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a sony camera mounted on a tripod

Using Aperture Priority

Understanding aperture unlocks your creative potential, allowing you to shape the mood and story of every photo you take.

Aperture controls how much light enters your camera and affects the depth of field. A wide aperture (low f-number) creates a blurry background, making your subject stand out. A narrow aperture (high f-number) keeps more of the scene in focus, which is great for landscapes.

sony camera mode dial showing aperture priority

Using Aperture Priority mode on your Sony Alpha camera is a great way to take control of your photos while keeping things simple. You choose the aperture to get the background blur or keep everything in focus and the camera automatically sets the right shutter speed for a well-exposed image. This lets you focus on your creativity and composition without worrying about all the technical details.

Why use this mode?

man up to his neck in a swamp

Blur the background

Large aperture

© Morten Rygaard

mount fuji behind a tree with red leaves

Everything in focus

Small aperture

© Albert Dros

silhouette of a tree with the aurora behind

Good for low-light

Large aperture

© Mads Peter Iversen

What is an Aperture?

A lens aperture is the opening in a camera lens that lets light in. A bigger opening means more light and a brighter photo, while a smaller opening lets in less light. It also affects how much of the picture is in focus.

Aperture blades

These are blades inside the lens that control the size of the opening and how much light is let through.

Apertures are represented by ƒ-Numbers. The larger the number, the smaller the opening.

F2 aperture example

Large aperture

F16 aperture example

Small aperture

What is the effect of Aperture?

shallow depth of field example

Large Aperture - More Defocus

deep depth of field example

Small Aperture - Less Defocus

How to set Aperture on your Alpha

Set your camera's mode dial to the A setting (Aperture Priority)

Use the dials on the front of the grip, the top of the camera or the back of the camera to change the Aperture (The ƒ-number).

sony camera mode dial showing aperture priority

alpha 7 aperture setting example

alpha 6700 aperture setting example

alpha 7 aperture display example

Aperture examples

Click through to see examples taken at different apertures

man up to his neck in a swamp

© Morten Rygaard

couple in the street embracing

© John Makris

close up of daisies

© Albert Dros

ladybird walking over vegetation

© Albert Dros

bowl of green soup

© Kate Kirkman

looking upward at trees in the forest

© Albert Dros

a lone tree on a misty morning

© Albert Dros

mount fuji seen through red leaves

© Albert Dros

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