How well do you know your lenses?

[deeky]

Out shooting, focusing is one thing, but getting the right dof is more by trial and error for me. I understand all of the different factors (focal length, aperture, distance from lense), but don't know the specifics for my lenses.

How well do you know the dof for your lenses? Is there a trick to knowing it? Do you just know it like a table in your head? Or do you just wing it?

Curious what everyone knows and does?

Thanks.

 

[cgipson1]

You may find this handy.. and yes, there are cell phone apps also...

Online Depth of Field Calculator

Most of the time I just wing it.. but with over thirty years of SLR / DSLR shooting... I may have some idea of what my lenses will do! I don't think about it much.. just do it! (Macro is a whole different story, though!) lol!

 

[sovietdoc]

How well do you know the dof for your lenses? Is there a trick to knowing it? Do you just know it like a table in your head? Or do you just wing it?
Thanks.

Or I just press the DOF preview button.

 

[deeky]

cgipson1 - thanks for the tip on the phone app. I'm a bit of a sucker for phone apps, particularly free ones. I do look forward to when I just kind of know by the feel of it. Have to do some more shooting to get there.

 

[480sparky41 41]

I have a fairly good idea of the DOF just from experience. If it's critical, I'll use a DOF app.

 

[RichardsTPF]

Or I just press the DOF preview button.

I have a D90. When I press that button, I don't see any difference in the view finder. Maybe I did something wrong?

 

[mjhoward]

Or I just press the DOF preview button.

I have a D90. When I press that button, I don't see any difference in the view finder. Maybe I did something wrong?

You should, at the very least, see that it is darker.

 

[480sparky41 41]

Is "That Button" programmed to be the DOF preview?

 

[bhop]

I have a fairly good idea of the DOF just from experience.

Same here.. I don't use an app though..

Or I just press the DOF preview button.

I have a D90. When I press that button, I don't see any difference in the view finder. Maybe I did something wrong?

Are you only trying it at a wide open aperture? Try it at all apertures in succession and watch as whatever's not your focus point becomes more clear in the finder. It'll also get darker because less light will be coming in.

 

[Big Mike]

Mostly, I just go from experince but I also have an app on my iphone

App Store - Simple DoF

 

[dylanstraub]

I don't have nearly as much experience as Charlie but the same holds true for me. It helps me to remember that the DOF at F2.0 is shallow and on the other end (say f22 or so) the DOF is deep into the picture. You'll also want to remember your other tools (EV + or - as well as ISO) when attempting to get the correct exposure. For example: when I want a shallow DOF but the subject has a lot of light I might change my ISO from 400 to 200 and if I still have too much light I could drop the EV by a third or more. I don't have a light meter so I may shoot a couple variations to make sure I get it just right.I hope this helps.

You may find this handy.. and yes, there are cell phone apps also...

Online Depth of Field Calculator

Most of the time I just wing it.. but with over thirty years of SLR / DSLR shooting... I may have some idea of what my lenses will do! I don't think about it much.. just do it! (Macro is a whole different story, though!) lol!

 

[kundalini]

How well do you know your lenses?

Intimately

 

[BlairWright]

it's all experience for me. I shoot allot.. The more you shoot the more you will learn.

 

[pgriz]

First-name basis here. Although we occasionally get into arguements.

 

[o hey tyler]

First-name basis here. Although we occasionally get into arguements.

Lolol