Exposure Value (EV) Chart
Printable exposure value chart: EV -6 to +17 with scene examples, the shutter speed at f/1.0, and the aperture needed for 1/125 s — all at ISO 100.
Exposure value (EV) is a single number that describes how bright a scene is. The formula, at ISO 100, is EV = log₂(N²/t), where N is the f-number and t the shutter time in seconds. Each step of +1 EV doubles the light. Every row below is computed from that formula — nothing approximate.
EV reference table (ISO 100)
| EV | Typical scene (approx.) | Shutter at f/1.0 | Aperture for 1/125 s |
|---|---|---|---|
| -6 | Starlit night sky | 64 s | — |
| -5 | Aurora / deep twilight | 32 s | — |
| -4 | Night landscape, faint aurora | 16 s | — |
| -3 | Night under bright moonlight | 8 s | — |
| -2 | Full-moon night landscape | 4 s | — |
| -1 | Late dusk, lit skyline | 2 s | — |
| 0 | Very dim interior / candlelight at distance | 1 s | — |
| 1 | Candlelit close-up | 1/2 s | — |
| 2 | Dim indoor lighting | 1/4 s | — |
| 3 | City night, street-lit | 1/8 s | — |
| 4 | Home interiors at night | 1/16 s | — |
| 5 | Bright indoor / dusk sports | 1/32 s | — |
| 6 | Overcast evening / office light | 1/64 s | — |
| 7 | Open shade, late sun | 1/128 s | f/1.0 |
| 8 | Overcast day / bright shade | 1/256 s | f/1.4 |
| 9 | Bright overcast | 1/512 s | f/2.0 |
| 10 | Hazy sun | 1/1024 s | f/2.9 |
| 11 | Light clouds, sunlight | 1/2048 s | f/4.0 |
| 12 | Bright daylight | 1/4096 s | f/5.7 |
| 13 | Sunny, light haze | 1/8192 s | f/8.1 |
| 14 | Full sun, light sand or snow | 1/16384 s | f/11.4 |
| 15 | Bright sun (sunny 16) | 1/32768 s | f/16.2 |
| 16 | Snow or beach in full sun | 1/65536 s | f/22.9 |
| 17 | Very bright snow or water | 1/131072 s | — |
How to use it
Meter the scene (your camera shows EV in some modes, or estimate from the table), then pick any aperture/shutter pair on the same EV line. Want the exact equivalents — including ISO changes? Use the free exposure calculator, which does this for your camera in one click.
Related tools & guides
Exposure Equivalence Calculator
EV and equivalent aperture/shutter/ISO combinations, live.
Open →ND Filter Calculator
Turn a base exposure into the shutter time for any filter.
Open →Exposure Triangle Explained
Aperture, shutter and ISO — how they trade off.
Read →Shutter Speed Chart
The right speed for every subject, printable.
Read →EV FAQ
What is exposure value (EV)?
EV = log₂(N²/t) at ISO 100 — one number that encodes aperture and shutter together. Brighter scene = higher EV.
Why is EV measured at ISO 100?
Convention. The same scene has the same EV regardless of ISO; your ISO choice just changes which aperture/shutter pairs keep the exposure correct.
What is sunny 16?
In bright sun at f/16, the correct shutter is 1/ISO seconds — that's EV 15 at ISO 100. The chart shows EV 15 ↔ f/16 at 1/125 s for ISO 100.