Speaking of "Depth Of Field"

[Warhorse]

On most, if not all of the 35mm SLR's that I have owned in the past, you could push a button and manually stop the aperture down so that you could actually see what was in focus.


Is this impossible to do with a DSLR, or is it a feature on pro level camera's?

 

[Braineack]

Depends on the body. I believe almost all the Nikon bodies in the D7000 level and above have the feature.

 

[table1349]

1. What camera do you have?

2. Have you RTFM?

Most DSLR's still have a DOF preview button.

 

[Warhorse]

I have a Nikon D3200.

RTFM? Who does that?

 

[480sparky]

RTFM? Who does that?

Read The F_____ Manual.

 

[table1349]

I believe that the D3200 is one of the cameras that does not. This may be a function that can be done in live view, but a DOF preview button is handy to have.

 

[Warhorse]

RTFM? Who does that?

Read The F_____ Manual.

No s#!^? Who'd a thunk to do dat?

 

[Warhorse]

I believe that the D3200 is one of the cameras that does not. This may be a function that can be done in live view, but a DOF preview button is handy to have.

That's why I asked the question.

 

[table1349]

RTFM? Who does that?

Read The F_____ Manual.

No s#!^? Who'd a thunk to do dat?

You would not believe the number of people that don't.

 

[table1349]

I believe that the D3200 is one of the cameras that does not. This may be a function that can be done in live view, but a DOF preview button is handy to have.

That's why I asked the question.

I'm not familiar with Nikon Live View, but in taking a glance at the manual it looks as if live view will give you a preview of you DOF. Granted, not the most convenient method, but still available.

 

[Warhorse]

What page number are you seeing this?

 

[table1349]

What page number are you seeing this?

Just from the preview photo in the Live View section. Hard to tell and as I said, not familiar with Nikon Live view. From another forum a poster mentioned that he got a DOF preview in live view after he took a shot. Apparently in Live View, the camera remembers the last aperture shot and displays it. He discovered this doing macro work. Not handy for that one chance shot but if you have the time sounds like it would work. Apparently you also have to have Image Review switched off.

 

[Warhorse]

Thanks anyway.

 

[Warhorse]

Depends on the body. I believe almost all the Nikon bodies in the D7000 level and above have the feature.

Looks like that is the answer to my question, thanks.

 

[KmH]

Auto focus ushered in a partially transparent (50%) main mirror in SLR and DSLR cameras so light could get to a secondary mirror behind the main mirror. The secondary mirror directs light down to the auto focus module in the bottom of the camera body.

Consequently SLR/DSLR viewfinders are a bit darker than they were before AF.

Stopping the lens down with a DoF preview function makes the viewfinder even darker.
To add another layer, to keep cost down the more basic entry-level DSLR cameras use a pentamirror viewfinder rather than a pentaprism viewfinder.
The pentamirror viewfinder is not as bright as a pentaprism viewfinder.

So the DoF preview is so dark on cameras that have a pentamirror viewfinder that the feature is nearly useless and the camera makers don't bother including the feature on those cameras.