What setting should i use for group photo? Every time i try to take a group picture, it seems like only the person i focus on is in focus. If i use F/5.6 and they are only a few inches...

kabrutus Loc: Los Angeles, Ca

Every time i try to take a group picture, it seems like only the person i focus on is in focus.
If i use F/5.6 and they are only a few inches away? I use the auto focus with the single focus point. should i use the auto focus points so that i selects more focus points?

Picture settings
Canon 7D
Canon 24-70 2.8
f/5.6
1/200 with external flash
iso 400
24MM

Let me know!

Thanks!

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

You will need to stop down more to get more depth of field ( Depth of field calculator: http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/dof-calculator.htm) Being closer also reduces the depth of field.
No matter which focusing method you use: multi, single, whatever, physics will only allow one plane of focus.
Alternatively, make sure the subjects are in the same plane of focus like this one shot at f/3.5

kabrutus Loc: Los Angeles, Ca

Not sure i understand,

so for my photo, what Fstop should i have been in order to get them both in focus?

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

kabrutus wrote:

Not sure i understand,

so for my photo, what Fstop should i have been in order to get them both in focus?

Depends on how far away you were from both of them.

Can't get the link I sent to work.
Here's another (probably better):
http://www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html

Set your camera (5D)
focal length- 24mm and distance...guessing 3 feet.
Subject distance 3 ft

Aperture at 5.6 gives you:
Your depth of field (acceptable range of focus) will be from 2.38 to 4.07 feet

Get your subjects within 2.4 & 4 feet of the camera and you should be there.

Aperture at f8 gives you:

Your depth of field (acceptable range of focus) will be from 2.19 to 4.77 feet

Get your subjects within 2.2 & 4.5 feet of the camera and you should be there.

Depth of field roughly extends from 1/3rd in front to 2/3rds behind the focal point. You will want to set your camera to focus 1/3 into the area you want in focus.

Also, with the photo you took, it would help a lot to use a longer shutter setting to keep the background from going black.
Just because your camera syncs at 1/250th doesn't mean that's what you should use.

kabrutus Loc: Los Angeles, Ca

I will try it. Thanks for the tips!

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

kabrutus wrote:

I will try it. Thanks for the tips!

Woops! Saw that I plugged in a Canon 5D not your 7D.
Still a nice camera (this coming from a Nikon guy).

Rob O' Loc: Freakin' Hot Arizona

GoofyNewfie wrote:

Depends on how far away you were from both of them... (show quote)

best advice I've seen on here in a long time.

mooseeyes Loc: Sonora, California

Tripod + f/11 + a roll of string

Arrange your group in a modified semi-circle, where the people on the ends "appear" to be closer to the camera. Take the string, with one end tied to the tripod head just below the camera, and then take the other end and "string" your subjects. . .each of them, so that their noses are the same distance to the camera. Focus on the close eye of the one person in the middle. Bingo, everyone is in focus.

Phreedom Loc: Kitchener, Ontario, Canada

GoofyNewfie wrote:

You will need to stop down more to get more depth of field ( Depth of field calculator: http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/dof-calculator.htm) Being closer also reduces the depth of field.
No matter which focusing method you use: multi, single, whatever, physics will only allow one plane of focus.
Alternatively, make sure the subjects are in the same plane of focus like this one shot at f/3.5

The problem with that URL is the bracket... )... at the end. It is being read as part of the page address and thus producing the error code at the site.
Do not enclose URLs in brackets. Better yet, leave two or three spaces in front and behind when typing them. :-D

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

Phreedom wrote:

The problem with that URL is the bracket... )... at the end. It is being read as part of the page address and thus producing the error code at the site.
Do not enclose URLs in brackets. Better yet, leave two or three spaces in front and behind when typing them. :-D

thanks- I see that now. Good tip.

http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/dof-calculator.htm

ole sarg Loc: south florida

go to camerasim.com and work the simulation it will help you out.

kabrutus wrote:

Not sure i understand,

so for my photo, what Fstop should i have been in order to get them both in focus?

jimmya Loc: Phoenix

kabrutus wrote:

Every time i try to take a group picture, it seems like only the person i focus on is in focus.
If i use F/5.6 and they are only a few inches away? I use the auto focus with the single focus point. should i use the auto focus points so that i selects more focus points?

Picture settings
Canon 7D
Canon 24-70 2.8
f/5.6
1/200 with external flash
iso 400
24MM

Let me know!

Thanks!

I agree with the above. It's all about depth of field. Short, your photo, longer the family shot below.

You can stop down the camera but you're going to have to up your ISO to get a good result.

Group photos are always difficult unless you go in knowing about the DOF. Also, group photos are always better shot in outdoor light because your lens will stop down more to compensate for the brightness.

The Watcher

kabrutus wrote:

Every time i try to take a group picture, it seems like only the person i focus on is in focus.
If i use F/5.6 and they are only a few inches away? I use the auto focus with the single focus point. should i use the auto focus points so that i selects more focus points?

Picture settings
Canon 7D
Canon 24-70 2.8
f/5.6
1/200 with external flash
iso 400
24MM

Let me know!

Thanks!

A photo like this isn't that hard to correct. Set the camera to center focus only. Backup the subjects or the camera and focus on something that is midpoint between the subjects eyes, continue holding the shutter in focus mode and compose the picture and shoot. Both subjects should now be in focus. You can check that by zooming in on the screen. If everything is right you can crop the photo to your liking.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

jimmya wrote:

Group photos are always difficult unless you go in knowing about the DOF. Also, group photos are always better shot in outdoor light because your lens will stop down more to compensate for the brightness.

This brings up another related challenge.
If you are using flash, or any light really, there is something called the "inverse square law".
Without getting technical, light gets dimmer as the subjects are farther away.
If you are correctly exposed for 3 feet away, someone 6 feet away (twice the distance) will receive 1/4 the light, not 1/2, as you might initially expect.
If the people are at different distances from the flash, they won't all be exposed the same.

Look at the photo that kabrutus, the op, posted.
See how much darker the man appears?
Say hello to the inverse square law.

Good article here:
http://photo.tutsplus.com/articles/lighting-articles/rules-for-perfect-lighting-understanding-the-inverse-square-law/

Benlofs

In relation to this question, I have another. I take a yearly group picture of our family every Christmas. There are 23 of us. Last year I placed them in a semi circle position, had some extra lights and an extended flash. My lense is the Nikon 18-200 and I have the Nikon d7000. The pic came out OK but not perfect. Can anyone tell me what settings I could use to get a great group shot? Thanks