What does autoexposure mean?
Autoexposure is a noun referring to the automatic mechanism by which a camera or other imaging device determines and sets its own exposure — that is, how much light reaches the sensor or film. Rather than requiring the photographer to choose values for aperture, shutter speed, and sensitivity manually, the camera measures the scene through its light metering system and selects appropriate settings on its own. The term appears most often in photography and videography contexts, frequently shortened to AE in camera menus and technical documentation. Common related phrases include autoexposure lock, which freezes the current exposure reading so it can be applied to a reframed shot, and autoexposure bracketing, which captures several frames at different brightness levels to guarantee one well-exposed result. Autoexposure is now standard in virtually all digital cameras and smartphones, where fast algorithms adjust exposure continuously as lighting changes, making accurate photographs achievable even for users with no technical knowledge of light metering.
nounA mechanism in cameras and other imaging devices that automatically adjusts exposure settings (such as aperture, shutter speed, and ISO) to achieve correct brightness without manual input.
- An automatic system in cameras and imaging devices that adjusts aperture, shutter speed, and/or ISO to produce correctly exposed images.
"The camera's autoexposure handled the shifting light as clouds drifted across the sun."
"Modern smartphones rely on sophisticated autoexposure algorithms to balance bright skies with shadowed foregrounds."
"He switched off autoexposure and set the shutter manually to capture the night sky without star trails."
Rarely pluralized since the word usually denotes a system or capability rather than countable instances.
"The two cameras' autoexposures responded very differently to the same backlit scene."
Your phone's camera makes dozens of exposure decisions per second — and you never see it happen, thanks to autoexposure quietly working behind every tap of the shutter button.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of autoexposure
Autoexposure is a compound formed from the Greek-derived prefix 'auto-' (meaning self) combined with 'exposure', from the Latin verb exponere, meaning to set forth or expose, via English exposure. The word arose in the twentieth century alongside the development of automatic light-metering technology in cameras, becoming widespread with the rise of electronic cameras in the latter half of the century. It shares its roots with words such as automatic, automate, and autonomous on one side, and expose and exposition on the other.
How autoexposure is actually used
Technical term used primarily in photography, videography, and consumer electronics contexts. Often abbreviated as AE. Frequently encountered in camera specifications, manuals, and enthusiast discussions; rare in everyday general conversation.
Easily confused with autoexposure
Overexposure means too much light has reached a sensor or film causing a washed-out image (or excessive public attention), whereas autoexposure is simply the automatic system that sets exposure levels.
Exposure is the general amount of light reaching an image sensor, while autoexposure refers specifically to the automatic control of that quantity.