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Just can't seem to get everything in focus :(
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Jun 23, 2016 19:43:25   #
Annie B Loc: Maryland
 
It seems like hit or miss when I'm taking the pictures. Seems like they're in focus when I'm in the DMF mode(magnifying the picture and using the manual focus) and when I look at the picture after it's taken but I upload it to the computer and...nope...more often than not the whole picture is not in focus...I read that I shouldn't be using anything in the focus mode but the flexible spot but just for kicks I've been experimenting trying "wide or zone" it's still hit or miss...

What am I missing? Oh and in the case of one shot here I tried to aim in the middle so I could get it all in focus. Seemed to get the flower and SOME of the leaf but not all. I was using a 55mm lens in AP and SP with ISO on auto

The last one was better but it just looks like the stem and a little of the petals are blurry...


(Download)


(Download)

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Jun 23, 2016 20:07:50   #
rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA
 
What aperture?

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Jun 23, 2016 20:09:46   #
Annie B Loc: Maryland
 
F1.8 and F4... More DoF huh? Stop down the setting??

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Jun 23, 2016 20:15:35   #
Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States
 
Smaller opening (f/16, 8 etc.)
But for these two, why would you want everything in focus?
The bokeh in them really helps accent the flowers, especially the second!

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Jun 23, 2016 20:17:24   #
Annie B Loc: Maryland
 
out of focus....Just a bit of the leaf and a little bit of the daisy or am I being picky????
This third picture was not so lucky...
Longshadow wrote:
Smaller opening (f/16, 8 etc.)
But for these two, why would you want everything in focus?
The bokeh in them really helps accent the flowers, especially the second!


(Download)

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Jun 23, 2016 20:28:26   #
Kuzano
 
Yes, you are being exceedingly picky for the images you posted.... They are great, the out of focus is a result of the large opening aperture you are shooting at. If you want more of the background to be in focus (not generally desired) you need to stop down your aperture to something like f8 to f16. (bigger number = smaller hole = longer deeper plane of focus)

Depth of field is a choice you make in determining the amount of focus front to back. Your images are focused where they need to be--on the subject. If you bring the leafy background into focus, you detract from the actual subject.. the flower.

Your desire to focus the whole image is "old school" thinking that the camera should focus the whole picture. That is neither creative or compositionally pleasing (except to you???)

Study exposure and depth of field, along with other aspects of controlling your images. Both of these look good, but you can have them be totally sharp with a smaller hole-bigger number aperture. Suggest that you can please yourself, but the whole image sharp front to back will disappoint with a less attractive subject.... or.... boring image.

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Jun 23, 2016 20:29:49   #
Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States
 
mill_A wrote:
out of focus....Just a bit of the leaf and a little bit of the daisy or am I being picky????
This third picture was not so lucky...


I don't think your being too picky on the third, your depth of field is really shallow on that one.
The closer you focus on an object, the smaller your depth of field will be. I'll bet the f-stop for the third is pretty close to 1.8.
I'm still looking for a good comparison chart that I've seen, but check this out: http://digital-photography-school.com/seeing-in-depth-of-field-a-simple-understanding-of-aperture/

I couldn't find the pictorial I wanted, but here is a table. Compare the subject distance for the same f-stop and you'll see the difference in DOF, as well as the effect of different f-stops.
http://www.dofmaster.com/doftable.html

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Jun 23, 2016 20:39:46   #
Annie B Loc: Maryland
 
Bingo 1.8 I think the problem I have is looking a the picture my eyes feel uncomfortable when they move to the blurry area, it's almost like looking thru someone else's glasses... Maybe that's just me..A previous pic I could crop that part out so it seemed more pleasing...Was I pushing the 55mm lens to it's limit too?
Longshadow wrote:
I don't think your being too picky on the third, your depth of field is really shallow on that one.
The closer you focus on an object, the smaller your depth of field will be. I'll bet the f-stop for the third is pretty close to 1.8.
I'm still looking for a good comparison chart that I've seen, but check this out: http://digital-photography-school.com/seeing-in-depth-of-field-a-simple-understanding-of-aperture/

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Jun 23, 2016 20:52:50   #
Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States
 
mill_A wrote:
Bingo 1.8 I think the problem I have is looking a the picture my eyes feel uncomfortable when they move to the blurry area, it's almost like looking thru someone else's glasses... Maybe that's just me..A previous pic I could crop that part out so it seemed more pleasing...Was I pushing the 55mm lens to it's limit too?


Not really pushing the lens to the limit as much as the characteristics of the lens at that focal point and aperture. Most lenses will perform ABOUT the same, give or take.

The blur you are talking about is called bokeh, the part of the image that is out of focus. The bokeh will usually guide (force) the viewer to the main subject (because of the fact, as you said, that your eyes cannot focus on it). To have ALL of the image in focus in these images will greatly distract from the main subject.

I couldn't find the pictorial I wanted, but here is a table. Compare the subject distance for the same f-stop and you'll see the difference in DOF, as well as the effect of different f-stops for a given lens.
http://www.dofmaster.com/doftable.html

#2 is great by the way.

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Jun 23, 2016 20:55:46   #
Annie B Loc: Maryland
 
Longshadow wrote:
Not really pushing the lens to the limit as much as the characteristics of the lens at that focal point and aperture. Most lenses will perform ABOUT the same, give or take.

The blur you are talking about is called bokeh, the part of the image that is out of focus. The bokeh will usually guide (force) the viewer to the main subject (because of the fact, as you said, that your eyes cannot focus on it). To have ALL of the image in focus in these images will greatly distract from the main subject.

I couldn't find the pictorial I wanted, but here is a table. Compare the subject distance for the same f-stop and you'll see the difference in DOF, as well as the effect of different f-stops for a given lens.
http://www.dofmaster.com/doftable.html

#2 is great by the way.
Not really pushing the lens to the limit as much a... (show quote)



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Jun 23, 2016 21:27:43   #
Apaflo Loc: Anchorage, Alaska
 
Longshadow wrote:
T6he blur you are talking about is called bokeh, the part of the image that is out of focus. The bokeh will usually guide (force) the viewer to the main subject (because of the fact, as you said, that your eyes cannot focus on it). To have ALL of the image in focus in these images will greatly distract from the main subject.

The blur is not called bokeh! Bokeh is the quality of the blur, not the quantity.

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Jun 23, 2016 21:44:09   #
Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States
 
Apaflo wrote:
The blur is not called bokeh! Bokeh is the quality of the blur, not the quantity.


Still bokeh (the out of focus area). There's good bokeh and bad bokeh, and it's subjective.

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Jun 23, 2016 21:55:29   #
Apaflo Loc: Anchorage, Alaska
 
Longshadow wrote:
Still bokeh (the out of focus area). There's good bokeh and bad bokeh, and it's subjective.

Bokeh is not the "out of focus area".

It isn't really good or bad either. It might be harsh or smooth, and either of those can be "good" in different circumstances. It's like light being warm or cold...

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Jun 23, 2016 22:10:36   #
robertjerl Loc: Corona, California
 
mill_A wrote:
It seems like hit or miss when I'm taking the pictures. Seems like they're in focus when I'm in the DMF mode(magnifying the picture and using the manual focus) and when I look at the picture after it's taken but I upload it to the computer and...nope...more often than not the whole picture is not in focus...I read that I shouldn't be using anything in the focus mode but the flexible spot but just for kicks I've been experimenting trying "wide or zone" it's still hit or miss...

What am I missing? Oh and in the case of one shot here I tried to aim in the middle so I could get it all in focus. Seemed to get the flower and SOME of the leaf but not all. I was using a 55mm lens in AP and SP with ISO on auto

The last one was better but it just looks like the stem and a little of the petals are blurry...
It seems like hit or miss when I'm taking the pict... (show quote)


Those shots look pretty good. The main subject is in focus, it is a shallow depth of field at your settings. That blurred background is called "bokeh" by most, some will dispute it. Most photographers try to get that blur in front of and behind the main subject to make the subject stand out.

Here is what you get with more depth of field: 180 mm macro lens at f/20 (twenty) from about 6 feet away to get a little more DOF.


(Download)

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Jun 23, 2016 22:10:49   #
Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States
 
Apaflo wrote:
Bokeh is not the "out of focus area".
It isn't really good or bad either. It might be harsh or smooth, and either of those can be "good" in different circumstances. It's like light being warm or cold...


Then we better get the dictionary and the rest of the world corrected:
http://www.dictionary.com/browse/bokeh?s=t

Harsh might be bad (not pleasing), smooth may be good (pleasing), as well as color complementary, too busy, etc., but it depends on the viewer, as good (pleasing) and bad (not pleasing) are subjective to the individual viewer.

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