Hyperfocal point and infinity

[Devon8822]

I've been reading up on the hyperfocal point and I understand it as a way to place the DOF in the ideal spot to get the most in focus. What I don't get is this infinity business. Under my understanding there will always be out of focus area infront and behind the area that is in focus. Since when are you able to eliminate the out of focus portion behind the focused on area just by focusing on this sweet spot (hyperfocal point). Is the word infinity used in more of a practical way or will everything 5 miles away actually be perfectly in focus (theoretically)?

Using a DOF calculator it says with my cam and settings (APS-C, 30mm, 1.8F) my hyperfocal distance is 86 feet.... so does that actually mean if I focus 86 feet away everything until the end of time will be in focus after that?.

 

[Josh66]

Yes, that is exactly what it means. Though, at 30mm, f/1.8, and a focus point of 86 feet, I'd expect some things close to the camera to be out of focus... (But maybe not on a crop sensor...)

 

[480sparky]

Hyperfocal point is simply a lens/aperture/focus point where the far end of the DOF is infinity. What the near point is depends on the camera, lens and aperture.

 

[Josh66]

Hyperfocal point is simply a lens/aperture/focus point where the far end of the DOF is infinity. What the near point is depends on the camera, lens and aperture.

That makes more sense. For some reason I was thinking that "everything" (near and far) should be in focus...

 

[480sparky]

Hyperfocal point is simply a lens/aperture/focus point where the far end of the DOF is infinity. What the near point is depends on the camera, lens and aperture.

That makes more sense. For some reason I was thinking that "everything" (near and far) should be in focus...

For wide, ultra-wide and fisheyes, that may be easy to accomplish. But beyond 300mm, it's hard to do.

 

[Derrel]

Hyperfocal focusing is wonderful in theory. But in actual photography situations, focusing on the most-importnat subject matter usually works out better. Especially now that we have access to high-resolution digital images, and the ability to easily make large prints, or to view photos on large, high-defintion monitors.

A couple of hours spent testing different focusing ideas will really help bring the concepts to life for you. Hyperfocal distance focusing was great back when most people shot grainy 35mm B&W film and made 6x9 inch "enlargements" on 8x10 inch paper, but today, we often don't view images that small.