Compact cameras question....

[swiftparkour94]

I tested so many of these at my local Target store. They all go to f/8. Is there any that have a smaller aperture than that?

 

[Ysarex83 77]

Mine stops down to f/8.5 (Samsung EX2) which is more than enough. You shouldn't need or want a smaller aperture than that with a small sensor camera. Why do you want a smaller aperture? Beyond f/8 you'll have crossed the DOF/defraction threshold of diminishing returns.

Joe

 

[swiftparkour94]

Mine stops down to f/8.5 (Samsung EX2) which is more than enough. You shouldn't need or want a smaller aperture than that with a small sensor camera. Why do you want a smaller aperture? Beyond f/8 you'll have crossed the DOF/defraction threshold of diminishing returns.

Joe

Because I was looking for something that'd be good for candid street photography. I zone focus most of the time at f/11-16

Thanks for the info though

 

[usayit]

On a small sensor camera, DOF is going to be so large that zone focus is kinda a moot point.

 

[Ysarex83 77]

On a small sensor camera, DOF is going to be so large that zone focus is kinda a moot point.

Correct. If you're accustomed to zone focusing a 35mm camera at f/11-16 then you can do the same with a digital compact at f/5.6-8 and you'll be in much the same place.

Joe

 

[swiftparkour94]

Correct. If you're accustomed to zone focusing a 35mm camera at f/11-16 then you can do the same with a digital compact at f/5.6-8 and you'll be in much the same place.

Joe

I had no clue about this! Thanks guys!

 

[Ysarex83 77]

Correct. If you're accustomed to zone focusing a 35mm camera at f/11-16 then you can do the same with a digital compact at f/5.6-8 and you'll be in much the same place.

Joe

I had no clue about this! Thanks guys!

DOF is a function of f/stop and magnification. As you decrease the size of the recording media (film or sensor) you (practically) decrease magnification and therefore increase DOF. Large format film cameras that use 127mm sheet film take photos with less DOF than 70mm roll film cameras which take photos with less DOF than 35mm film cameras which take photos with less DOF than crop sensor digital cameras which take photos with less DOF than compact sensor digital cameras which take photos with less DOF than the ridiculous cameras in cell phones.

Joe

 

[KmH]

Correct. If you're accustomed to zone focusing a 35mm camera at f/11-16 then you can do the same with a digital compact at f/5.6-8 and you'll be in much the same place.

Joe

I had no clue about this! Thanks guys!

See Depth of Field Requirements here - Digital Camera Sensor Sizes: How it Influences Your Photography