Dietxanadu

f/5.6 & f/9: Boy do I need help.

Some how I got it into my head that the hand me down camera I’m using, worked best at those two f stops. The Canon kit lens (EFS 18-55mm) Sweet Spot being f/5.6 and the Canon (75-300mm) Sweet Spot being at f/9. Well I got to be up front with you. I have been frozen at these two F stops. Pretty much the same for the Nifty 50, just frozen.

When ever I put on either of those lens I set the f/stop and don’t move from it. Even if I set the camera to Manual or AV, I stick with the above f/ stops. If I set the camera to the TV mode I worry that the camera mite not be on the setting f/stop for that lens.

So while I can take a 1000 pictures from any f/stop I want, I don’t.
So I guess what I’m asking is I need, I don’t know what I need.

Anyway I hope you can see the question here and offer the help I need.

Diet / shooter / Artist (in training)

Coker Loc: Havana, IL

Hmm? You might be looking at this the wrong way. The camera always wants to give us the correct exposure. For now, and there can be much to learn. Try this. If you are photographing something that is moving.. regardless what it is, shoot of (S) shutter priority mode. Likewise, if the subject is not moving, shoot on (A) Aperture priority. And look at the numbers as speed limits. 1/60 is the slowest you can shot on without motion blur. I shot people on 1/100 or higher. The camera will find the correct setting. More late after you try this. Smile Bob

Acountry330 Loc: Dothan,Ala USA

Don't get stuck on one f-stop. Try them all you might like something a little different. Happy shooting.

Wabbit Loc: Arizona Desert

You're acting like you have a disease, for heavens sake man, you're in full control of the aperture.

Why don't you use P for a while with a slow ISO so you can get used to seeing what the camera picks for you.

And what makes you think that 5.6 if the sweet spot for the 18-55? Did someone tell you this or is this your findings by comparison.

Dietxanadu

I thought that was what my kid was saying. And he takes great pictures with the same camera. I just wanted to take pictures I like he does.

Wabbit Loc: Arizona Desert

Maybe he's right but I'd compare it to f8 or even f11 just to check. But even if the sweet spot is 5.6 that doesn't mean that f8 is gonna bomb out.

But remember that your exposure needs to be good to get good sharpness

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

You know, Diet man has suggested a good project. Take the same controlled photo at each lens opening, enlarge, and see which f/ stop gives the best image. Does that sound like a valid project?

Wabbit Loc: Arizona Desert

Eh .... dat's Wabbit's idea

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

You eat carrots. You have better eyesight than I do.

Wabbit Loc: Arizona Desert

Yup, carrots are good for eyes, that's why you never see a wabbit wearing glasses

I actually have a rabbit. They make very good house pets. He's a Holland Lop. Unlike other breeds when he's content his ears hang down, when it gets scared his ears stand straight up.

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

Diet,
I suggest that you go to Amazon and get Bryan Peterson's "Understanding Exposure."

That's job #1.

Know what those dials do and why you set them a certain way.


Once you've done that...you will (trust me)wonder how you ever had this problem...you WILL understand how shutter speeds/fstops/and ISO's work together to form exposures with certain effects.


Example:

If you shoot a guy throwing a baseball at the following settings:

ISO 100
Shutter speed 1/60
Aperture f/5.6


The exposure will be equal (expose the shot with the same amount of light) to the same shot with these settings:

ISO 100
Shutter speed 1/500
Aperture f/2


But what will the difference be in the pictures? Why use one or the other?

Because you want to acheive a certain effect.


With the 1/60th shutter speed you'll get a smeared motion shot.

With the 1/500th shutter speed you will freeze the motion.


That's the essence of taking creatively correct exposures according to Bryan Peterson..there are multiple "correct" exposures i.e.letting the proper amount of light into the camera but there is only one that will acheive your artistic goal.


So, my advice..hit Amazon. :)

checkmark

Come on? Give me a break, turn the corner my friend, which means turn the ring,, thoughs may be your preconceived sweet places, yet their are combinations of f-stop & shutter speeds. That changes things, which gives great affect. Come-on its ok, break out of jail, collect 200 dollars, free yourself from the self impossed restrictions you've placed on the simplicity.

BboH Loc: s of 2/21, Ellicott City, MD

do a little reading on depth of field

Lucian Loc: From Wales, living in Ohio

When all is said and done, your son may well be correct here. Some lenses do have their sweet spots with aperture. You will find it all comes together best at certain apertures. Now that does not mean you have to use only this aperture, of course.

You may use anything you want to but you may, with certain lenses, note that the lens gives its best quality at a certain aperture setting, it all depends if you are happy with what things look like at other setting as well.

Go out and shoot a subject and use the settings that were suggested to you, then change those, making sure you have compensated somewhere else (shutter setting) to still keep the exposure correct, and then try some other setting and go home and compare the images. That is the only way you will know if you are happy about changing things or not.

If you don't say any difference, then you know the chains of aperture have been broken. However, if you do notice a difference between the images on other setting, then you may well be bound to use those aperture setting if you want the best out of that lens. It's as simple as that. Ask your son how he arrived at his hypothesis for that sweet aperture spot?

jenny Loc: in hiding:)

'xanadu,stop listening to all this foolish advice! It will
never lead you to discover the creativity you seek,they
simply have no imagination. Genius is always questioned as
possibilities of having some disease.