machia Loc: NJ

I'm trying to photograph a locomotive on a track for a photography contest . It requires that the background be in sharp focus . The problem is , the objects that are in the background are about 4 feet away and despite using a minimum f22 aperature opening I'm getting some blur . I'm close to the locomotive at about 1.5 feet with a 18-55 mm kit lens . No focal length change or change in subject to camera distance is helping . I'm also using an APS-C DSLR so my focal lengths are actually between 28.8-88mm . I'm thinking I should back up a good 5 feet or so and use a 135 or 200 mm . This way subject and background will be in focus .
Am I on the right track ?
No pun intended ! lol
Thank you in advance to anyone who can help .

oldtigger Loc: Roanoke Virginia-USA

just stack it.
Then you can get a super sharp train and a controlled blur on the background

Rongnongno Loc: FL

Yup...
Set camera to manual, including ISO.
Focus the foreground
Check where the rear acceptable focus limit is.
Take the shot.
Focus slightly ahead of where the rear acceptable focus was.
Check where the new rear acceptable focus limit is.
Take the shot (same exposure settings)
Repeat until you have covered everything.

Use a stacking program

PP the areas you need to.

Done.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

Have you considered a T&S lens?

davidrb Loc: Half way there on the 45th Parallel

Tilt/shift as Canon calls their lens and perspective correction as Nikon refers to theirs.

Rongnongno Loc: FL

And the $$$ spent - Even if rented - for a single photo contest whose result is likely peanuts or 'right to brag'???

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

You could use a tilt-shift lens but focus stacking is probably going to give you better results, and it would have to include purchasing an expensive lens and deal with the learning curve.

This is a fast and easy tutorial using Photoshop CS4, but the same process can be used with any subsequent version up the current CC.

http://petapixel.com/2014/09/07/tutorial-easily-focus-stack-using-photoshop-feature-probably-didnt-know/

If you use a longer focal length and move back you are probably going to have the same challenges even though you are further away. Depth of field is affected by aperture, focal length and distance to subject. Increasing the distance will increase the depth of field, but increasing the focal length will diminish it. F22 is robbing you of some sharpness due to diffraction, though with careful post processing you can recover some, but not all, of the sharpness loss.

You'll have to experiment a bit with your Fstop and focus settings, but ideally you should be using the sharpest fstop for your lens, which is probably around F8-F11. You should pick focus points that overlap a little - like the track in front of the engine, then the front of the engine, the mid point, and the rear of the engine, and so on, until you get to the background. Exactly how many images you take will be determined by how far away you are and how deep your depth of field is at each focus point. The DoF will be shallowest at the near distance, gradually increasing towards the rear. It's better to have more focus points than not enough - Photoshop will usually resolve the stack pretty well.

It goes without saying that you should use manual exposure and not change it for the stack of images.

Looking forward to seeing the results!

Shellback Loc: North of Cheyenne Bottoms Wetlands - Kansas

Yes, you are on the right track - the further away you are, the larger your depth of field -

use this site to see the variations so you can plan the shot with the various focal lengths: http://dofmaster.com/dofjs.html

Good luck and show us your results...

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

Your assuming the train is not moving?!
SS

oldtigger Loc: Roanoke Virginia-USA

It doesn't matter, use the train as a subset, soften the background set and restack.
The train image will stand proud.

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

How large is this locomotive? How much of it are you trying to get (one blowdown deflector or the whole locomotive)? What is the background? And why must the background be in focus?

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

I'd take the pun, it's pretty good!
As others have suggested, learn how to do focus stacking.
It would be less expensive than buying a $2000+ 17mm shift lens for your Canon T-5.
You could rent one as well, but you'd still have to learn how to use the manual focus lens and stacking would still probably work better.
Do you have a good camera with a smaller sensor?
Not sure what the specifications are that you're trying to meet, but you should get more depth of field with that.


No, your lens is still actually an 18-55. That's how it's marked because that's the focal length.
The focal length of a lens does not change no mater what camera it's attached to.
There are people on this and other sites who are mis-informed, forget to use the word 'equivalent' in the comparison or just refuse to learn.
On your camera, full-frame equivalent field of view of your 18-55 would be about the same as a 28.8~88mm on a full frame camera, but it's still an 18-55.
If you've never used a 35mm film camera or full-frame digital, this reference is probably meaningless, but it's become the standard by which to compare the equivalent fields of view of different cameras. Some companies advertise the "equivalent" focal length, but the lens is usually still marked with the actual.

From a review of the Nikon P510 by Bob Atkins:
"Ever feel the need for a 24-1000mm zoom? Well Nikon did and they've incorporated it into their new Coolpix P510 16.1MP digicam. It's not actually a 24-1000mm lens of course, but it gives the same field of view as one would on a full frame 35mm camera. It's actually a 4.3-180mm f3.3-5.9 lens, which is still pretty amazing."

I'd rather people be confused with facts. My .02 worth.

machia Loc: NJ

Wow , thank you all .
And the contest is just fifty bucks and the scenes I've shot are beautiful . But contest rules insist sharpness throughout the photograph . I'll certainly use all of your suggestions . Thank you .

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

Without a T/S lens, that is a tough task, but luckily there is stacking!

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

It's funny, but my first thought was having the subject sharp and the background blurred, which is what I often see in pictures of train layouts. Without lots of light, I think focus stacking is the way to go - as others have said. It's a great process, and it works like magic.