Lense Sweet Spot?
Dec 30, 2013 09:53:08 #
Will go out on a limb and post my first of probably many questions. In reading responses to another question someone said...."f/10 is probably very close to your lenses sweet spot and will give you the sharpest focus..."
I understand the concept of a sweet spot but how do you calculate or know where that would be on the lens?
Currently have only one lens which is an AFS Nikkor 18 -200 mm 1:3.5 - 5.6.
Been taking fuzzy pictures for years and now just trying to improve..........
I understand the concept of a sweet spot but how do you calculate or know where that would be on the lens?
Currently have only one lens which is an AFS Nikkor 18 -200 mm 1:3.5 - 5.6.
Been taking fuzzy pictures for years and now just trying to improve..........
Dec 30, 2013 10:00:31 #
Experiment. Start off at 18mm and take the same shot at wide open and slowly stop down. Do the same at other focal lengths. Then compare the images to see which setting is best for each focal length. Or do a search online for someone that has already done so. F10 is not the sweet spot for every lens.
Dec 30, 2013 10:12:20 #
Runninglate wrote:
Will go out on a limb and post my first of probabl... (show quote)
Short of doing some very comprehensive testing it probably isn't something you could easily calculate, and it will vary from lens to lens. The general consensus is that it's usually 1 to 2 stops closed down from your widest aperture. Your lens has a changeable f/stop as you zoom the lens, so if your shooting at the wide end of your lens with f/3.5 being the widest available your sweet spot probably would work out to around f/5.6, and when fully zoomed out, probably around f/8 -f/11. Also, you want to be aware that because of diffraction things don't get better when closing down your lens to it's smallest f/stop opening. There's a lot of reasons why you are getting "fuzzy" photos, and they go beyond using the lens "sweet spot."
Dec 30, 2013 10:39:02 #
Thanks, I somehow figured that there was not going to be an easy answer. You info helps and at least I have a starting point to experiment from.
autofocus wrote:
Short of doing some very comprehensive testing it ... (show quote)
Dec 30, 2013 10:40:50 #
Will give this a try, appreciate your help. Did not expect that a fellow hoosier would be the first to reply.....*S*
buffmaloney wrote:
Experiment. Start off at 18mm and take the same shot at wide open and slowly stop down. Do the same at other focal lengths. Then compare the images to see which setting is best for each focal length. Or do a search online for someone that has already done so. F10 is not the sweet spot for every lens.
Dec 30, 2013 14:22:19 #
amehta
Loc: Boston
Runninglate wrote:
Will go out on a limb and post my first of probabl... (show quote)
The sweet spot also depends on the camera, or more specifically, the sensor pixel density, which affects diffraction at smaller apertures.
Dec 30, 2013 14:37:16 #
Runninglate wrote:
Thanks, I somehow figured that there was not going to be an easy answer. You info helps and at least I have a starting point to experiment from.
Run, welcome to the Hog.
I believe that every manufacturer makes that info available for every lens they manufacture. That may save you a lot of time. ;-)
SS
Dec 30, 2013 17:47:01 #
You know it seems to get more complicated with every response I get. *S* Luckily I have a sense of humor and will go through the posts and see what sense I can make of them. And thanks for your help.
amehta wrote:
The sweet spot also depends on the camera, or more specifically, the sensor pixel density, which affects diffraction at smaller apertures.
Dec 30, 2013 17:48:49 #
Thanks SharpShooter, I will see what I can find out and thanks for the welcome. New here and feel a bit over my head but then everyone starts with that first step.
SharpShooter wrote:
Run, welcome to the Hog.
I believe that every manufacturer makes that info available for every lens they manufacture. That may save you a lot of time. ;-)
SS
I believe that every manufacturer makes that info available for every lens they manufacture. That may save you a lot of time. ;-)
SS
Dec 30, 2013 17:52:13 #
Dec 30, 2013 17:52:27 #
amehta
Loc: Boston
Runninglate wrote:
You know it seems to get more complicated with every response I get. *S* Luckily I have a sense of humor and will go through the posts and see what sense I can make of them. And thanks for your help.
Ok, a simpler answer: lower the aperture 1 to 2 stops, so if the max aperture is f/4, go to f/5.6 or f/8.
Unless your shots are all at the maximum aperture, the aperture probably isn't the reason for "fuzzy pictures".
Dec 30, 2013 18:03:52 #
LoneRangeFinder wrote:
VR1 or VR2?
I checked both VRI & VRII versions of this lens using slrgear.com. Both indicate that F8 is the probable sweet spot. A better, more definitive test would be to get a resolution chart and test your individual lens. I'd be surprised if it were f/11. My Nikkor 105 f/2.8 macro, the sweet spot is f/5.6 to f/8, with a very slight edge to f/5.6....
Dec 30, 2013 18:18:03 #
Runninglate wrote:
Thanks SharpShooter, I will see what I can find out and thanks for the welcome. New here and feel a bit over my head but then everyone starts with that first step.
Run, in all reality, it's not something you need to be overly concerned with. Sweet spot and Diffraction are actually very small differences.
All of the better lenses are already so good, especially the primes, as to not be hardly a factor. Its certainly something to keep in mind, as in landscape, where if you are not constraint by your exposure triangle, it's certainly something that can be used to gain all you can.
Without actually knowing it, I'll bet you can get an iPhone app that probably list the sweet spots for all known lenses(just a guess, not a fact), and might be worthwhile looking into.
Happy sharp shooting
SS
Dec 30, 2013 18:21:43 #
Runninglate wrote:
Will go out on a limb and post my first of probabl... (show quote)
Supposedly lenses are sharpest 3 stops above their max aperture.
Your lens being 3.5 at it's widest would be sharpest at f/8 or f/11. (I'm rounding up to a starting aperture of f/4 because my math skills are not that great)
If you've been taking fuzzy pictures, I'm sure it's not what aperture you are using...there are other factors that affect sharpness.
Dec 30, 2013 18:34:09 #
Runninglate wrote:
Will go out on a limb and post my first of probabl... (show quote)
I have this site bookmarked:
http://www.photozone.de/
If you want to reply, then register here. Registration is free and your account is created instantly, so you can post right away.