I've been trying to learn depth of field and thought taking some photos of plants would help validate some technical basics.
I'm shooting in a variety of modes, but trying to stay within Manual settings, toying with aperture. Am I correct that as I dial aperture from f.17 to f8, for instance, I'm using less light, but reaching higher depth of field.
Am I wrong that when my aperture is small, its as if I'm "sniping" my subject with a cone of moreso in-focus, higher details?
And as I increase the aperture, I'm broadening and flattening this cone of high-detail capture?
Am I understanding this correctly?
I'll post some examples I've recently taken with an LX100, some with a tripod, some without.
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Camera-Specific Properties: Equipment Make Panasonic Camera Model DMC-LX100 Camera Software paint.net 4.0.10 Maximum Lens Aperture f/1.7 Sensing Method One-Chip Color Area Focal Length (35mm Equiv) 24 mm Image-Specific Properties: Horizontal Resolution 94 dpcm Vertical Resolution 94 dpcm Image Created 2016:09:10 16:29:01 Exposure Time 1/60 sec F-Number f/16.0 Exposure Program Manual ISO Speed Rating 3200 Lens Aperture f/16.0 Exposure Bias 0 EV Metering Mode Pattern Light Source Unknown Flash No Flash, Compulsory Focal Length 10.90 mm Rendering Normal Exposure Mode Manual White Balance Auto Scene Capture Type Standard Gain Control High Gain Up Contrast Normal Saturation Normal Sharpness Normal
Slightly larger aperture on this photo, I think.
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Camera-Specific Properties: Equipment Make Panasonic Camera Model DMC-LX100 Camera Software paint.net 4.0.10 Maximum Lens Aperture f/1.7 Sensing Method One-Chip Color Area Focal Length (35mm Equiv) 24 mm Image-Specific Properties: Horizontal Resolution 94 dpcm Vertical Resolution 94 dpcm Image Created 2016:09:10 16:29:50 Exposure Time 1/60 sec F-Number f/8.0 Exposure Program Manual ISO Speed Rating 1250 Lens Aperture f/8.0 Exposure Bias 0 EV Metering Mode Pattern Light Source Unknown Flash No Flash, Compulsory Focal Length 10.90 mm Rendering Normal Exposure Mode Manual White Balance Auto Scene Capture Type Standard Gain Control High Gain Up Contrast Normal Saturation Normal Sharpness Normal
>what is a dof scale
>>2922072
Basically yes, a larger aperture has a narrower depth of field, but doesn't suffer from diffraction, while with a small aperture more becomes in focus, but set it too high and details begin to blur.
To be specific, given infinite resolution, even f/1.4 would cause diffraction at some point, but realistically your typical camera sensor is not diffraction-limited until around f/10 or so, although some cameras can show diffraction as early as f/5.6 as in the case of the 7D.
This is just talking about detail loss on the pixel-level, whether or not it will be visible in print is a whole different ball game, and is the basis of hyperfocal shooting, which is setting the aperture and point of focus in a way that makes everything seem optimally sharp within the visible constraints of a given medium.
>>2922078
The DoF scale on most lenses new and old is based on criteria that was standardized in the film days, and is not really suitable for digital. The terribly short focus throw of modern AF lenses makes it hard to use as well.
>>2922080
>DoF scale
>not really suitable for digital
It's 2016, I seriously hope your not shooting APS-C.
OP here, bumping with a photo I took before I understood DoF.
Are the pictures of the rosemary plant in the original post a sound example of DoF, whatever other issues they might have?
Please correct me if im wrong
>The reason pic related sucks is you want a DoF that captures everything from the condensation to the olive, etc, assuming your subject is the entire bloody Mary.
Am I understanding this right?
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Camera-Specific Properties: Equipment Make Panasonic Camera Model DMC-LX100 Camera Software Snapseed 2.0 Maximum Lens Aperture f/1.7 Sensing Method One-Chip Color Area Focal Length (35mm Equiv) 24 mm Image-Specific Properties: Horizontal Resolution 240 dpi Vertical Resolution 240 dpi Image Created 2016:09:12 16:51:03 Exposure Time 1/50 sec F-Number f/1.7 Exposure Program Normal Program ISO Speed Rating 1600 Lens Aperture f/1.7 Exposure Bias 0 EV Metering Mode Pattern Light Source Unknown Flash No Flash, Compulsory Focal Length 10.90 mm Color Space Information sRGB Image Width 1238 Image Height 1366 Rendering Normal Exposure Mode Auto White Balance Auto Scene Capture Type Standard Gain Control High Gain Up Contrast Normal Saturation Normal Sharpness Normal
At f1.7, you will have less in focus areas, and detail in your in-focus areas will be mild.
At f5.6, you will have expanded depth of field, and the central part of your in-focus area will be SUPER SHARP. Depending on your scene and light, this could extend over the whole image if you focus carefully. You don't flatten the cone, the whole cone gets bigger and higher. How much higher depends on the lens.
At f16 you're spreading the cone out even more but you introduce a ceiling which lowers eat time you stop down, clipping the top of the cone off and softening the whole image.
Which you want depends on your artistic vision for each shot. Whether that's a dreamy blurry picture of your hot new gf or a hypercritical sharpness across the frame for product images for your business' new website.