Struggling with Focus

[wfooshee]

Also, that image is focused on the nose, not the eye. Always use the eye. If you're in autofocus, use single-servo, not continuous, and hold your half-press once you focus on the eye and then you can reframe your shot if needed without the camera re-focusing. Once you let go of the shutter button you have to start over.

UNLESS.......

You want to learn back-button focusing, which was made for this situation. With back-button focus, you place the sensor where you want focus, press the focus button, then reframe your shot. When back-button focus is enabled, the shutter button will not refocus! You just have to be very careful not to move towards or away from your subject as you reframe.

If there's a lot of movement by your subject (duh!) and you're down to grabbing something while the getting's good, then yeah, leave the focus on the shutter button and close your aperture to maximize depth of field.

 

[lisameowrie]

I understand that shot was focused on the nose, that was not intentional. I know to focus on the eyes - I *try* to do this and I am clearly unsuccessful. Going to try to use a different aperture as suggested and "stop down" as they call it.

 

[lisameowrie]

Just because you have 1.8 doesn't mean you should use it.

I you were using a 50 MM f/1.8

Subject distance 4 ft
Depth of field
Near limit 3.93 ft
Far limit 4.07 ft
Total 0.13 ft

But the same shot at f/16

Subject distance 4 ft
Depth of field
Near limit 3.48 ft
Far limit 4.7 ft
Total 1.22 ft

For that dog and that distance I would have shot it at f/8

Subject distance 4 ft
Depth of field
Near limit 3.72 ft
Far limit 4.32 ft
Total 0.6 ft

This page gives you a chance to change settings so you can see the difference your aperture setting will have on the finished product.

Online Depth of Field Calculator

I was shooting with a 35mm and the dog was right in front of me with 0 seconds to react.
I am not sure how to use this page because I will not remember this stuff for when I am shooting in real time and I certainly won't know what combo to put together for a given situation and can't use this on scene.

 

[table1349]

A really good photo opportunity, ruined...

Just because you own an f 1.8 lens does not mean you have to use f 1.8. You need to learn the aspects of DOF and how to use it. f 5.6 would have been just fine for that shot.

 

[bratkinson]

I suspect that most photography beginners quickly get 'bogged down' trying to remember all the 'rules' of the exposure triangle. Too many numbers to consider all at once is my guess. Throw in DOF considerations, quick moving, close in subjects (aka, pets and toddlers), and it's no wonder that the pictures don't turn out as desired.

I've simplified the 'rules' I use so that even this Medicare age, Social Security drawing geezer can still remember how to get a decent shot.

1. If it's breathing, moving, or will move (leaves in a breeze), then AI-Servo (Canon-speak), or whatever Nikon calls continuous AF to track moving subjects.

2. If it's moving, or will move, then something in the range of 1/100th and faster to freeze action. 1/160th, even better for people, 1/500th for race cars, even faster for airplanes. Anything slower, expect subject blur or my not-so-stable hands-blur. Handheld with my 'bazooka' (80-200mm), 1/200th and up!

3. Any time the lens is at or near wide-open, f4 or faster (f2.8, f2.0, etc), I expect to have a very narrow DOF. If I'm 'really close' (5-10 feet), I figure wide-open is ONE INCH DOF or thereabouts. If that's not what I want, then it's f5.6, or f8, or even f11. Group-shots of 4-8 standing adults...f5.6. Bigger groups, f8-f11.

4. ISO speed set last...once the shutter speed and aperture are set, choose an ISO speed to get a good exposure.

The last one is the big rub...or, more appropriate, the exposure triangle is the big rub. What to do when the high end of usable ISO speed on your camera is 1600 and it's still in the underexposed range (too dark). Don't be afraid to take a shot or two and look at the results in the LCD, and/or the histogram (I've set my camera to show both together).

OK...now what? My general plan is to slow down the shutter speed when I have to keep the DOF at a 'good level' (I never think in numbers of feet, etc...just "more" or "less" DOF). OK...slowing down the shutter will end up in blurred shots. So take 4-5 shots and expect all but 1 are blurred. When I get below 1/60th, figure 1 in 10 will be sharp. 1/20th? 1 out of 20 not blurred. You get the idea.

Or, open up the aperture a bit, and sacrifice some depth of field.

Or, a little of both...a tad slower shutter speed and a tad wider aperture.

Take as many shots as needed until your comfortable with what you see on the LCD. Remember, it costs nothing more than one press of the delete button on your computer to delete a loser shot. Don't waste time trying to delete them in your camera. Memory cards are cheap.

And if your dog wants more than just his nose, or his eyes to be in focus, start with a full stop smaller aperture.

 

[BillM]

I was shooting with a 35mm and the dog was right in front of me with 0 seconds to react.
I am not sure how to use this page because I will not remember this stuff for when I am shooting in real time and I certainly won't know what combo to put together for a given situation and can't use this on scene.

But those are the things you will need to know if you want to be successful. You don't need to remember every number, just the concept. I remember the first time i tried to "study" the exposure triangle I thought my head was going to explode lol

Just keep repeating to yourself "F/4 will get you more"

From there you can keep getting more DOF the higher you go, "F8 will get you more than F/4"

So maybe try shooting with auto ISO and play around with the two other variables. Start with a shutter of 1/500 and keep adjusting your aperture up and down to see the affect it has on your depth of field. Just put a bottle or something on a table about 5 feet from a wall. Once the light goes on you be surprised how quickly you will be able to adjust in the field. Just be patient and keep shooting, you'll get there

 

[BillM]

Say Hello to Grace

She was sitting still so I shot at f/2.8 as i only wanted her eyes sharp



And Oz was moving so I shot this at f/8 to give myself some room to play with as i wanted the head and chest in focus.

 

[astroNikon]

go to a long fence
take a couple steps away,
Set your aperture at 1.8.
Take a picture at an angle getting a fence going out into the distance
Go up to f/2.2 take a picture (same angle)
Then 2.8 and keep going up to f/11 or higher

Take a look at the pictures and zoom in and compare them
First compare f/1.8. Vs f/11
Then 1.8 v 8
And keep comparing them and notice the difference

Then study those depth of field calculators , search for Cambridge

 

[wfooshee]

I understand that shot was focused on the nose, that was not intentional. I know to focus on the eyes - I *try* to do this and I am clearly unsuccessful. Going to try to use a different aperture as suggested and "stop down" as they call it.

What I was trying to say with the nose-focus was to emphasize holding the half-press of the shutter button once focus is achieved. Say you're focusing on the eye, and it's perfect. But you see the framing stinks, so you move your aim down a bit. As long as you don't let go of the shutter button, and you're in single focus, the focus will not change from the eye.

Of course, movement by the puppy (or by you) that changes the distance renders all of that into meaningless gibberish.

One of my favorite shots of my cat, Mocha, is this one, 85mm at f:1.8, but of course she was kind enough to sit perfectly still while I worked on it. It's an old lens, manual focus, even. Lighting is not great, pop-up flash is all, but I was actually just playing with the lens on the day it arrived by UPS. So a shallow DOF is doable, if you have time to work the shot.

 

[lisameowrie]

I understand that shot was focused on the nose, that was not intentional. I know to focus on the eyes - I *try* to do this and I am clearly unsuccessful. Going to try to use a different aperture as suggested and "stop down" as they call it.

What I was trying to say with the nose-focus was to emphasize holding the half-press of the shutter button once focus is achieved. Say you're focusing on the eye, and it's perfect. But you see the framing stinks, so you move your aim down a bit. As long as you don't let go of the shutter button, and you're in single focus, the focus will not change from the eye.

Of course, movement by the puppy (or by you) that changes the distance renders all of that into meaningless gibberish.

One of my favorite shots of my cat, Mocha, is this one, 85mm at f:1.8, but of course she was kind enough to sit perfectly still while I worked on it. It's an old lens, manual focus, even. Lighting is not great, pop-up flash is all, but I was actually just playing with the lens on the day it arrived by UPS. So a shallow DOF is doable, if you have time to work the shot.

Okay, what you described is what I am doing, so this is good. Just have to watch my aperture/DOF. Cats are so much easier! I have 2 so I got most of my practice on them and now trying to practice on friend and family member dogs. Cute cat.

 

[astroNikon]

start with f/5.6 with the animals.

Here's an example of the fence example.
d7000 (crop) with a 50mm f/1.8 lens

First look at the houses in the background.
Then look at the top fence bar going across to the back
then compare the images

f/1.8 - focus on the little pointy thing

f/22 - notice how much further everything is in focus

f/5.6 comparison

 

[astroNikon]

Go grab yourself a couple stuffed animals
and a tape measure


measure your distance from the camera to the stuff animal
measure the depth (both directions) of the stuffed animal from the eye, where you are going to focus on.

then plug the numbers in there --> A Flexible Depth of Field Calculator

these are the calculations, using a Nikon DX camera, and 50/1.8 lens
For instance, if you are 5 feet away from the subject

Nearest Acceptable Sharpness: 4.67 feet
Furthest Acceptable Sharpness: 5.37 feet
Total Depth of Field: 0.7 feet.

If you are 10 feet away
Nearest Acceptable Sharpness: 8.76 feet
Furthest Acceptable Sharpness: 11.65 feet
Total Depth of Field: 2.89 feet.

 

[weepete]

I was shooting with a 35mm and the dog was right in front of me with 0 seconds to react.
I am not sure how to use this page because I will not remember this stuff for when I am shooting in real time and I certainly won't know what combo to put together for a given situation and can't use this on scene.

Look at it before you get to a shoot. If you have a rough idea of how large the subject will be then you can estimate how much DOF you will need.

Focusing bang on the eyes of an amimal can be virtually impossible if they are moving but you just need to make sure you have enough DOF to get the head in focus even if your focus point ends up on their body.

And if in doubt just stick it on f8.

 

[soufiej]

Whether it's birds and lizards or dogs and cats, shooting a living creature that doesn't understand the concept of having their sweet puss captured for all eternity in a digital format, all employ the same basic strategy. Start by placing the model of your camera into a search engine along with "tips and tricks". You can add a filter, if you like, on the order of "photographing wildlife". There are likely to be several tutorials or discussions on how to use your specific camera for the job. Then do general searches for wildlife photography to get more ideas. Here's what you're likely to find (not your camera and he's shooting mostly birds, but the ideas are similar); Canon SX50 HS Hints Tips - tonybritton

A few things to try; do your work in bright light/bright shade which will allow for a fast shutter speed. Become accustomed to using higher ISO values and shutter priority. Rather than using the F-stop values to gain some out of focus background, put some distance between the subject and the background. You can see how that looks in the Tony Britton site.

Fast moving critters usually require a focus that keeps up with their movement. Find a tracking focus system on your camera and, if the animals simply won't stop moving, use it.

Shoot on continuous mode. Even if the animal is not still, if your camera can track focus, you are more likely to get a keeper in the batch. Keep shooting, you can discard any shot that isn't to your liking.

Keep a few treats in a bag attached to your belt. Like a trainer, you want the animal focused on you and not the squirrel in a tree in the next yard. You can usually get a good "personality" shot when the animal licks their lips after a treat and they will probably be in one location for a longer period of time while they are expecting another treat.

Does the animal know any tricks? You know, like "sit" and "stay"and "down". You don't need to make this any harder on yourself than needed. If you can get an assistant to hold a treat or a toy, you'll have more opportunities to shoot a clean shot.

Do use back button focus when you can. It's a good tool not many people use enough but it will lock your focus on the subject - until you hit "focus" again - and you only have to worry about the shutter release.