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Exposure Value (EV) Calculator

Compute exposure value from aperture, shutter and ISO, adjust for ISO, and list equivalent exposure settings.

About this tool

Exposure Value (EV) Calculator is a free, in-browser tool that turns any aperture, shutter speed and ISO into a single exposure value and lists equivalent settings that give the same exposure. Enter your f-number, shutter time (fractions like 1/125 work) and ISO to see the EV instantly. Nothing is uploaded — the math runs on your device.

Exposure value at ISO 100 is EV = log2(N²/t), where N is the f-number and t the shutter time in seconds. Raising ISO lets you meter darker scenes, so the ISO-adjusted value is EV = log2(N²/t) − log2(ISO/100). For example f/16 at 1/125 and ISO 100 gives log2(256/0.008) ≈ 15 — the classic Sunny 16 value. A lighting-reference selector loads a target EV (Sunny 16 = EV 15, cloudy = EV 13, sunset = EV 10, indoors = EV 7) and lists matching aperture and shutter pairs at your ISO.

Use it to swap settings without changing exposure — open up two stops of aperture and the tool shows the faster shutter that keeps the same EV — or to sanity-check a meter reading against known lighting conditions.

Frequently asked questions

What exactly is an exposure value?
EV is a single number describing a combination of aperture and shutter that all give the same exposure. At ISO 100 it is log2(N²/t): every whole step is one stop, so f/8 at 1/250 and f/11 at 1/125 share the same EV.
How does ISO change the exposure value?
The tool subtracts log2(ISO/100) from the base EV. Doubling ISO (100 to 200) lowers the scene EV by one, reflecting that a higher ISO correctly exposes a scene one stop darker with the same aperture and shutter.
What does the lighting-reference selector do?
Each preset is a typical scene EV at ISO 100 — Sunny 16 is EV 15, overcast EV 12, a home interior EV 7. Selecting one lists equivalent aperture/shutter pairs for that light at your current ISO, a quick starting point when your meter is unavailable.
Are my settings kept private?
Yes. Aperture, shutter and ISO are processed entirely in your browser and are never uploaded anywhere.

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