Depth of Field: In focus or not?
Jun 16, 2019 11:35:53 #
I took this photo of a mason bee on our oleander plant about 10 years ago. I was using an older camera (Nikon D300) at the time. I've been told by a stock photography site that the main subject is not in focus and it was rejected. I used an f stop of around f/5.6, and because of the narrow depth of field and the angle I took the shot, the bud in the "foreground" is in sharp focus. But it appears to me the bee is also within that same plane (at least part of it is). I'm concerned that my eyesight is getting worse and/or my lens doesn't focus properly. I believe it was auto-focused. Has anyone else had any similar issues and do you have any suggestions?
Thanks in advance!
Thanks in advance!
Jun 16, 2019 11:43:53 #
shamann wrote:
I took this photo of a mason bee on our oleander p... (show quote)
Looking at the photo as it is on my screen it looks pretty good. But if I zoom all the way in the hairs on the fly or bee (not familiar with this insect at all) are not sharp. Also the details on the surface of the foreground buds are soft too. In fact it looks like many details are beyond the resolution of your camera. Yet, edges seem pretty sharp. How many MP is a D300? Might be beyond the limits of this older camera.
Jun 16, 2019 11:50:28 #
Thanks for the help! It was a 12mp camera. My newer camera (D750) is 24mp... but I'll probably never see this bee and flower again. That was 10 years ago.
Jun 16, 2019 12:01:09 #
Nice shot. Check out this macro dof calculator. You get very little at 5.6, plus the angle becomes critical since the plane that matters is parallel to the sensor. To my eye part of the body is in very sharp focus and part is pretty darn close.
https://www.photopills.com/calculators/dof-macro
https://www.photopills.com/calculators/dof-macro
Jun 16, 2019 12:07:14 #
TEN years ago????
Try a few more macro photos TODAY, use what ever camera & lens you have, use a smaller lens opening - the OPTIMUM lens opening for that lens for best DOF, try auto focus, manual focus and be sure to use the focus confirmation feature on your camera. Determine how your camera and lens focuses NOW, NOW that you can do something about it, should you actually have a problem.
As far as 'what's wrong with this photo?' I'll 'blame' narrow DOF from the lens opening you chose, or possibly something moved a bit from when you 'decided' to trip the shutter, and the shutter actually opened & closed.
That's my WAG.
Try a few more macro photos TODAY, use what ever camera & lens you have, use a smaller lens opening - the OPTIMUM lens opening for that lens for best DOF, try auto focus, manual focus and be sure to use the focus confirmation feature on your camera. Determine how your camera and lens focuses NOW, NOW that you can do something about it, should you actually have a problem.
As far as 'what's wrong with this photo?' I'll 'blame' narrow DOF from the lens opening you chose, or possibly something moved a bit from when you 'decided' to trip the shutter, and the shutter actually opened & closed.
That's my WAG.
Jun 16, 2019 12:16:00 #
Jun 16, 2019 12:25:17 #
My experience with stock agencies is that they want photos to be fully in focus at magnification of at least 100%. Better yet, even 200%. I cannot tell how much enlargement I am getting when I download your photo, but with the enlargement, things are not in focus. Check at 100% and see how it looks. When I was using a Canon T3i, I had trouble with pictures that looked in focus until I checked them at 100%, Then I bought the t71, and have had no such trouble, even without a tripod. The t31 was 18 though, and the t7i is 24. I can tell a little bit of difference. Since I bought my t7i, my acceptance ratio at stock agencies is about 99.9%. That doesn't mean they are selling that well though. Acceptance is one thing. A photo that exudes a certain emotional response to potential buyers is another.
Anyway, good luck with your new camera.
Anyway, good luck with your new camera.
Jun 16, 2019 13:15:11 #
shamann wrote:
I took this photo of a mason bee on our oleander p... (show quote)
It looks pretty sharp, BUT, letting Photoshop determine what is in and out of focus provides this view....
If it is covered in a red overlay, it is out of focus.. at the auto setting for the tool...
Jun 16, 2019 14:36:33 #
Dngallagher wrote:
It looks pretty sharp, BUT, letting Photoshop determine what is in and out of focus provides this view....
If it is covered in a red overlay, it is out of focus.. at the auto setting for the tool...
If it is covered in a red overlay, it is out of focus.. at the auto setting for the tool...
What is the meaning of the parameter slider? Is that circle of confusion? #pixels? Seems like you could slide either way and get everything or nothing in the selection.
Jun 16, 2019 14:50:15 #
bleirer wrote:
What is the meaning of the parameter slider? Is that circle of confusion? #pixels? Seems like you could slide either way and get everything or nothing in the selection.
The lower the slider, the more of the image is selected as being in focus, but it of course does not mean what is selected at low parameters is actually in focus. The noise slider effects the selection as well, the lower the noise slider, the more will be selected as in focus.
Good tutorial video on the subject here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoKpej6ZI84
Jun 16, 2019 15:22:51 #
Dngallagher wrote:
The lower the slider, the more of the image is selected as being in focus, but it of course does not mean what is selected at low parameters is actually in focus. The noise slider effects the selection as well, the lower the noise slider, the more will be selected as in focus.
Good tutorial video on the subject here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoKpej6ZI84
Good tutorial video on the subject here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoKpej6ZI84
Shows the plane of sharpest focus nicely though if you slide + or - to see what gets masked.
Jun 16, 2019 15:38:54 #
bleirer wrote:
Shows the plane of sharpest focus nicely though if you slide + or - to see what gets masked.
Yes, it is a handy tool.
Jun 17, 2019 06:43:09 #
When you get that close, it's hard to get everything in focus. A smaller aperture would probably have helped, but focus stacking is the only way to get all of that critter in focus. Posing dead bugs is one way to take your time, but that doesn't sound like fun. 
Some ideas -
http://extreme-macro.co.uk/mounting-insects/
https://expertphotography.com/insect-photography-introduction/
https://petapixel.com/2013/05/17/focus-stacked-macro-photos-of-bugs-by-photographer-nicolas-reusens/
“This year in March my son finally came through with some head lice!” he gushed.
https://www.popphoto.com/premier-insect-photographer-john-hallmen-shares-his-secrets-for-macro-bug-photography/
Some ideas -
http://extreme-macro.co.uk/mounting-insects/
https://expertphotography.com/insect-photography-introduction/
https://petapixel.com/2013/05/17/focus-stacked-macro-photos-of-bugs-by-photographer-nicolas-reusens/
“This year in March my son finally came through with some head lice!” he gushed.
https://www.popphoto.com/premier-insect-photographer-john-hallmen-shares-his-secrets-for-macro-bug-photography/
Jun 17, 2019 06:53:03 #
cactuspic
Loc: Dallas, TX
They were probably looking at the eyes to see whether focus was acceptably sharp. While most of the bee is sharp, the eye unfortunately is not
Jun 17, 2019 07:03:36 #
The image, at the size you have presented to us and in my humble opinion it looks fine but when enlarged sharpness falls apart. DOF is shallow at close range and focus on the subject has to be very accurate.
Selecting a smaller lens aperture would have been much better and still, because of the short camera to subject distance the DOF would have been shallow.
Next time, if possible, take a few shots at different apertures and compare them. One will be very acceptable.
Selecting a smaller lens aperture would have been much better and still, because of the short camera to subject distance the DOF would have been shallow.
Next time, if possible, take a few shots at different apertures and compare them. One will be very acceptable.
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