Beginners questions

[Mario]

Greetings all.

I am very green as far as digital photography is concerned and as you can imagine I have a (few) questions to ask.
Where is the best place in this forum to ask beginners questions, is there a separate area for that?

Best regards
-Mario

 

[Brownie]

Right here seems like a good place. Welcome aboard.

 

[Mario]

Right here seems like a good place. Welcome aboard.

Thank you, great to be here.

I am trying to figure out how to make the entire image sharp.

Looking at leaves and that red fence on the left hand side they are pretty out of focus, leaves especially.

I read about hyperfocal distance, does that apply here focusing 1/3 of the way or am I completely on the wrong track?

In case of this particular photo it is probably not that important that leaves are not in focus but on the same day there was a bird which was just unbelievably pretty landing roughly where leaves were and I had no idea how to make the entire photo in focus to crop the bird out later on.

Best regards
-Mario

 

[iamdlewis]

Welcome.
Then this will be helpful:

Then also depth of field calculator with some far better details as to how focal length and aperture work to give you what is and is not going to be in focus.

There is also the more advanced technique of focus stacking in which you take multiple images at different focus points and then combine them later.

I know that the chart above basically says that if you use F32 or F22 for most lenses that everything will be in focus and sharp. Yes everything will be in focus or at least near enough but most lenses tend to lose sharpness as you move past about F14 and everything will kind of look dulled with that being more so as you move from the center out. Another risk of shooting at F22 or really any of the higher (? never really sure what term to use) aperture is that you are getting in less light which will require you to either slow the shutter speed and risk unintentional camera movement creating blur or raise the ISO and introduce more noise thus reducing the sharpness.

 

[Mario]

Welcome.
Then this will be helpful:
View attachment 48228

Then also depth of field calculator with some far better details as to how focal length and aperture work to give you what is and is not going to be in focus.

There is also the more advanced technique of focus stacking in which you take multiple images at different focus points and then combine them later.

I know that the chart above basically says that if you use F32 or F22 for most lenses that everything will be in focus and sharp. Yes everything will be in focus or at least near enough but most lenses tend to lose sharpness as you move past about F14 and everything will kind of look dulled with that being more so as you move from the center out. Another risk of shooting at F22 or really any of the higher (? never really sure what term to use) aperture is that you are getting in less light which will require you to either slow the shutter speed and risk unintentional camera movement creating blur or raise the ISO and introduce more noise thus reducing the sharpness.

Much appreciated.

Most of it makes sense, the trick is to put it all together in action but I will certainly keep trying.

Cheers
-Mario

 

[Brownie]

I can't see any metadata. What was your aperture setting?

 

[Uncle Kevriano]

Welcome on board. Ask away

 

[Deleted Member 5003]

Hi Mario,
As a beginner I can relate to your concerns.
For the image you present hyperfocal distance ie focus at 1/3 of the distance between your camera position and
Infinity is OK for vast landscapes but for a relatively limited camera to infinity distance ,as in you corridor image, an aperture setting of between f7.0 to f11.0 shOuld suffice to give you full depth sharpness by focussing on your primary image subject.......you will of course need to ensure your exposure
settings are correct to ensure your highlights or shadows particularly are not blown out.

You will note the shadows at the far end of you image, but as long as you expose for the highlights you should be able to recover the shadows in post processing.....the above shooting process should also be able to sharpen the leaves.

HOPE THIS HELPS.

 

[Mario]

I can't see any metadata. What was your aperture setting?

ISO 50, 1/20s, f/5. I was using tripod and remote shooting via my phone trying to make it as stable as I could.

 

[Deleted Member 5003]

Your f5 setting seems to be the prime issue to address to achieve the focus you are looking for........try f7 or above...

 

[Brownie]

ISO 50, 1/20s, f/5. I was using tripod and remote shooting via my phone trying to make it as stable as I could.

Your aperture is a bit open for the kind of depth of field you're looking for. For more DOF, you need to close it down. But as Dave referred to above, there's a limit as to how far you can go before the image starts to look soft, even if it's in focus. That's called 'diffraction', and it's the result of bending light.

I would think that you'd have no problem pushing to f/16 or so. It still won't get you completely in focus, but it will be much better than what you have now. Set the camera up using a tripod. ISO 100, f/16, and whatever shutter speed it wants for good exposure. Use remote or delayed shutter. Choose a focus point 1/3 of the way back into the image. The reason for that is the depth of field is greater behind the focal point than in front of it. Turn all image stabilization off.

As a newbie, I recommend you go back out there and take 10-15 shots using different apertures, go from wide open to as closed down as you can, just so you can get a feel for how it affects the photo. Good learning opportunity! Make sure to report back and let us know how it goes!

 

[Mario]

Your aperture is a bit open for the kind of depth of field you're looking for. For more DOF, you need to close it down. But as Dave referred to above, there's a limit as to how far you can go before the image starts to look soft, even if it's in focus. That's called 'diffraction', and it's the result of bending light.

I would think that you'd have no problem pushing to f/16 or so. It still won't get you completely in focus, but it will be much better than what you have now. Set the camera up using a tripod. ISO 100, f/16, and whatever shutter speed it wants for good exposure. Use remote or delayed shutter. Choose a focus point 1/3 of the way back into the image. The reason for that is the depth of field is greater behind the focal point than in front of it. Turn all image stabilization off.

As a newbie, I recommend you go back out there and take 10-15 shots using different apertures, go from wide open to as closed down as you can, just so you can get a feel for how it affects the photo. Good learning opportunity! Make sure to report back and let us know how it goes!

Thanks very much, much appreciated.
It is raining at the moment and if it stops I should be heading there on Saturday, to that exact place.

"Turn all image stabilization off."...why in the name of our Lord savior would I want to do that?!

If I remember correctly somebody mentioned that somewhere so there must be 5 good reasons why I should do that but right now I can't think of one.
Don't want to waste your time, let me do some digging around turning image stabilization off but thanks very much for your pointers.

 

[Brownie]

Thanks very much, much appreciated.
It is raining at the moment and if it stops I should be heading there on Saturday, to that exact place.

"Turn all image stabilization off."...why in the name of our Lord savior would I want to do that?!

If I remember correctly somebody mentioned that somewhere so there must be 5 good reasons why I should do that but right now I can't think of one.
Don't want to waste your time, let me do some digging around turning image stabilization off but thanks very much for your pointers.

When on a tripod it isn't needed. Also, the camera can interpret shutter movement as shakiness and try to correct it unnecessarily, which results in blur.

 

[jav_eee]

"Turn all image stabilization off."...why in the name of our Lord savior would I want to do that?!

I've read that the camera freaks out when it doesn't sense any motion to correct and tries to correct that. If that makes sense haha

 

[Mario]

...and here it is in all its glory

I am sure you will spot several things that are not quite right but to me it looks much better and it looks like I am getting somewhere.

Being completely new to photography the main challenge to me personally is to learn to think in a certain way to make things work.
What is not helping is that a few things are turned upside down so greater number means smaller setting and not the other way around which is what one would expect but I am getting there.

Please comment on the latest photo, your input is very much appreciated I cam assure you.

Best regards
-Mario

 

[Brownie]

Better result. Also, much more interesting light. Note the difference in the second shot with the way the sun is coming through the arches and ladning on the walkway. Little things like that can make a shot.

BTW, when you upload images, you have a choice after you click 'insert' to choose thumbnail or full image. If you choose full image we'll be able to see the image without clicking on it.