Aperture

f/11 aperture

Depth of field, diffraction and exposure numbers for f/11.

f/11
Aperture
6.9
Stops less light than f/1
0.83%
Light vs f/1
2.75 m
DoF: 50 mm at 3 m (FF)
14.8 µm
Airy disk diameter

Depth of field at f/11 (full frame)#

Focalat 1 mat 2 mat 5 mat 10 mHyperfocal
16 mm∞∞∞∞79.2 cm
24 mm1.63 m∞∞∞1.77 m
35 mm55.8 cm2.94 m∞∞3.75 m
50 mm25.5 cm1.10 m11.4 m∞7.63 m
85 mm8.4 cm35.3 cm2.36 m11.4 m22.0 m
135 mm3.1 cm13.5 cm88.8 cm3.69 m55.4 m
200 mm1.3 cm5.9 cm39.7 cm1.63 m121 m

Diffraction at f/11#

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 µm2.5×slight softening
Full frame 45 MP4.39 µm3.4×diffraction-limited
Full frame 61 MP3.79 µm3.9×diffraction-limited
APS-C 24 MP3.92 µm3.8×diffraction-limited
APS-C 40 MP3.04 µm4.9×diffraction-limited
Micro Four Thirds 20 MP3.34 µm4.4×diffraction-limited
1-inch 20 MP2.41 µm6.1×diffraction-limited
Smartphone 1/1.3" 50 MP1.17 µm12.6×diffraction-limited

f/11 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/16.5
Canon APS-C (1.6×)f/17.6
Micro Four Thirds (2×)f/22.0
1-inch (2.7×)f/29.7

Shutter speed at f/11#

LightISO 100ISO 400ISO 1600ISO 6400
EV 15 · Bright sun, distinct shadows (Sunny 16)1/250 s1/1000 s1/4000 stoo bright
EV 13 · Cloudy-bright, no shadows1/60 s1/250 s1/1000 s1/4000 s
EV 12 · Heavy overcast / open shade1/30 s1/125 s1/500 s1/2000 s
EV 10 · Just after sunset1/8 s1/30 s1/125 s1/500 s
EV 8 · Bright interior, city street at night0.5 s1/8 s1/30 s1/125 s
EV 5 · Home interior at night4 s1 s1/4 s1/15 s
EV 2 · Distant city lights30 s8 s2 s0.5 s
EV -2 · Moonlit landscape> 4 min2 min30 s8 s

When to use f/11#

f/11 is a go-to setting for landscapes and architecture needing front-to-back sharpness on full frame, and sunstars.

Detailed depth-of-field tables#

Other apertures#

Frequently asked questions#

Is f/11 a wide aperture?

No — f/11 is a small (narrow) aperture. Smaller numbers mean larger openings.

How much light does f/11 let in compared to f/2.8?

0.06× (-3.9 stops).

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