Sunny 16 Rule Calculator
The Sunny 16 rule is a classic way to get a correct exposure in daylight without a light meter: on a bright sunny day set the aperture to f/16 and the shutter speed to roughly one over your ISO. This calculator extends that idea to a range of lighting conditions, so you pick how bright it is and it gives you a matching aperture and shutter speed for your chosen ISO. It also lists equivalent exposures, letting you swap to a wider aperture with a faster shutter while keeping the same brightness. Film photographers and anyone shooting a manual camera use this to nail exposure by eye, and it is a great way to build intuition for how aperture, shutter, and ISO trade off. Every calculation runs locally in your browser with nothing sent to a server.
How to use Sunny 16 Rule Calculator
- Enter your ISO.
- Select the lighting condition such as bright sun or overcast.
- Read the recommended aperture and shutter speed.
- Adjust aperture and let the tool rebalance shutter.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Sunny 16 rule?
On a bright sunny day, set aperture to f/16 and shutter speed to the reciprocal of your ISO, so at ISO 100 you use about 1/100 second. The tool applies this and adjusts for other light conditions.
How does it handle cloudy or shady light?
It opens the aperture by set amounts for conditions such as slight overcast, overcast, and open shade, giving the equivalent settings without a meter.
When is Sunny 16 most useful?
It shines for film cameras without a meter or as a sanity check on a digital meter reading in consistent daylight.
What is Sunny 16 Rule Calculator?
The Sunny 16 rule is a classic way to get a correct exposure in daylight without a light meter: on a bright sunny day set the aperture to f/16 and the shutter speed to roughly one over your ISO. This calculator extends that idea to a range of lighting conditions, so you pick how bright it is and it gives you a matching aperture and shutter speed for your chosen ISO.
Is Sunny 16 Rule Calculator free to use?
Yes. Sunny 16 Rule Calculator is completely free, with no sign-up and no usage limits.
Does Sunny 16 Rule Calculator work in a web browser?
Yes. Sunny 16 Rule Calculator runs in any modern web browser. There is nothing to download or install.
Is my data private with Sunny 16 Rule Calculator?
Yes. Sunny 16 Rule Calculator runs entirely on your device in your browser, so nothing you enter is uploaded to a server.
Badge
Link this tool from a README, doc or site. The badge links back to this page.
[](https://yourhack.ai/sunny-16-calculator)