Assignment #7: DOF that bench!

[Nikolai]

We all worked very hard gathering those crops (http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=42251), so now it's the time to sit down on that old bench in the nearest park and think of ... DOF.

DOF, or Depth Of Field (wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depth_of_field), DOFMaster (http://www.dofmaster.com/)), is one of the major contributors to any image. Part of your image is in-focus, another is blurred - that's DOF.

Rule of thumb: the greater your focal length and the lower your f/number are, the smaller (or, in photo-speak, "shallower") your DOF will be. Shutter speed and ISO have no effect on it.

One of the interesting things to explore when playing with DOF is so called hyperfocal distance, the distance at which "farther" side of the in-focus area goes to infinity. The nearest one in this case should be at the half of the focus distance.

Now, what do we do for this class?

First of all, remember the bench? The primary subject of all our images for this assignment should be just it, a bench. Multiple benches are fine. Occupied benches are OK, but empty ones are more preferable (and you don't have to deal with the questions "why are you taking my picture?" :-).

But it's not enough. Each entry should consist of at least two, preferably three images. One's taken with the shallowest DOF (the most open available aperture), the other - with the deepest one (the highest aperture values). If possible, try to calculate the hyperfocal distance (HF) and bring the third entry with this hyperfocal setting.

Try not to change the focal length or camera position between the shots. Obviously, tripod would help, but if you don't have one handy - that's fine, too (remember - we're casual here:-).

As always, nice looking final images are very welcome, but the most important thing is to fulfill the assignment: get at least two shots of a bench with two opposite DOF values.

For the rest of the basic rules and index please check out this sticky (http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=41800).

Let's DOF! :D

PS.

For the educational purposes, please specify the following info:

With each entry: camera and lens used (so we could figure out the crop factor and such:-). Also, if the lens is not prime, the focal length used (it should stay the same for the entry)
With each image: the aperture used
With an HF image: the aperture and the HF distanceThanks!

[RTP]

One of the interesting things to explore when playing with DOF is so called hyperfocal distance, the distance at which "farther" side of the in-focus area goes to infinity. The nearest one in this case should be at the half of the focus distance.


Man, why can't I understand what you are saying. :scratch

I hope somebody posts a picture that explains this.

[Nikolai]

Man, why can't I understand what you are saying. :scratch

I hope somebody posts a picture that explains this.

I also hope somebody eventually will.. :rofl
In the mean time, DOFMaster (http://www.dofmaster.com) can provide some free reading.. :wink

[Antonio Correia]

I also hope somebody eventually will.. :rofl
In the mean time, DOFMaster (http://www.dofmaster.com) can provide some free reading.. :wink
You can be sure that I will post pictures of benches with DOF...:D
I was talking about this with my wife over dinner ...
Then, the conversation took other directions...
I hope to be sucessfull on this work. I'll try.
Tomorrow.
:thumb

[Nikolai]

I mean, office life reminds me a bit of a zigzag.
It is also very colorless usually, although you can see the life outside the windows:-)

Anyway - here are my first DOF entries. Taken handheld, in a spur, no time to calculate or set HF distance, so no extra credit for me :cry

All taken with Canon 30D + EF-S 10-22 at 22mm, aperture priority.

01: Deep DOF (f/22):

http://nik.smugmug.com/photos/95559780-L.jpg

02: Shallow DOF (f/4.5):

http://nik.smugmug.com/photos/95559811-L.jpg

Enjoy!

[ChrisJ]

But there had been a lot of people sitting on it.

f/4
http://chrisandjoy.smugmug.com/photos/95576861-L.jpg


f/11
http://chrisandjoy.smugmug.com/photos/95576860-L.jpg

The second isn't quite hyperfocal, and I could've gone to a smaller aperature. But it looks pretty good. This was with my 70-200 at 70mm. I can go back and re-shoot if I have the time.

[Nikolai]

But there had been a lot of people sitting on it.
f/4
f/11
The second isn't quite hyperfocal, and I could've gone to a smaller aperature. But it looks pretty good. This was with my 70-200 at 70mm. I can go back and re-shoot if I have the time.

Let's decree it a bench and be done with it:-)
Thanks for the entry! :thumb

[Antonio Correia]

This is my first attempt.
These kind of assignments is very good because it makes you to have a better knowledge of the equipment and makes you think.
This is far more difficult than the previous and that's good.
What I found more difficult so far is to set the lens to the HD.
Why? Because we have to measure the distance, look for the values in the table (http://antoniocorreia.smugmug.com/photos/86066459-S.jpg) or the circle (http://antoniocorreia.smugmug.com/photos/92005542-M.jpg), and introduce this in the camera.
We got to have time and be calm to do this work.
It's not like the others assignments: Point, make adjustments and shoot.
Here it requires patience, time and equipment.
Thank you Nikolai.
More will come. :barb
http://antoniocorreia.smugmug.com/photos/95611211-M.jpg http://antoniocorreia.smugmug.com/photos/95611205-M.jpg
Photo on the left: Date Taken: 2006-09-16 09:54:45 Date Digitized: 2006-09-16 09:54:45 Date Modified: 2006-09-16 11:35:47 Make: Canon Model: Canon EOS 20D Size: 3779x2598 Bytes: 3233942 Aperture: f/2.8 ISO: 200 Focal Length: 70mm (guess: 68mm in 35mm) Exposure Time: 0.0062s (1/160) Flash: Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode Exposure Program: Manual Exposure Bias: 0 ExposureMode: 1 White Balance: auto
Photo on the right:
Date Taken: 2006-09-16 09:53:48 Date Digitized: 2006-09-16 09:53:48 Date Modified: 2006-09-16 11:36:28 Make: Canon Model: Canon EOS 20D Size: 3779x2598 Bytes: 4039172 Aperture: f/16.0 ISO: 200 Focal Length: 70mm (guess: 68mm in 35mm) Exposure Time: 0.2s (1/5) Flash: Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode Exposure Program: Manual Exposure Bias: 0 ExposureMode: 1 White Balance: auto ColorSpace: sRGB

[Antonio Correia]

Another try
http://antoniocorreia.smugmug.com/photos/95612878-M.jpg http://antoniocorreia.smugmug.com/photos/95613207-M.jpg
http://antoniocorreia.smugmug.com/photos/95641452-M.jpg http://antoniocorreia.smugmug.com/photos/95641114-M.jpg

[Antonio Correia]

More


http://antoniocorreia.smugmug.com/photos/95634521-M.jpg http://antoniocorreia.smugmug.com/photos/95634845-M.jpg
http://antoniocorreia.smugmug.com/photos/95635151-M.jpg http://antoniocorreia.smugmug.com/photos/95635523-M.jpg
TOP LEFT
Date Taken: 2006-09-16 10:11:54 Date Digitized: 2006-09-16 10:11:54 Date Modified: 2006-09-16 15:30:45 Make: Canon Model: Canon EOS 20D Size: 3779x2598 Bytes: 3414900 Aperture: f/2.8 ISO: 200 Focal Length: 200mm (guess: 195mm in 35mm) Exposure Time: 0.0005s (1/2000) Flash: Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode Exposure Program: Manual Exposure Bias: 0 ExposureMode: 1 White Balance: auto
TOP RIGHT
Date Taken: 2006-09-16 10:12:03 Date Digitized: 2006-09-16 10:12:03 Date Modified: 2006-09-16 15:30:16 Make: Canon Model: Canon EOS 20D Size: 3779x2598 Bytes: 3883833 Aperture: f/2.8 ISO: 200 Focal Length: 200mm (guess: 195mm in 35mm) Exposure Time: 0.0005s (1/2000) Flash: Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode Exposure Program: Manual Exposure Bias: 0 ExposureMode: 1 White Balance: auto
BOTTOM RIGHT
Date Taken: 2006-09-16 10:12:42 Date Digitized: 2006-09-16 10:12:42 Date Modified: 2006-09-16 15:29:08 Make: Canon Model: Canon EOS 20D Size: 3779x2598 Bytes: 4659368 Aperture: f/20.0 ISO: 200 Focal Length: 200mm (guess: 195mm in 35mm) Exposure Time: 0.02s (1/50) Flash: Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode Exposure Program: Manual Exposure Bias: 0 ExposureMode: 1 White Balance: auto
BOTTOM LEFT
Date Taken: 2006-09-16 10:12:09 Date Digitized: 2006-09-16 10:12:09 Date Modified: 2006-09-16 15:29:47 Make: Canon Model: Canon EOS 20D Size: 3779x2598 Bytes: 3769591 Aperture: f/2.8 ISO: 200 Focal Length: 200mm (guess: 195mm in 35mm) Exposure Time: 0.0005s (1/2000) Flash: Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode Exposure Program: Manual Exposure Bias: 0 ExposureMode: 1 White Balance: auto ColorSpace:

[Nikolai]

Thank you very much, great entries! :thumb

I have a favor to ask: I forgot to request to specify certain parameters with each entry. Can you please check out the P.S. in the head post and modify your entries accordingly? Thanks!

[Swartzy]

28 mm ISO 100 F3.5 1/100 sec. Canon Rebel Xti....lots and lots of fun!

http://Swartzy.smugmug.com/photos/95689964-L.jpg

http://Swartzy.smugmug.com/photos/95689965-L.jpg

28mm ISO 100 F16 1/10

[Nikolai]

I went out to have a few shots of a local Thousand Oaks Arts Festival (http://nik.smugmug.com/gallery/1898152), and of course I cannot skip the DOF assignment :-)

The following shots were taken with Canon 30D + EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS USM, at 70mm, handheld.

#1: f/2.8:

http://nik.smugmug.com/photos/95698952-L.jpg

#2: f/27.0 (ISO 800 to keep the shutter speed in a handheld range)

http://nik.smugmug.com/photos/95698983-L.jpg

#3: Extra Credit! :barb
Hyperfocal shot: f/22, ISO 800 (same reason as #2),
focal distance 11m (~33ft), focused at the far end of the second bench

http://nik.smugmug.com/photos/95698983-L.jpg

This table, made with the help of DOFMaster (http://www.dofmaster.com) and printed to fit a wallet-side card, was used to calculate HF distance:

http://nik.smugmug.com/photos/79572762-L.jpg

[Nikolai]

28 mm ISO 100 F3.5 1/100 sec. Canon Rebel Xti....lots and lots of fun!
28mm ISO 100 F16 1/10

XTi.. already:-) Nice!

Nice work on the bench, too! :thumb

[Swartzy]

Lens: 28-135 IS (Canon) 60mm ISO 100 F/4.5 AV 1/800 sec.

http://Swartzy.smugmug.com/photos/95848948-L.jpg

ISO 100 60mm F/18 1/60 sec

http://Swartzy.smugmug.com/photos/95848947-L.jpg

[Antonio Correia]

http://antoniocorreia.smugmug.com/photos/86066459-M.jpg http://antoniocorreia.smugmug.com/photos/92005542-M.jpg
made with the help of DOFMaster (http://www.dofmaster.com/) printed and adapted to the lens I own.

[Nikolai]

Lens: 28-135 IS (Canon) 60mm
ISO 100 F/4.5 AV 1/800 sec.
ISO 100 60mm F/18 1/60 sec


Nice entry, thanks!
Quite an unusual angle at the bench, from the back:-) :D

[Nikolai]

....
However, with the carefull use of this circular instument I had not to change the aperture (!) to get a smaller DOF. I just worked with the the focus ring.
....

It's perfectly understandable that changing the focal length also affects DOF. However, it's very hard to compare pictures taken at different focal length to study the DOF effect. That's why it has been specifically asked to "freeze" the focal length and only operate with the aperture to change the DOF.

Another thing....
You post contains a lot of nice material, but it's very hard to analyze. :dunno

It would help everybody if instead of hard-to-read EXIF data you'd just have specified what was originally required (and what is, unfortunately, missing in your otherwise great post), i.e.:

For the educational purposes, please specify the following info:

With each entry: camera and lens used (so we could figure out the crop factor and such:-). Also, if the lens is not prime, the focal length used (it should stay the same for the entry)
With each image: the aperture used
With an HF image: the aperture and the HF distance

Thank you, I'm looking forward to your edits and new entries! :thumb

Obrigado!

[Antonio Correia]

It's perfectly understandable that changing the focal length also affects DOF. However, it's very hard to compare pictures taken at different focal length to study the DOF effect. That's why it has been specifically asked to "freeze" the focal length and only operate with the aperture to change the DOF.

Another thing....
You post contains a lot of nice material, but it's very hard to analyze. :dunno

It would help everybody if instead of hard-to-read EXIF data you'd just have specified what was originally required (and what is, unfortunately, missing in your otherwise great post), i.e.:


Thank you, I'm looking forward to your edits and new entries! :thumb

Obrigado! Nikolai,
I have kept the focal lens in each sequence of the posted pictures.
And so have I done in the sequence here.
All at 35 mm 1/50 - f 4,0.
Position varied a bit because I had to focus on different distances.
All received the same treatment.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________
1.st one the focus was set in the lens to 3,70m. The bench and the fruit focused.
http://antoniocorreia.smugmug.com/photos/95886672-L.jpg http://antoniocorreia.smugmug.com/photos/95887258-M.jpg
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
2.ed one the focus was set in the lens to 2,60 m. Only he bench focused
http://antoniocorreia.smugmug.com/photos/95888119-L.jpg http://antoniocorreia.smugmug.com/photos/95888962-M.jpg
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
3.ed one the focus was set in the lens to 7,00m. Only the fruit focused.
http://antoniocorreia.smugmug.com/photos/95889731-L.jpg http://antoniocorreia.smugmug.com/photos/95890194-M.jpg
__________

[Antonio Correia]

I felt here, as the most difficult part, the measurements of the distances even using with my http://antoniocorreia.smugmug.com/photos/86065435-Th.jpg distance meter and
the absence of dots in the barrel of the lens as in the old times

Look at the HD when you are using the lens at 150mm. How can you measure this distance ?
221,5 at f5.6 !
It is possible but with another kind of instruments, from topography.

Canon (and Nikon) could show the distance in the viewfinder instead of the green light when the focus is on the center point.
Actually the camera measures the distance. It's only a matter of showing it!

Another difficulty I found was which lens to choose.
Yes, all the lenses behave the same way or similarly.
But, as the focal distance increase, the gap of the DF is shorter.

Look at my photos yesterday http://antoniocorreia.smugmug.com/photos/95634521-Th.jpgthat are easy shots.
Just point, focus with your hand - I have previously switched off the AF - and shoot.
No information whatsoever of the distance I am focusing .
If this is considered a professional lens at this price ...:scratch

May be you, as professional, think that what I am talking about is bull sheat. May be you are right.
But if you do tell me that I am wronge, please.

[Nikolai]

...
All at 35 mm 1/50 - f 4,0.


I guess my English fails me and I can't express myself clearly. Too much smoke from fires, or too much vodka to cure the smoke...:-)

I do like the fact that you get familiar witht the DOF rulers. It's a great tool and can get quite handy.

However, my point is: in this particular class we want to change the aperture, not the focal distance. Yours stays the same: f/4.0 and you change the focus. What is needed is that you keep your focus on the bench and change the aperture. The implest way to do that is to use camera's AV (aperture priority) mode, but of course you can also get full manual and use camera's meter or your magic device to get the rest of the settings.

The reason we want to do it this way (aperture only) is because this method gives us very clear comparables with regard to DOF.
Changing focal point, while being a valid method, too, is more subtle and, I'd say, more advanced than what we need in this class. Hard to compare, too.

Or maybe it's just me. :dunno

[Antonio Correia]

I guess my English fails me ... Or maybe it's just me. :dunno

No Nikolai.
It's my English that fails me.
Sorry. :huh
:thumb

[Nikolai]

Is this device the one you were mentioning earlier?
http://antoniocorreia.smugmug.com/photos/86065435-Th.jpg

What's it working distance (min/max), and how accurate is it?

Canon (and Nikon) could show the distance in the viewfinder instead of the green light when the focus is on the center point.
Actually the camera measures the distance. It's only a matter of showing it!

That's very true.
In fact, Sony 828 could do that. You'd focus by half pressing, than switch from AF to MF while half-depressing the sutter - and you'd get the exact reading:-)

I aslo agree with you that the impossibility to set the manual distance accurately, be it on the lens or on the body, is the huge dent in usage.
Darn rangefinders could do that all those times for decades. But dslrs, being probably the most sophisticated opto-electronical devices on the consumer market, can't? That's a total b.s. :dunno

Anyway..

Cheers!

[Bayer-Z28]

ok. I'm still a newb to most of this but I'll try. By DOF, do you mean different focal points? It was actually difficult to find a decent bench in this town..:scratch I had to go to a cemetary. But, I also got a bunch of other sweet shots there too... Yall know, you can't take just one. :D..well, put them on the comp and 80% of them turned out like crap...:bluduh

anyway here we go. I'm having a dificult time with this, but I tried. My camera is getting frusterating. The manual focus can be a real PITA.

All were shot w/ 400 ISO.

1st. f8.0 1/500 ...all w/ stock lense 12x zoom, Leica
2nd. f5.2 1/1000
3rd. f2.8 1/1000

If you need any more info, I can try to get it for ya.

http://aycu27.webshots.com/image/4346/2004932381497470063_rs.jpg


http://aycu18.webshots.com/image/3937/2004934450267021003_rs.jpg


http://aycu10.webshots.com/image/3129/2004974475457446312_rs.jpg

[Nikolai]

ok. I'm still a newb to most of this but I'll try. By DOF, do you mean different focal points?

Welcome to the Class!

No, it's not different focal points. DOF, in most photo-related cases, (also explicitly stated in the header post) states for "Depth Of Field".
The head post provides some links explaining the term (wiki, dofmaster), please find some time to go over them, it's a very useful read.

Cemetery benches are usually the BEST bench material you can possibly think of, so please don't think bad about it.

Thanks for the entries!
Now, let's do some DOF-related reading and shoot some more cemetery benches:-)

[Bayer-Z28]

Ohhh....... I see says the blind man....

No wonder I was having trouble focusing this camera. I was using the wrong f value for what I was looking ot shoot. My camera only goes up to a f8.o, so if I was looking to take a pic of something 50 feet form me and use the MF, it would be alittle difficult.... Pluss I was not using a tripod, like directed. So it runined the immage consistancy.

I see... I'm gonna go check and see if there are any benches in the courtyard of my appt complex....

Yep, we got some.. I'll be back.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ok, New shots. I used a tripod this time....come to think of it, maybe I needed a location w/ a bit MORE distance after the bench...dang... messed up again... I'll get it sooner or later....

1st. f2.8 1/1000 I focused on the nearest corner of the bench each time. all ISO 400, btw.
2nd f5.2 1/320
3rd f8.0 1/125

http://aycu22.webshots.com/image/5941/2000608942332420551_rs.jpg


http://aycu33.webshots.com/image/4872/2000636653514371411_rs.jpg


http://aycu26.webshots.com/image/5345/2000680722211119511_rs.jpg

[photodoug]

28mm, f/3.5, 1/320sec.
http://photo-doug.smugmug.com/photos/95968235-L.jpg


28mm, f/20, 1/10sec.
http://photo-doug.smugmug.com/photos/95968236-L.jpg

[Nikolai]

ok, New shots. I used a tripod this time....come to think of it, maybe I needed a location w/ a bit MORE distance after the bench...dang... messed up again... I'll get it sooner or later....

1st. f2.8 1/1000 I focused on the nearest corner of the bench each time. all ISO 400, btw.
2nd f5.2 1/320
3rd f8.0 1/125


Thank you for yout entries and for the efforts.
It looks very strange to me that there is very little difference between f/2.8 and f/8.0 shots. Maybe it's worth trying with the bench being closer to the camera? Of of the things in P&S (even a nice one, like yours) is that they are fairly limited aperture-wise, very hew go above f/8.0 or lower than f/2.8..:dunno
Staring with a smaller focal distance should enhance the DOF difference.

BTW, there is no need to shoot the middle f-value (f/5.2 in your case), that is unless you really want to see it for yourself:-).
Just min and max should suffice.

Cheers!

[Nikolai]

28mm, f/3.5, 1/320sec.
28mm, f/20, 1/10sec.


Great DOFs, thanks!
Last one (f/20) was with the tripod or handheld?
1/10th is a tall order without a tripod or IS...

[photodoug]

Great DOFs, thanks!
Last one (f/20) was with the tripod or handheld?
1/10th is a tall order without a tripod or IS...

handheld, shot like a shooter...slowly exhaling

[Bayer-Z28]

Thank you for yout entries and for the efforts.
It looks very strange to me that there is very little difference between f/2.8 and f/8.0 shots. Maybe it's worth trying with the bench being closer to the camera? Of of the things in P&S (even a nice one, like yours) is that they are fairly limited aperture-wise, very hew go above f/8.0 or lower than f/2.8..:dunno
Staring with a smaller focal distance should enhance the DOF difference.

BTW, there is no need to shoot the middle f-value (f/5.2 in your case), that is unless you really want to see it for yourself:-).
Just min and max should suffice.

Cheers!
Headed advice... I'll try again.. back in a bit.

This is exciting!... I'm learning! I was using the camera wrong this whole time.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HA! I got ! I got it! YEah!...:clap:ivar

I did one fo the bench and one of the table...... I think they came out GREAT! I had to get really close. Almost macro close.

Dang...I took the pics off the camera and forget what the settings were..
f2.8 and f8.0... 1/320 in one...1/500 or so in the others. All w/ ISO 400

http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/3602/p1030744qp5.jpg


http://img95.imageshack.us/img95/6199/p1030745mo8.jpg


Next.. I know it's not a bench, but I thought it'd make a cool shot.


http://img95.imageshack.us/img95/842/p1030742dt7.jpg


http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/5030/p1030743dc5.jpg

[Nikolai]

Headed advice... I'll try again.. back in a bit.
No, no, not back - forward. You need to be closer to the bench. Like 3 ft top, maybe less.

This is exciting!... I'm learning! I was using the camera wrong this whole time.
No worries, you're not alone. We're all learning, in one way or another...:wink

Good luck!

[Bayer-Z28]

Yeah ^ I had to get REALLY close! They came out GREAT too!! :barb

Thanx for the help! Really! This site is great! Can't wait to try something else... *looks up old assignments*

[Nikolai]

HA! I got ! I got it! YEah!...:clap:ivar

Now you got it! :thumb

[rutt]

Well, it isn't exactly a bench. And I didn't exactly follow the rules and take two shots. But I went out to shoot this assignment and had a ton of fun shooting with my 50mm at f/1.4 as close as I could get to things. So this assignment resulted in (among other things) ... DOF Dog:

http://rutt.smugmug.com/photos/96043468-L.jpg

[Sorry, guys if this is just too off topic. It really wouldn't have happened without Nik's assignment.]

[Nikolai]

Please check the forum FAQ, images are not showing :-(

[larry l]

Please check the forum FAQ, images are not showing :-(

I can't get the links to show so I took it down for now. I'll mess with it tonight after work.

LL

[larry l]

http://delphic.smugmug.com/photos/96304999-M.jpg

http://delphic.smugmug.com/photos/96305009-M.jpg

First shot at f/2.8, 1/40; second shot f/22, 1.6; both shots from tripod, KM 5D, Sigma 105 mm

Hope they show up this time.

[Nikolai]

First shot at f/2.8, 1/40; second shot f/22, 1.6; both shots from tripod, KM 5D, Sigma 105 mm
Hope they show up this time.

And cool DOF! :thumb
Yes, they do show..:-) :clap

[BlueHoseJacket]

Larry beat me to the punch yesterday...I thought about shooting my Black & Decker Workmate on the way home from work yesterday. I go to the computer and open Dgrin and Larry posted his workbench..good idea Larry>
Here is my B & D Workmate...I hope I did this right I am just learning how to use this DSLR.


f/4, ISO 100, 43mm, Avhttp://bluehosejacket.smugmug.com/photos/96826611-L.jpg

F/10, ISO 100, Focal length 43mm, Av
http://bluehosejacket.smugmug.com/photos/96826626-L.jpg


welcome C & C

[Nikolai]

Thank you for the entries! :thumb
It looks like your second one, f/10, suffers from a hand-hold blur.
To avoid that, you need either more light, or higher ISO, or a tripod :rolleyes

[BlueHoseJacket]

I left the tripod at my-in-laws out of state so these were both handheld shots. My question is "is this the right concept for the technique? Was I to only adjust the apertue? I adjust apeture and my focal point..after re-reading the directions, I think I should have had a tripod...focused on one spot and then adjusted my aperture. Does that sound right?

Thank you for the entries! :thumb
It looks like your second one, f/10, suffers from a hand-hold blur.
To avoid that, you need either more light, or higher ISO, or a tripod :rolleyes

[Nikolai]

I left the tripod at my-in-laws out of state so these were both handheld shots. My question is "is this the right concept for the technique? Was I to only adjust the apertue? I adjust apeture and my focal point..after re-reading the directions, I think I should have had a tripod...focused on one spot and then adjusted my aperture. Does that sound right?

What you could have done also to avoid blur is to crank ISO a bit. Since ISO/shutter speed do not affect the DOF *at all*, it's OK to adjust them. You'll get maybe a slightly noisier shot, but not by far.

Other than that, yes, your techniques was precisely what was required - focus the camera to the same point and take two shots, one with min aperture, and another with the max one.

Hope to see more from you, if you have time:-)

[Swartzy]

Sorry, I couldn't resist putting a tilt to this as I haven't seen things the same since the last class....heh...nevermind

28mm f/3.5 1/1000 sec

http://Swartzy.smugmug.com/photos/97029742-L.jpg

28mm f/18 1/40 sec.

http://Swartzy.smugmug.com/photos/97029743-L.jpg

[Nikolai]

Sorry, I couldn't resist putting a tilt to this as I haven't seen things the same since the last class....heh...nevermind
28mm f/3.5 1/1000 sec
28mm f/18 1/40 sec.


Thanks!

[LiquidAir]

I just received my 50mm f/1.4 from BH Photo and this assignment looked like a perfect test case for it. The perfect lens for dramatic differences in DoF is wide and fast. 50mm is as wide as I go in fast lenses (on my full frame 5D it is, of course, it is wider than it would be on a 1.6 crop body), so here we go:

Shallow DoF (f/1.6)

http://liquidair.smugmug.com/photos/97260383-L.jpg

Deep DoF (f/22)
http://liquidair.smugmug.com/photos/97259528-L.jpg

The focus point in both images is the leaf at the far end of the near bench which is about 10 feet away. The hyperfocal distance for 50mm at f/22 is around 15 feet and as a result as you can see the trees in the far field are still somewhat out of focus in the stopped down image. When looking close up (not visible at this scale) the whole image at f/22 is somewhat soft presumably due to diffraction.

I learned a few other things about my Canon 50mm f/1.4 while studying these shots. The lens is very soft at f/1.4 but sharpens up quite quickly as you stop down and is very crisp by f/2.0. The lens also vignettes significanly when wide open. I corrected both these images with DxO Optics which cleans up the vignetting quite nicely. DxO Optics also signficantly improves the sharpness at f/1.6 and f/1.8 but still leaves the images lacking somewhat for contrast (most noticably at f/1.6). In practice I will try to avoid using the 50mm at apetures wider than f/2.0 and consider opening to f/1.4 only as a desparation measure.

[Nikolai]

I just received my 50mm f/1.4 from BH Photo and this assignment looked like a perfect test case for it. The perfect lens for dramatic differences in DoF is wide and fast. 50mm is as wide as I go in fast lenses (on my full frame 5D it is, of course, it is wider than it would be on a 1.6 crop body), so here we go:

Shallow DoF (f/1.6)

Deep DoF (f/22)

The focus point in both images is the leaf at the far end of the near bench which is about 10 feet away. The hyperfocal distance for 50mm at f/22 is around 15 feet and as a result as you can see the trees in the far field are still somewhat out of focus in the stopped down image. When looking close up (not visible at this scale) the whole image at f/22 is somewhat soft presumably due to diffraction.

I learned a few other things about my Canon 50mm f/1.4 while studying these shots. The lens is very soft at f/1.4 but sharpens up quite quickly as you stop down and is very crisp by f/2.0. The lens also vignettes significanly when wide open. I corrected both these images with DxO Optics which cleans up the vignetting quite nicely. DxO Optics also signficantly improves the sharpness at f/1.6 and f/1.8 but still leaves the images lacking somewhat for contrast (most noticably at f/1.6). In practice I will try to avoid using the 50mm at apetures wider than f/2.0 and consider opening to f/1.4 only as a desparation measure.

(I like your initials, matches my place:-) :D

Congrats on a (great!) new lens and a nice entry! :thumb

It's awesome that you get to know your new toy and realize its cons and pros for yourself (and the rest of us). :):

I also think the difference between the shots would be more dramatic is you had got closer to the bench and focused on its nearer end rather than farther one, don't you agree? :scratch

Cheers! :1drink

[botanist]

I happened to find a shot I liked that was just a plain old bench, so I thought I'd post it up. :):

Sorry I couldn't go up to f/22...it was raining and I was w/o tripod. :dunno I thought f/8 still did a good job of distinguishing the DOF though. :thumb

35mm f/2 (focal point should be obvious :):)
http://www.exifocus.com/photos/97904081-L.jpg

35mm f/8
http://www.exifocus.com/photos/97903831-L.jpg

[Nikolai]

I happened to find a shot I liked that was just a plain old bench, so I thought I'd post it up. :):

Sorry I couldn't go up to f/22...it was raining and I was w/o tripod. :dunno I thought f/8 still did a good job of distinguishing the DOF though. :thumb

35mm f/2 (focal point should be obvious :):)
35mm f/8


Thank you for the entry! Nice rose! :thumb
Now, do you think you can speed it up (http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=43306)? :wink

[botanist]

Thank you for the entry! Nice rose! :thumb
Now, do you think you can speed it up (http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=43306)? :wink

:rofl

yes my apologies...I run several sites myself on top of the 9-5 programming I do...sometimes I can't get to these threads w/ the quickness I once had. :wink

[LiquidAir]

Congrats on a (great!) new lens and a nice entry! :thumb

It's awesome that you get to know your new toy and realize its cons and pros for yourself (and the rest of us). :):

Thanks. I was quite happy to see my results with the 50 match the review I read of the lens before I bought it.


I also think the difference between the shots would be more dramatic is you had got closer to the bench and focused on its nearer end rather than farther one, don't you agree? :scratch


I gave that a shot and it is definitely an improvement over the orginal shots. However, I did have to slightly cheat on the rules and push the focus point out bit at f/22 to sharpen up the background. Both of these shots are manually focused.

f/1.8
http://liquidair.smugmug.com/photos/98015358-L.jpg
f/22
http://liquidair.smugmug.com/photos/98020578-L.jpg


I then spent some time playing with other approaches to the scene. This pair were shot at 200mm and do a better job of capturing the essence of what drew me to those benches in the first place. Getting this much DoF with a 200mm proved challenging. The 200mm stops down to f/32 which helped but I still ended up taking a series at slightly different focus distances and picking the best compromise.

f/2.8
http://liquidair.smugmug.com/photos/98022747-L.jpg
f/32
http://liquidair.smugmug.com/photos/98025661-L.jpg

[Granit]

:rofl

yes my apologies...I run several sites myself on top of the 9-5 programming I do...sometimes I can't get to these threads w/ the quickness I once had. :wink

He is not saying that you are slow...
He is directing you towards the new assignment...on Shutter Speed...

:lol:

[Nikolai]

Thanks. I was quite happy to see my results with the 50 match the review I read of the lens before I bought it.
...

Great job on the assignment! :thumb

[pyroPrints.com]

More catch up, shot this while shooting LPS#2

Camera: Olympus Evolt E500
Lens: Olympus 50mm f/2.0 Telephoto Macro ED Lens

F2.0 1/640 sec (god I love this fast lense, it' not always useful but man it's nice when you need it)
http://athena.divshare.com/files/2007/03/20/260001/lowDOF.jpg

F22 1/5 sec
http://athena.divshare.com/files/2007/03/20/260002/highDOF.jpg

[com3]

However, my point is: in this particular class we want to change the aperture, not the focal distance.


i didn't exactly understand either until i read this post right here. i'll go hunt down a bench... :D

[Nikolai]

More catch up, shot this while shooting LPS#2

Camera: Olympus Evolt E500
Lens: Olympus 50mm f/2.0 Telephoto Macro ED Lens

F2.0 1/640 sec (god I love this fast lense, it' not always useful but man it's nice when you need it)

F22 1/5 sec


Nice DOF work! :thumb

Just in case you're looking for a bw treatment for the LPS... I think this image could benefit from a more agressive b/w, since the current one looks a bit flat (to me, that is). HTH :lust

[pyroPrints.com]

Nice DOF work! :thumb

Just in case you're looking for a bw treatment for the LPS... I think this image could benefit from a more agressive b/w, since the current one looks a bit flat (to me, that is). HTH :lust

I'm always looking for more aggressive treatments, so feel free to expound on that =c) In fact there is a picture of somebody's dirty hand that I sometimes see in the ehader, that I would love to find out the way the PP was done.

[Nikolai]

I'm always looking for more aggressive treatments, so feel free to expound on that =c) In fact there is a picture of somebody's dirty hand that I sometimes see in the ehader, that I would love to find out the way the PP was done.

That was Shakey, winner of the "Dirty" challenge.
http://dgrin.smugmug.com/gallery/167709/1/45468231/Large

You know you can click on those header thumbs and explore the whole gallery, don't you? :-) :wink

[pyroPrints.com]

That was Shakey, winner of the "Dirty" challenge.
http://dgrin.smugmug.com/gallery/167709/1/45468231/Large

You know you can click on those header thumbs and explore the whole gallery, don't you? :-) :wink

Well now I know. Any insight on how he achieved that look?

[Nikolai]

Well now I know. Any insight on how he achieved that look?

Why don't you just ask him? :wink

If I remember correctly, we were all high on Draganizer at the time, so it's very likely he used that action. Google for it or search dgrin or dpreview.

HTH

[spb13]

f1.8
http://spb13.smugmug.com/photos/267024738_RmMLp-XL.jpg

f/22
http://spb13.smugmug.com/photos/267024630_PqSM3-XL.jpg

[Nikolai]

f1.8
f/22

Nice becnhwork, Sean!:thumb