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Depth of field question
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Jul 11, 2016 06:47:07   #
Robert R Loc: Indianapolis and Naples
 
I have been experimenting with hummingbird photos. I have a feeder in my yard, and set my camera on a tripod with Canon 70-200 L f4 lens, set at 70mm. I sit beside camera and use cable release. I was about 10 feet from feeder. I focus on feeder, TV mode, 1/2000, ISO auto, (400) for this photo, the camera chooses f4. This gives me a short depth of field, and the hummers flying around the feeder are not if focus. I appreciate any suggestions on how to get a deeper depth of field so birds in the vicinity of feeder are in focus.


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Jul 11, 2016 06:49:19   #
jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY
 
You need a smaller aperture (higher number). Raising the ISO allow do that.

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Jul 11, 2016 06:51:37   #
EmilMiller Loc: Miramar, FL
 
Depth of field is 1/3 in front and 2/3 behind the focal point, take that into consideration.

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Jul 11, 2016 06:51:47   #
Robert R Loc: Indianapolis and Naples
 
jerryc41 wrote:
You need a smaller aperture (higher number). Raising the ISO allow do that.


Thanks, I will try that next time. I was trying to use lower ISO to reduce noise, but will try higher.

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Jul 11, 2016 06:55:29   #
Robert R Loc: Indianapolis and Naples
 
EmilMiller wrote:
Depth of field is 1/3 in front and 2/3 behind the focal point, take that into consideration.


Thanks, good point. Since I am sitting so close, the birds are generally behind the feeder. I see I need to move feeder to improve background, get the fence out of the picture.

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Jul 11, 2016 07:02:54   #
Revet Loc: Fairview Park, Ohio
 
For Hummers, I have always had more success hand holding the camera. At 1/2000 (which is great for Hummingbirds), you don't need a tripod and you can move around. It is nice to just sit back and watch them though!!

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Jul 11, 2016 07:03:19   #
ejrmaine Loc: South Carolina
 
I'm using a Digital Depth of Field app on my iPhone, using the 70mm focal length, and the 10 ft distance, if you set your aperture to f16 you'd have a depth of field of 3'-8.8" with a near focus distance of 8'-5.7" and a far distance of 12'-2.4".

As was mentioned above, adjust your Shutter speed and or ISO to make f16 work.

Please post the results.

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Jul 11, 2016 07:05:00   #
Robert R Loc: Indianapolis and Naples
 
ejrmaine wrote:
I'm using a Digital Depth of Field app on my iPhone, using the 70mm focal length, and the 10 ft distance, if you set your aperture to f16 you'd have a depth of field of 3'-8.8" with a near focus distance of 8'-5.7" and a far distance of 12'-2.4".

As was mentioned above, adjust your Shutter speed and or ISO to make f16 work.

Please post the results.


Thanks, will give it a try, but it may be a few days, it is a weekend project.

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Jul 11, 2016 07:05:27   #
ejrmaine Loc: South Carolina
 
I'm using a Digital Depth of Field app on my iPhone, using the 70mm focal length, and the 10 ft distance, if you set your aperture to f16 you'd have a depth of field of 3'-8.8" with a near focus distance of 8'-5.7" and a far distance of 12'-2.4".

As was mentioned above, adjust your Shutter speed and or ISO to make f16 work, or use a flash.

Please post the results.

Reply
Jul 11, 2016 07:05:36   #
ejrmaine Loc: South Carolina
 
I'm using a Digital Depth of Field app on my iPhone, using the 70mm focal length, and the 10 ft distance, if you set your aperture to f16 you'd have a depth of field of 3'-8.8" with a near focus distance of 8'-5.7" and a far distance of 12'-2.4".

As was mentioned above, adjust your Shutter speed and or ISO to make f16 work, or use a flash.

Please post the results.

Reply
Jul 11, 2016 07:19:25   #
rmm0605 Loc: Atlanta GA
 
Robert R wrote:
I have been experimenting with hummingbird photos. I have a feeder in my yard, and set my camera on a tripod with Canon 70-200 L f4 lens, set at 70mm. I sit beside camera and use cable release. I was about 10 feet from feeder. I focus on feeder, TV mode, 1/2000, ISO auto, (400) for this photo, the camera chooses f4. This gives me a short depth of field, and the hummers flying around the feeder are not if focus. I appreciate any suggestions on how to get a deeper depth of field so birds in the vicinity of feeder are in focus.
I have been experimenting with hummingbird photos.... (show quote)


Set the camera to manual and up the f-stop to 8 and the ISO to 1600.

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Jul 11, 2016 07:20:49   #
Robert R Loc: Indianapolis and Naples
 
rmm0605 wrote:
Set the camera to manual and up the f-stop to 8 and the ISO to 1600.


That sound good, will give it a try. Thanks.

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Jul 11, 2016 07:43:34   #
djtravels Loc: Georgia boy now
 
Shoot in Aperture priority, f/8-11. If stopping the hummer's wings is important to you shoot in manual.

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Jul 11, 2016 08:01:28   #
Szalajj Loc: Salem, NH
 
I'm going to go at my answer a little differently.

First, what camera are you using?

I shoot with a Canon Rebel T5, and any ISO's over 400 show way too much noise or grain with my camera.

Yes, you need a higher shutter speed with hummers, to try to freeze the wing motion.

But in this case, you don't have enough light on your subject to also raise your f-stop to a high enough number to increase your depth of field, without increasing the ISO to a setting that will increase the noise or grain in your pictures.

Also, look in your menu, and see if for some reason your camera has gotten set on a soft focus portrait setting, instead of sharp focus. This happened to me, and it took 7 months to find the error after my camera came back from a trip to Canon, where they checked it over, then they did a factory reset and returned it to me.

So, as someone earlier suggested, try moving the feeder into a better lit location, because you need that light to bring out the iridescent colors in the hummers feathers.

If moving the feeder fails to provide enough natural light, then setting up a remote controlled speed light on a stand might be your next step. You do not want one that is mounted on your camera, because you will be using it for some fill. You don't want it directly aimed level with the flight pattern, but set it so that it is at least a 45 degree or higher angle to use as fill. You should set it in a position, so that the birds are flying towards the light, not away from the light. But you might have to experiment with where you set the light stand.

These are just some suggestions to try, see if they help.

There are many here on UHH who regularly shoot hummers, and may have some better suggestions. But, basically, you need to get more light on your subjects to get better shots of them.

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Jul 11, 2016 08:12:07   #
Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)
 
EmilMiller wrote:
Depth of field is 1/3 in front and 2/3 behind the focal point, take that into consideration.


Not at all.

At 70mm and F4 at a distance of 10 ft on a 7D, the DoF is from 9.56 ft to 10.5 ft. The distribution is 48% in front, and 52% behind the subject.

For a full frame camera, it's 9.32 ft to 10.8 ft, with 46% in front and 54% behind.

You might want to refer to the numerous DoF caclulators and charts on line before giving out incorrect and confusing information.

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