Hey, I had an idea to make "flash cards" of focal length, aperture, subject distance and DOF (giving 3 and requiring the fourth) to kind of memorize a spectrum of depth of field values that are relevant to my portrait and wedding work. Has anyone tried this or known someone who has?
I don't do weddings or portraits but I did something similar that for a while I carried with me in my backpack. On one of the DOF chart websites it was very convenient to use to copy and paste on to a spread sheet. I did a little modification to get it to read the way I wanted. You could also say I had to much free time on my hands one day at work.Originally Posted by Stephen Probert
This is the Canon 5D II at 24mm. The site wouldn’t let me post the full chart this is just a segment of it.
f/1.4 f/1.4 f/2 f/2 f/2.8 f/2.8 f/4 f/4 f/5.6 f/5.6 f/8 f/8 f/11 f/11 f/16 f/16 Distance (feet) Total DOF In Front Total DOF In Front Total DOF In Front Total DOF In Front Total DOF In Front Total DOF In Front Total DOF In Front Total DOF In Front 1 0.04 50% 0.06 50% 0.08 50% 0.12 50% 0.17 47% 0.23 43% 0.34 41% 0.5 38% 2 0.17 47% 0.24 46% 0.35 46% 0.5 44% 0.71 41% 1.04 38% 1.56 33% 2.57 26% 3 0.39 46% 0.56 45% 0.8 44% 1.15 41% 1.69 37% 2.58 31% 4.34 24% 9.88 13% 4 0.71 45% 1.01 44% 1.45 41% 2.13 38% 3.21 32% 5.3 25% 11.15 15% 998 0% 5 1.12 45% 1.61 42% 2.32 39% 3.46 34% 5.49 28% 10.22 19% 40.45 6% 6 1.62 43% 2.34 41% 3.43 37% 5.26 31% 8.88 23% 20.78 12% 7 2.23 42% 3.23 39% 4.86 34% 7.64 28% 14.18 19% 54.27 6%
Last edited by HDNitehawk; 09-05-2012 at 05:33 PM.
The culprit IS the 24-70 version I.
This is my primary wedding lens, but have switched to the 17-40 for groups for this purpose.
There are just times that (since I have these on separate bodies) that I have to take a wide indoor shot with the 24-70
I wonder if this would be different with the 24-70 II.
Don't have any trouble with my 24mm 1.4.
I used to carry the charts but when I was using a 5D with a 50D this got too confusing and I found an app (simpeDOF) that works great.
I also tried to memorize the charts but they did not stick, or I could not recall them in the heat of the battle.
Why can we not have a DOF (not a preview) but a reading on the screen, as it should fit into an algorithm.
Or how about outside depth of field 'blinkies' like the overexposed setting.
Good discussion Thanks.
I'm not sure to understand why you don't rely in the DOF button of your camera.
Another simple solution, I guess you already have tried it, It's work in AV and shot in two f stops (the right one and another with more DOF). It seems faster than consulting charts.
Depends on the lens and the focusing screen. It you've got a lens that's faster than f/2.8, the standard focus screen doesn't show the true DoF, it shows the DoF of ~f/2.8. That means with an f/1.4 lens, unless you're stopped down beyond f/2.5, your actual DoF is thinner than it appears in the VF, and you can't accurately judge focus.
That is one of those neat little gizmo and gadgets a manufacture includes to increase sales, they are great in theory but in realty just doesn't work very well. I find it to be about useless.
I know I get boring on this.... Magic Lantern, Live view, focus peaking. Works like a charm. Just have to flip between liveview and viewfinder. Also focus peaking is displayed in image review on the new version of Magic Lantern if you would just rather take a pic to check focus. Set your image review to several seconds and you can confirm focus. There are a couple of different settings for focus peaking to display (bright dots around the stuff that is in focus) with colors and % of pixels in focus, etc.
If you see me with a wrench, call 911
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