Distance Setting

[joel28]

I'm reading Understanding Exposure and Bryan is writing about the Depth Of Field Scale / Distance Settings.

Can some someone please explain what it is? and where do i find it?

 

[MLeeK]

On older and higher end lenses they have a scale that shows distance to infinity.
Sometimes it is printed on the barrel, sometimes it's a window like this one

 

[480sparky43 43]

Many late-model digital lenses don't even have it on the barrel.

Makes me pine for the old days when you could control the focus as well as the aperture ring.

 

[tirediron]

This image explains it nicely. DoF scales are rarely printed on lenses anymore (annoyingly) - they're very useful when they are.

 

[KmH]

Welcome to the world of the modern DSLR camera, where automation and design geared to causal shooters reigns supreme.

Not only have DoF and hyper focus scales gone away, distance scales are going too.
Today, you use a phone app for information like that.

 

[joel28]

On older and higher end lenses they have a scale that shows distance to infinity.
Sometimes it is printed on the barrel, sometimes it's a window like this one
View attachment 17774

I got no idea how to read this, can someone help?

 

[MLeeK]

The top is the measurement of the distance from your lens to your subject in feet. The bottom number is in meters. That is where your focus will be. In this case your focus would be at 1M or about 3 feet from your lens.

 

[480sparky43 43]

On older and higher end lenses they have a scale that shows distance to infinity.
Sometimes it is printed on the barrel, sometimes it's a window like this one
View attachment 17774

I got no idea how to read this, can someone help?

This lens is focused at 3 feet / 1 meter.

 

[MLeeK]

This image explains it nicely. DoF scales are rarely printed on lenses anymore (annoyingly) - they're very useful when they are.

Is that true of the Canon/Nikon brand lenses? I thought (and I could be really wrong) that the better lenses did have it.
My 17-50 Tamron, 70-200 Tamron and 70-200 OS Sigma all have it on them. The 17-50 just has the measurements on the zoom ring. The other two have the window. I don't think any of my "cheap" lenses have it though.

 

[joel28]

On older and higher end lenses they have a scale that shows distance to infinity.
Sometimes it is printed on the barrel, sometimes it's a window like this one
View attachment 17774

I got no idea how to read this, can someone help?

This lens is focused at 3 feet / 1 meter.

So if I'm a 3 feet, the DOF will be 1 meter? Please explain, Thanks!

This image explains it nicely. DoF scales are rarely printed on lenses anymore (annoyingly) - they're very useful when they are.

Is that true of the Canon/Nikon brand lenses? I thought (and I could be really wrong) that the better lenses did have it.
My 17-50 Tamron, 70-200 Tamron and 70-200 OS Sigma all have it on them. The 17-50 just has the measurements on the zoom ring. The other two have the window. I don't think any of my "cheap" lenses have it though.

The Nikon 50mm 1.8 has it

 

[tirediron]

This image explains it nicely. DoF scales are rarely printed on lenses anymore (annoyingly) - they're very useful when they are.

Is that true of the Canon/Nikon brand lenses? I thought (and I could be really wrong) that the better lenses did have it.
My 17-50 Tamron, 70-200 Tamron and 70-200 OS Sigma all have it on them. The 17-50 just has the measurements on the zoom ring. The other two have the window. I don't think any of my "cheap" lenses have it though.

The Nikon 'D' series lenses have full distance information and DoF scales, however the 'G' series do not. None of my new lenses, including 70-200 and 24-70 have the DoF scales, just a little focus-distance window.

 

[pgriz]

So if I'm a 3 feet, the DOF will be 1 meter? Please explain, Thanks!

Um, no. 3 feet and 1 meter is the same distance but in two different measuring systems. If you are more comfortable with the English system, use feet. If you like metric, use meters. But they are the same distance.

For DOF you also need to know focal length and aperture, which the image posted by MLeek does not show.

Prime lenses often show the DOF marks engraved on the barrel between the focusing distance scale and the aperture scale. When using primes, it is possible to quickly see the DOF effect of aperture at the distance being focused on. Zoom lenses don't have the DOF marks because DOF changes with both aperture and focal length.

 

[480sparky43 43]

This lens is focused at 3 feet / 1 meter.

So if I'm a 3 feet, the DOF will be 1 meter? Please explain, Thanks!

It's simply showing you the focus point expressed in two units of measure... feet and meters. Literally, it's a feet-to-meters conversion chart. 3 feet roughly equals 1 meter.

So if you stand 3 feet, or 1 meter, from a subject, it will be in focus.

 

[MLeeK]

The distance meter has nothing to do with your depth of field and how large or small it will be.

 

[tirediron]

The distance meter has nothing to do with your depth of field and how large or small it will be.

Well... in so far as the greater the distance displayed, the greater the DoF will be it does.

OP: Have you looked at the image linked to in my post above?