Aperture

f/10 aperture

Depth of field, diffraction and exposure numbers for f/10.

f/10
Aperture
6.6
Stops less light than f/1
1.00%
Light vs f/1
2.43 m
DoF: 50 mm at 3 m (FF)
13.4 µm
Airy disk diameter

Depth of field at f/10 (full frame)#

Focalat 1 mat 2 mat 5 mat 10 mHyperfocal
16 mm∞∞∞∞86.9 cm
24 mm1.37 m∞∞∞1.94 m
35 mm50.1 cm2.50 m∞∞4.12 m
50 mm23.1 cm99.0 cm9.18 m∞8.38 m
85 mm7.6 cm32.0 cm2.13 m9.91 m24.2 m
135 mm2.8 cm12.3 cm80.6 cm3.34 m60.9 m
200 mm1.2 cm5.4 cm36.0 cm1.48 m134 m

Diffraction at f/10#

Diffraction softening becomes visible at 100% once the Airy disk spans more than about two pixels. It is a gradual effect, not a cliff.

SensorPixel pitchAiry disk / pixelPixel-level sharpness
Full frame 24 MP6.00 µm2.2×slight softening
Full frame 45 MP4.39 µm3.1×slight softening
Full frame 61 MP3.79 µm3.5×diffraction-limited
APS-C 24 MP3.92 µm3.4×diffraction-limited
APS-C 40 MP3.04 µm4.4×diffraction-limited
Micro Four Thirds 20 MP3.34 µm4.0×diffraction-limited
1-inch 20 MP2.41 µm5.6×diffraction-limited
Smartphone 1/1.3" 50 MP1.17 µm11.5×diffraction-limited

f/10 on smaller sensors equals…#

Exposure (brightness) is the same at a given f-number on every format; equivalence describes depth of field and total light.

Used onFull-frame equivalent depth of field
APS-C (1.5×)f/15.0
Canon APS-C (1.6×)f/16.0
Micro Four Thirds (2×)f/20.0
1-inch (2.7×)f/27.0

Shutter speed at f/10#

LightISO 100ISO 400ISO 1600ISO 6400
EV 15 · Bright sun, distinct shadows (Sunny 16)1/320 s1/1250 s1/5000 stoo bright
EV 13 · Cloudy-bright, no shadows1/80 s1/320 s1/1250 s1/5000 s
EV 12 · Heavy overcast / open shade1/40 s1/160 s1/640 s1/2500 s
EV 10 · Just after sunset1/10 s1/40 s1/160 s1/640 s
EV 8 · Bright interior, city street at night0.4 s1/10 s1/40 s1/160 s
EV 5 · Home interior at night3.2 s0.8 s1/5 s1/20 s
EV 2 · Distant city lights25 s6 s1.6 s0.4 s
EV -2 · Moonlit landscape> 4 min2 min25 s6 s

When to use f/10#

f/10 is a go-to setting for landscapes and architecture needing front-to-back sharpness on full frame, and sunstars.

Other apertures#

Frequently asked questions#

Is f/10 a wide aperture?

No — f/10 is a small (narrow) aperture. Smaller numbers mean larger openings.

How much light does f/10 let in compared to f/2.8?

0.08× (-3.7 stops).

Last updated October 03, 2026 · How we calculate · Sources

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