Focus Issues
May 7, 2013 06:46:46 #
How Do I get two things in same pic focused?
Example, two birds sitting on a branch. One is perfectly focused the other not a foot apart not focused!
Example, two birds sitting on a branch. One is perfectly focused the other not a foot apart not focused!
May 7, 2013 06:52:02 #
Uae a smaller aperture setting (bigger number)to increase your depth of field. How much will depend oupn how far away you are from the birds. You will have to use a longer shutter setting and/ or higher ISO to compensate for the aperture.
May 7, 2013 07:05:42 #
Agree with Goofy, also you may be spot focusing on one object, and may need to alter your focus preference.
May 7, 2013 07:09:40 #
cockney greg wrote:
Agree with Goofy, also you may be spot focusing on one object, and may need to alter your focus preference.
Good point! That's called the hyperfoccal distance. Basically focusing between the two objects (1/3 the way in) will help get them both in focus as you stop down.
May 7, 2013 07:12:25 #
CurreyPhoto
Loc: Reddick, Florida
Sheila B wrote:
How Do I get two things in same pic focused?
Example, two birds sitting on a branch. One is perfectly focused the other not a foot apart not focused!
Example, two birds sitting on a branch. One is perfectly focused the other not a foot apart not focused!
Without a picture it is hard to be certain, but it appears as though you have not set your aperature number high enough to have enough depth of field to include both birds in the zone of things that are in good focus. If you are shooting in auto or program mode you have no control of the aperature for any given shot. You might try looking at the EXIF data for the picture. It will tell you what the aperature for the shot was. There are a couple of solutions. You could shoot in aperature priority where you choose the aperature and the camera chooses the shutter speed and the ISO if you have your camera set for variable ISO. Or, you could put the camera in manual mode, set both the aperature and shutter speed and let the ISO be in auto mode so that it changes to get the correct exposure. There are three basic things that you can do to control the amount of light that strikes the sensor. You can vary the shutter speed, the aperature or the ISO. It's up to you and the camera to decide what values are used for each. Many different combinations will get you to the right exposure, but all of them will not always get you to the right picture. I don't know what camera you use, but you need to read the manual so that you learn how you and the camera can interact to get both the right exposure and the right picture. Good luck, study your manual and come back with other questions and show us some great pictures.
May 7, 2013 07:26:22 #
The advice above is a practical solution that gets both subjects equally out of focus in a way that is often acceptable from a reasonable viewing distance.
In fact there is only a single plane of best focus and your subjects need to be in that plane for them to both be optimally in focus. Otherwise they will be, at best, tolerably (and perhaps not noticeably) out of focus.
If that works for you, great! How to maximize the result is covered above. but there are other approaches that work better (at least for things that are not going to fly away).
First, move so that the plane of focus falls on both subjects. Even if you can't get this perfect it will improve the result when added to the advice above.
Second, use a tilt lens and angle the plane of focus so that both subjects are in it. This is used all the time to shoot a distant landscape with the nearby ground also in focus. It can also allow shooting a line of trees along a roadside
In fact there is only a single plane of best focus and your subjects need to be in that plane for them to both be optimally in focus. Otherwise they will be, at best, tolerably (and perhaps not noticeably) out of focus.
If that works for you, great! How to maximize the result is covered above. but there are other approaches that work better (at least for things that are not going to fly away).
First, move so that the plane of focus falls on both subjects. Even if you can't get this perfect it will improve the result when added to the advice above.
Second, use a tilt lens and angle the plane of focus so that both subjects are in it. This is used all the time to shoot a distant landscape with the nearby ground also in focus. It can also allow shooting a line of trees along a roadside
May 7, 2013 08:00:00 #
Sheila B wrote:
How Do I get two things in same pic focused?
Example, two birds sitting on a branch. One is perfectly focused the other not a foot apart not focused!
Example, two birds sitting on a branch. One is perfectly focused the other not a foot apart not focused!
Good morning, if you are shooting Aperture of f/2.8 then try f/5.6 or even f/8 see what happens. Also if you are photographing birds I am sure you are in SS(Shutter Speed) mode might try 1/200 or 1/250 or just a little higher number there.
May 7, 2013 08:28:45 #
mikemilton wrote:
Second, use a tilt lens and angle the plane of focus so that both subjects are in it. This is used all the time to shoot a distant landscape with the nearby ground also in focus. It can also allow shooting a line of trees along a roadside
Second, use a tilt lens and angle the plane of focus so that both subjects are in it. This is used all the time to shoot a distant landscape with the nearby ground also in focus. It can also allow shooting a line of trees along a roadside
Are you serious? You suggest this for someone who apparently doesn't yet understand depth of field? Chances are the OP is using a long lens to shoot the birds. The longest T/S lens Nikon makes is an 85mm and costs almost $2k. Canon's offering is quite a bit less but still only a 90mm.
May 7, 2013 09:17:03 #
mikemilton wrote:
...In fact there is only a single plane of best focus ... Second, ...
As GoofyNewfie has pointed out, you were spot on until you got to "Second... which is technically correct but likely over the head of the OP.
The plane of best focus may not even be flat, except for macro lenses and the very best prime lenses. Focus in front and behind this plane falls off gradually and immediately but will not be detected until you reach depth of field limits.
But even depth of field is a convenient approximation based on conventional assumptions regarding sensor sizes or film formats and print/display size and viewing distance.
What it boils down to is that, if it does not look out of focus in your final display your subjects were within the depth of field, regardless of the math.
May 7, 2013 10:08:16 #
CurreyPhoto
Loc: Reddick, Florida
GoofyNewfie wrote:
Are you serious? You suggest this for someone who apparently doesn't yet understand depth of field? Chances are the OP is using a long lens to shoot the birds. The longest T/S lens Nikon makes is an 85mm and costs almost $2k. Canon's offering is quite a bit less but still only a 90mm.
Lots of people at varying levels of photographic experience read these posts. I don't see any harm, and perhaps some good, in speaking not only to the presumed level of the OP but also to others, who might have more experience and can benefit from a more sophisticated answer.
May 7, 2013 10:29:37 #
CurreyPhoto wrote:
Lots of people at varying levels of photographic experience read these posts. I don't see any harm, and perhaps some good, in speaking not only to the presumed level of the OP but also to others, who might have more experience and can benefit from a more sophisticated answer.
In the wider scope, I agree.
Good point to let people know there are other tools they can use. Apologies to you and Mike.
Just focusing on the OP's needs at the time of my post and didn't want a to see a fruitless chase.
To see more about using tilt to control focus click here and scroll about 1/3 down.
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/focusing-ts.shtml
I've only used tilt/shift control with large format.
May 7, 2013 10:53:01 #
Sheila B wrote:
How Do I get two things in same pic focused?
Example, two birds sitting on a branch. One is perfectly focused the other not a foot apart not focused!
Example, two birds sitting on a branch. One is perfectly focused the other not a foot apart not focused!
Depending on two things; you will have a "zone" of what's in focus and what isn't.
The two things that affect this are:
1.) Distance to subject
2.) F/stop
So...if you are having issues with a pair of birds not both being in focus, you have to increase the distance from you to them, and/or close down your f/stop (higher number)
You can roughly calculate this with the "depth of field calculator" to get a good idea of what you need to do or just wing it and keep adjusting until you get what you need.
May 7, 2013 11:18:45 #
Sheila B wrote:
How Do I get two things in same pic focused?
Example, two birds sitting on a branch. One is perfectly focused the other not a foot apart not focused!
Example, two birds sitting on a branch. One is perfectly focused the other not a foot apart not focused!
Sheila - some recent cheat sheets posted by a fellow hogger:
http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/cheetsheets-for-photographers/
Help they help.
May 7, 2013 12:14:29 #
Sheila B wrote:
How Do I get two things in same pic focused? Example, two birds sitting on a branch. One is perfectly focused the other not a foot apart not focused!
Here is the Depth of Field Calculator. http://www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html
Enjoy. 8-)
May 8, 2013 03:55:24 #
Sheila B wrote:
How Do I get two things in same pic focused?
Example, two birds sitting on a branch. One is perfectly focused the other not a foot apart not focused!
Example, two birds sitting on a branch. One is perfectly focused the other not a foot apart not focused!
http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/dof-calculator.htm
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