO and shutter!.

The aperture is the opening made by the blades of the diaphgram inside the lens!. An f-stop of f1!.7 is very large and admits all the available light!. An f-stop of f-16 is very small and admits very little light!. The aperture also affects what is known as Depth of Field (DOF)!.DOF is defined as that part of a scene in front of and behind the main subject that is in focus!. If you shoot wide-open (f1!.7) there will be minimal DOF!. At f-16 there will be maximum DOF!.

ISO is a measurement of the sensitivity to light of a light sensitive surface, whether film or digital sensor!. An ISO of 100 is considered slow; an ISO of 400 is fast!. On a nice sunny day I usually use ISO 100 film!. On overcast or very windy days I'll use ISO 400 film!.

The shutter controls how long the light is allowed to expose our film!. The more light admitted by our lens (f1!.7, f2) the faster our shutter speed; the less light admitted (f11, f16) the slower our shutter speed!.

Let's look at a hypothetical example using ISO 100 on a bright sunny day:

f1!.4 @ 1/1000
f2 @ 1/500
f2!.8 @ 1/250
f4 @ 1/125
f5!.6 @ 1/60
f8 @ 1/30
f11 @ 1/15
f16 @ 1/8

Once you buy "Object & Image" this will all become more understandable!.

I am a dedicated film user!. I won't claim to get 36 perfect pictures on a 36 exposure roll but I've gone 35 for 36!. Whoever told that person that you'd be lucky to get 1 good picture off a roll of film realy knows nothing about photography!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

The thing about FILM photography is that you learn as you go on!. You can learn the theory of it from books and tv medium, but only in practical application you will have a better understanding of it!. Time and money is main factor of it - spending and waiting for your film to developed!. You can't see what your film will see through your viewfinder!. However as you get more experienced, you will developed an eye for it!. Most good photographers see their subject through the negative point of view rather than the human point of view!. We see thing physiologically, what I mean is that our brain adjust to what we see!.
Now why bother with film!? Film photographers versus Digital photographers tend to developed better discipline - because of cost and time!. You can developed that with digital if you don't succumb to its conveniences!.
It's not really wasting time and a roll of film if you are learning from your mistake!. Photography classes, will help you learn faster and probably with less expenses!.
Nikon cameras are good cameras - eBay has them!.

The type of film you use will determine how your images will developed!. ASA/ISO 100 - 2000 = Bright sunny day to night photography!. You will need a tripod if you are shooting less than 125 speed of your camera which you will with night photography!. There are a lot of information given by other posters that tells you more about the technical aspect of it!.

Here' an example of night photography dealing with aperture in comparison - the site has also a lot of technical aspect of photography!.
http://www!.photoxels!.com/tutorial-night-!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com