wide angle lens

[echoyjeff222]

Hi all, been awhile since I've posted here since I've been studying for the MCAT ... finally done, though! I'm going out shooting this weekend, and I'm trying out wide angle lenses for the first time.

I usually have my settings for a regular lens set to about f8 or so, but are there different settings I should use for a wide angle lens? Any other things to keep in mind? It seems like this lens only goes from f3.5-4.5 -- will this still be able to capture the entire background even if I focus on the foreground? Should I use wide angle for all my shots? I'm going to be taking lots of landscape shots. I borrowed this one from the school to use:

Canon U.S.A. : Consumer & Home Office : EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM

Thanks!

P.S. The other lens I'm using is the default I got the canon EFS 18-135 mm

 

[Lucryster]

Apertures work the same with wide angle lenses. At least f8 to keep everything in focus.

 

[echoyjeff222]

Wait, why does the lens say f 3.5 - f 4.5 only then?

 

[480sparky41 40]

That's the maximum aperture of the lens across it's zoom range. F/3.5 at the wide end, f/4.5 at the long end.

You will still be able to use apertures down to at lest f/16 or 22.

 

[Lucryster]

Those are Maximum apertures of the lens. 3.5 max when zoomed out 4.5 when zoomed in. You are always able to go up to f20 or so on any lens.

 

[echoyjeff222]

Oh gotcha, thanks!

 

[timor]

I usually have my settings for a regular lens set to about f8 or so, but are there different settings I should use for a wide angle lens?

First check characteristics of your wide angle lens, what DoF you can expect with different aperture settings. Let say how much DoF is covering aperture 5.6. If it is sufficient for your need of the moment do not stop down any more. Wide angle lenses have nasty habits . Fall off of sharpness wide open or fall off of light, when stopped down. In corners.
So shoot a few at different aperture stops and examine your shots in this matter. This way you will find aperture with best balance, use it and control exposure with shutter speed.

 

[echoyjeff222]

BTW, anyone have some tips about when to

I usually have my settings for a regular lens set to about f8 or so, but are there different settings I should use for a wide angle lens?

First check characteristics of your wide angle lens, what DoF you can expect with different aperture settings. Let say how much DoF is covering aperture 5.6. If it is sufficient for your need of the moment do not stop down any more. Wide angle lenses have nasty habits . Fall off of sharpness wide open or fall off of light, when stopped down. In corners.
So shoot a few at different aperture stops and examine your shots in this matter. This way you will find aperture with best balance, use it and control exposure with shutter speed.

Just to clarify (since I haven't done much photography in awhile) -- If I get enough DoF with a f 5.6, you're saying there is no need to go DOWN in f-stop (e.g. to 4) number any farther than that, right?

 

[timor]

Stopping down means making the hole smaller.

 

[xzyragon]

larger aperture (smaller f-number) lets in more light, but makes your DOF thinner. Can be used to isolate your subject, but also makes getting your focus correct harder.

I have a 10-22, and pretty much every time I have it on, I'm at least at f7.1, and adjust my shutterspeed and ISO to get the correct exposure. I've gotten decently sharp shots shooting with it down to 1/10 of a second, but this was at sunset. During the day, you'll have no problem shooting action at f10 or f11 with a shutterspeed around 1/320 with a relatively low ISO.

here's f7.1 @ 30 second exposure on a typical landscape. Everything is in focus.
IMG_4256 by christophercoxphoto, on Flickr

here's f9 @ 1/250 and ISO 100. Just an example of a skate shot with everything in focus (mostly).
IMG_2240 by christophercoxphoto, on Flickr

and here's f5 @ 1/50 and ISO 800. It's not a bokeh monster at all (and I was still less than a foot away from the pup here).
IMG_6780 by christophercoxphoto, on Flickr