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What is an Ev? What is a stop?
Ev stands for exposure value. The term stop comes from the name of aperture plates used in early
lenses. A change of one Ev or one stop will adjust the exposure calculated by the camera by a factor
of two.
Change in Ev Change in stops Adjustment to exposure
+2.0 Ev
+1.0 Ev
0.0 Ev
–1.0 Ev
–2.0 Ev
+2 stops
+1 stop
–1 stop
–2 stops
4X as much light
2X as much light
1/2 as much light
1/4 as much light
Calculated exposure
–2.0Ev–1.0EvCalculated camera
exposure
Sometimes the camera’s exposure meter is deceived by certain conditions. Exposure compensation
can be used in these situations. For example, a very bright scene, such as a snowy landscape or a
white sandy beach, can appear too dark in the captured image. Before taking the picture, adjusting
the exposure by +1 or +2 EV will result in an image with normal tonal values.
In the example above, the dark water caused the camera to overexpose the image making it bright
and washed-out. By compensating the exposure, detail is brought out in the leaves, and the stones
and water appear richer.