new user question re focusing

[joeq]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

am i right in thinking that, if i'm shooting at f11 and the focus ring says i'm good from 4' to infinity (for ex), that i can disregard the fact that the window i see through the viewfinder isn't lined up?

 

thanks.

[Viv]

You can disregard it if you wish, but be aware that not everything within the depth of field will be in sharp focus.

[joeq]

No? Can you please elaborate? Tx.

[spydrxx]

The DOF markings are indicative of a field of "acceptable sharpness" centering at the point of focus and tapering ahead of and behind that point. So, no, you are not correct in your initial assumption if you are looking for consistent sharpness. Try it out with an experimental roll and you will shortly have an intuitive understanding of how it works at different apertures and distances from your main subject.

[Viv]

Spydrxx is correct.

 

A lens has just one point of focus. The depth of field, i.e. what is called "acceptable sharpness" will extend in front and behind that point, but the transition is gradual.

 

A small aperture will give greater depth of field than a larger one.

[joeq]

so how do most street photographers (or others who depend on speed) work? are they constantly fosuing or using the markings on the lens?

 

Spydrxx is correct.

 

A lens has just one point of focus. The depth of field, i.e. what is called "acceptable sharpness" will extend in front and behind that point, but the transition is gradual.

 

A small aperture will give greater depth of field than a larger one.

[Xmas]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

They scale focus and shoot at risk, if the subject is animated.

 

Noel

[tobey bilek]

Street shooters can estimate distances and know how far that point is from infinity as they turn the lens. It is done before the camera comes to eye level.

 

I can do it, but like many things requires constant practice.

 

They miss some and they pray a lot.

 

There is but one plane of focus. Debth of field supposedly will still show sharp on a print.

Critical workers use 5.6 when lens is set to 11

[joeq]

Street shooters can estimate distances and know how far that point is from infinity as they turn the lens. It is done before the camera comes to eye level.

 

I can do it, but like many things requires constant practice.

 

They miss some and they pray a lot.

 

There is but one plane of focus. Debth of field supposedly will still show sharp on a print.

Critical workers use 5.6 when lens is set to 11

 

"Critical workers use 5.6 when lens is set to 11"

 

do you mean that they use the focusing range of 5.6 even though their aperture is set to 11?

[spydrxx]

No you have it backward...they set the point of focus at 11 ft and the aperture to f5.6.

The old press photographers coined the phrase "f8 and be there" for capturing shots for their newspapers. The exercise most of us used to practice in years gone by for street shooting was to visually estimate the distance from where we stood to a variety of objects and check that by the rangefinder. For instance, when shooting inside where there was floor tile, you would count the squares (knowing their dimensions already) for an accurate focus distance. Another trick was to pretend we were lying down, and count the number of "bodies" between ourselves and the subject, knowing that our average height was somewhere around 6 feet. You can do a similar exercise for sidewalk squares, cars parked, etc. It just takes a little practice!

[giordano]

"Critical workers use 5.6 when lens is set to 11"

 

do you mean that they use the focusing range of 5.6 even though their aperture is set to 11?

 

Yes. Whether something is acceptably sharp depends on how much you are going to enlarge the picture when you make a print, and the distance you are going to view the print from.

 

The depth of field scale on the lens assumes that the prints will be about postcard size and you'll view them from a normal reading distance - and that the image is enlarged more people will view it from further away. That made sense given the quality of lenses and films 80 years ago when Leica standardised the scale, but nowadays Leica photographers demand higher standards of sharpness. Hence, set the lens to f/11 but use the depth of field markings for f/5.6, or f/8 and use the marking for f/4 and so on.

 

If you search for "depth of field" and "circle of confusion" you'll find a lot of information.

[E.M]

also , the depth of field is larger behind the focus point than before it .

 

Etienne Michiels

[bill]

The old press photographers coined the phrase "f8 and be there" for capturing shots for their newspapers.

 

Um... To be more precise, this is usually attributed to either Robert Capa or Weegee; my preference would be for Capa, since Weegee was using Speed Graphics at the time.

 

Regards,

 

Bill

[redbaron]

E.M., that's what I thought too, until someone very politely pointed out that I was wrong.

 

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m8-forum/120625-noctilux-portrait-lens-m8-2.html

 

(the post near the bottom at 08:16)

[joeq]

thanks, all.

 

E.M., that's what I thought too, until someone very politely pointed out that I was wrong.

 

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m8-forum/120625-noctilux-portrait-lens-m8-2.html

 

(the post near the bottom at 08:16)

[Xmas]

Street shooters can estimate distances and know how far that point is from infinity as they turn the lens. It is done before the camera comes to eye level.

Well I don't do some of that, I rely on the subject being inside the depth of field 'zone', before I shoot, I carry an invisible pair of calipers around, in front of camera and shoot instinctive point most of time (from the hip). If the subject is outside the caliper bracket, I may take the shot anyway, I wont disturb the focus setting as the lenses I use are too different to make this practical, even if I had time.

 

I set a

 

28mm to 6 foot

35mm to 7 foot

50mm to 11 foot

 

The 35mm leaves you(r photo) inside their group, in a perspective sense.

 

if the light does not allow 1/125 & f/8, I stay in coffee house.

 

They miss some and they pray a lot.

I miss a lot, if you have a M9 this is not such a problem, camera shake and scalloping, are the big problems, (for rejects) even if you (have time to) get the camera to the eye.

 

I use a Canon P normally which is noisier them a cloth shutter M, (or Contax II), but people ignore the noise, At six foot or less you are inside their caution zone and they wont like eye contact or your camera, until they are sure it is a camera, and you are not using it. The P has close to a 1:1 finder like a M3, and is easy to use.

 

Noel..

[E.M]

Redbaron , I don't understand your point , every lens I have tells me the dof is larger behind the focus point , and the difference increases with the focus distance increasing . Unless the numbers on my lens are lying . Maybe with a macro at 1:1 the dof before and after are the same ( cannot check it , don't have a 1:1 lens) , but I assume that as soon that you move a bit backwards and refocus , there is a difference .

 

Etienne Michiels

[redbaron]

Etienne, it's not my point and I actually don't agree with it. Did you read the post in the other thread? I was taught that DoF is twice as large behind the subject than in front, but apparently this is wrong. Some theory about confusing circles disproves it, apparently.

Charles.

[rob_x2004]

EM, find yourself the formula for depth of field calcs and start plugging numbers into it. For comparisons different lengths apertures on the same lens you can start ruling out a lot of variables like cirlces of complete confusion.

When you get over ten to fifteen feet the 1/3 2/3 in front behind rule of thumb with standard lenses works pretty well, the rubbery 'acceptable' begins to run out towards infinity pretty quick. Closer distance the acceptable gets more one to one, macro all bets are off I'd guess:rolleyes:.

 

Joeq if you go here the PDF >DETAILS, Leica provide you acceptable depths of fields for lenses in easy to understand charts. Might be worht a squiz.

But you arent using a Nikonos underwater with a cokebottle lens. Leica lenses are pretty good and worth focusing. It makes a difference. Shooting from the hip is drivel.

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Interesting Leica gear