aperture question
Mar 9, 2014 10:42:32 #
I took a photo of a Sanderling. Bright day, Aperture was 5.6, shutter speed 1/1000. Camera was on autofocus. Would the photo have been sharper if I had stopped down to f/8.0? General question is: can aperture improve the sharpness of a photo? This may sound stupid, but I have lapses. I know aperture determines DOF, but sometimes I wonder if it has an effect on sharpness of focus. Enclosing a photo. Thanks in advance.
Mar 9, 2014 10:48:12 #
Mar 9, 2014 10:53:52 #
Hard to tell from this small image but just looks like your focus was off a bit, especially since this is a profile view of the bird were DOF is less of an issue.
If you were shooting a straight on view of the bird and wanted it's bill, it's eyes, it's head, and it's wings all in focus then a smaller aperture would be required for that much DOF. This situation is magnified using a long lens.
Your shutter speed was fast enough to stop action and hopefully prevent camera shake so you likely just need to lock focus better.
If you were shooting a straight on view of the bird and wanted it's bill, it's eyes, it's head, and it's wings all in focus then a smaller aperture would be required for that much DOF. This situation is magnified using a long lens.
Your shutter speed was fast enough to stop action and hopefully prevent camera shake so you likely just need to lock focus better.
Mar 9, 2014 11:07:22 #
Mar 9, 2014 11:08:04 #
Mar 9, 2014 11:20:45 #
Aperture determines depth of field, which is the range of acceptably sharp focus in front of and behind the subject on which you are focusing.
In the above shot, it seems you were focused on the wavelet just in front of the bird, and the bird's head, though only a couple of inches behind that spot, fell to a less focused region.
Thus, had you been focused on the bird's head using f5.6 you probably would have been fine. Focused on that wavelet then f8 (or more) might have made a noticeable difference (depending on the focal length of the lens you used and the distance from the overall subject).
In the above shot, it seems you were focused on the wavelet just in front of the bird, and the bird's head, though only a couple of inches behind that spot, fell to a less focused region.
Thus, had you been focused on the bird's head using f5.6 you probably would have been fine. Focused on that wavelet then f8 (or more) might have made a noticeable difference (depending on the focal length of the lens you used and the distance from the overall subject).
Mar 9, 2014 11:27:57 #
f8lee wrote:
Aperture determines depth of field, which is the r... (show quote)
Thank you, f8lee. Going back today and hope to re-shoot if the birds are there.
Mar 9, 2014 13:00:57 #
Yes. Every lens has a sweet spot. Generally between f5.6 and 11. You have to determine where the sweet spot is. ;)
Mar 9, 2014 13:10:38 #
You might have missed the focus just a bit. I also think that you over exposed a little. You might be surprised if you reduced the exposure in photo shop.
Mar 9, 2014 14:11:59 #
If you will invest in Bryan Peterson's "Understanding Exposure", you might discover a whole new world opened up to you. I was having the same problem as you and now I don't. You can download it from amazon for around $13.00 and it is the best reading investment I have made in a while. Good luck.
nat wrote:
I took a photo of a Sanderling. Bright day, Aperture was 5.6, shutter speed 1/1000. Camera was on autofocus. Would the photo have been sharper if I had stopped down to f/8.0? General question is: can aperture improve the sharpness of a photo? This may sound stupid, but I have lapses. I know aperture determines DOF, but sometimes I wonder if it has an effect on sharpness of focus. Enclosing a photo. Thanks in advance.
Mar 9, 2014 17:06:42 #
When asking for critique, please check the box labeled (store original), so we can download & enlarge to review image resolution, etc. You can re-post image again, so we can check focus.
Mar 9, 2014 17:38:52 #
Mar 9, 2014 20:20:17 #
I downloaded & enlarge your image, and its 196 Kb size tells me that it was cropped, or is a low resolution capture in camera.
I believe that you are a bit fore-focused, as the mini-wave is in better focus than bird's eye. At 1/1000-sec shutter duration, I doubt camera or bird movement.
Image Exif info:
Camera Model: Canon EOS 7D
Lens: EF-S55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS
Image Date: 2014-03-08 14:09:29 (no TZ)
Focal Length: 250.0mm
Aperture: f/5.6
Exposure Time: 0.0010 s (1/1000)
ISO equiv: 100
Exposure Bias: +1.00 EV
White Balance: Manual
I believe that you are a bit fore-focused, as the mini-wave is in better focus than bird's eye. At 1/1000-sec shutter duration, I doubt camera or bird movement.
Image Exif info:
Camera Model: Canon EOS 7D
Lens: EF-S55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS
Image Date: 2014-03-08 14:09:29 (no TZ)
Focal Length: 250.0mm
Aperture: f/5.6
Exposure Time: 0.0010 s (1/1000)
ISO equiv: 100
Exposure Bias: +1.00 EV
White Balance: Manual
Mar 9, 2014 21:47:49 #
Nikonian72 wrote:
I downloaded & enlarge your image, and its 196... (show quote)
The photo is cropped. And I can see that the water is in better focus.
Mar 9, 2014 21:49:17 #
nat wrote:
Multiple or central spot Auto-Focus?The photo is cropped. And I can see that the water is in better focus.
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