If using an exposure of f/8 and 1/125th second, what would be a better reciprocal exposure combination?

When considering reciprocal exposure combinations, the goal is to maintain the same overall exposure by adjusting both the aperture and shutter speed. The original exposure settings are f/8 (aperture) and 1/125th of a second (shutter speed).

To determine a valid reciprocal combination, we need to remember that opening up the aperture (decreasing the f-stop number) allows more light and requires a faster shutter speed to maintain exposure, while closing down the aperture (increasing the f-stop number) allows less light and necessitates a slower shutter speed.

In the case of f/11 and 1/60th of a second, f/11 is one stop darker than f/8. To compensate for this reduced light coming through the aperture, we use a slower shutter speed, moving from 1/125th to 1/60th of a second, which is approximately one stop slower. Therefore, this combination maintains equivalent exposure because the increase in shutter duration compensates for the decrease in the aperture size.

This understanding of stops and how they affect exposure is critical in achieving correct exposure settings when modifying one parameter (aperture or shutter speed) while adjusting the other accordingly.