Which option best describes the effect of increasing the f-number on depth of field?

Increasing the f-number, or aperture value, on a camera results in a greater depth of field. This is because a higher f-number signifies a smaller aperture opening, allowing less light to reach the camera sensor. When the aperture is smaller, more of the scene, both in front of and behind the subject, falls within the zone of acceptable sharpness. As a result, more of the background and foreground are in focus, which is particularly beneficial for landscape photography where capturing detail throughout the scene is often desired.

This concept is fundamentally tied to the principles of optics and photography; a larger f-number reduces the size of the blur circle for out-of-focus areas, thereby extending the range of distances that appear sharp in the photograph.