Advise on f-stop

[ketan]

Helen,

I am not sure that where I started...

From your recent post I was stuck on 'focussing on Infinity' and 'hyperfocal distance'. I tried to google on these words and read lot of articles.

quote:
The hyperfocal distance is defined as the focus distance which places the maximum allowable circle of confusion at infinity.
Unquote:

Most other articles also extensively used a term "The circle of confusion" for which I found an easy explanation at http://www.northnet.org/jimbullard/CoC.htm

I am still stuck on 'focussing on Infinity' and 'hyperfocal distance'. If you have some link on this kindly post.

I think that I need to complete 'Understanding Exposure' first before this!

Thanks

Ketan

 

[STINKY PICTURES]

This is so confusing. So in a nut shell for beginners if we want a really tac sharp picture while we are learning, is there an f stop we can stay at or around to work with? Like is there a middle number or area? Please do tell.

I use a tripod, mirror loc, and the remote wire thing for my shutter release for taking my pictures. I`m really trying hard to get good shots. I`ll try anything for sharp pictures.

I have a canon 40d and i`m learning it as fast as i can, its my first dslr.

 

[manaheim]

Helen, you opened a SERIOUS pandoras box for me on this and I'm unbelievably glad that you did. Thanks SO much for your comments. This was an area I literally knew nothing about and it totally explained to me why everyone always talks about "sweet spots" on lenses and such.

Just because I don't want to assume anything... can you explain what you mean by "focusing on infinity"? Usually if I take a picture of a landscape I try to stop down as much as possible... go out to F/22 or whatever... to ensure the entire shot is in focus.

However, now I realize that would also lend some softness to the shot that I would obviously want to minimize. That leads me to think I need to widen the aperature a bit, but of course then it would knock things out of focus... is there another way to get the entire landscape in focus ("focus on infinity") other than stopping down all the way?