When the aperture size of a camera lens is increased by one f-stop, what happens to the amount of light transmitted through the lens?

When the aperture size of a camera lens is increased by one f-stop, the amount of light transmitted through the lens is doubled. This is due to the way f-stops work; each full f-stop change either increases or decreases the aperture area by a factor of two.

F-stops represent a logarithmic scale of the aperture size. For instance, moving from an aperture of f/4 to f/2.8 (one full stop larger) increases the area of the aperture through which light can enter by allowing twice as much light to hit the sensor or film. This doubling effect is a fundamental principle in photography, as larger apertures allow more light to pass through, enhancing exposure, particularly in low-light conditions.

In contrast, options that suggest the light is halved or remains the same misinterpret the relationship between f-stops and light transmission. The idea of light increasing fourfold would incorrectly imply two full stops of aperture change, rather than just one. Understanding how each f-stop correlates with light allows photographers to make informed decisions on exposure settings.