Confused – aperture setting for landscape shots – f/11 or f/22 recommended?
Sep 16, 2019 16:49:09 #
CHG_CANON wrote:
Rather than still more inconsistent feedback, why don't you take some tests for yourself?
CHG_Canon, I've always appeciated your feedback...excellent points. When the weather cools off here, I intend to take my lens and cameras and plan myself someplace to take landscape shots with differing f stops. I fear my eyes are like my palate - I can't tell the difference between a $12 bottle of Cabernet and a $30...if saves money that way.
In any case, I know that I need practice with with focal lengths and different f stops.
Thanks for your input...it's very helpful and appreciated.
Jose
Sep 16, 2019 16:53:06 #
timcc wrote:
Most lenses have a sweet spot 2 or 3 stops down from wide open. Depending on your lens, I suggest starting with f/8 or f/11, which will probably capture as sharp a photo as the lens can produce. I've never used an aperture smaller than f/16 for landscapes, and then only rarely. Usually f/8 is all I need.
Timcc - thanks for your post and what you normally do for landscape shots. Your experience and how you shot landscape shots is very consistent with the videos I watched. Bottom line, I need to practice and compare shots. That for your input.
Jose
Sep 16, 2019 16:55:44 #
bleirer wrote:
There's a diffraction calculator here if you scrol... (show quote)
My experience with snow is to point your and towards source and meter off the palm of your hand.
Sep 16, 2019 16:55:44 #
Linda From Maine wrote:
Listen to Chg_Canon! Controlled tests are the only way to go. I had far different results from a Canon T3i with 18-135 mm than I did with a Panasonic G7 and 14-140 mm.
Linda, I respect what CHG_Canon suggests. He's helped me in the past and what he says makes perfect sense. I need cooler weather to do my tests, and as you suggested, I will use both my 5DIII and 7DII testing all three of my lens.
Thanks for the post.
Jose
Sep 16, 2019 16:57:39 #
Don, thanks for your post. I don't have similar equipment, so I'll test what I have and see what the results are.
Jose
Jose
Sep 16, 2019 16:59:29 #
PHRubin wrote:
It depends to some extent on the camera or lens. As previously suggested, test your particular parts for the best results, or sweet spot!
PHRubin - your comments are consistent and I appreciate it. The more the suggestions some the same, the more confidence I have in them. Thanks for the post.
Jose
Sep 16, 2019 17:05:12 #
Base_fiddle wrote:
CHG_Canon, I've always appeciated your feedback...... (show quote)
I've been dismissive of diffraction myself so I took an opportunity to look at results of one of my lenses earlier this year when taking macro shots of flowers. Where I wanted to maximize a 1-shot image of an indoor blossom (rather than trying a stack), I walked the same flower from f/8 down to the lens limit at f/29. With a flash, I wasn't confronted with higher ISOs or too slow shutterspeed. The f/13 image is more detailed vs f/25. I've found similar results in landscapes with other lenses where the issue of higher ISO and / or slower shutter does come into play when closing down the aperture, even when mounted to a tripod. I haven't found any improved depth of field beyond f/13 and typically f/11 is that last 'best' image in a sequence test of smaller apertures. The best approach remains to confirm these generalities against your own specific equipment. I'm looking at the details in the leaves, trees, rocks and such in the distant background which should be the goal of these small apertures. In my tests there clearly is a point of diminished returns.
Sep 16, 2019 17:07:57 #
speters wrote:
It all depends on what you want to achieve! Though its true that you have to watch for diffraction, but sometimes its better to compromise, I use apertures in landscape of f/16, or f/22 quite often when shooting MF, with FF I'll keep em "open" a bit more. In the end it depends on you, the scene and how you want to interpred it!
SPeter - you make another excellent point and I appreciate it. I suspect that I will be shooting a lot of ice and water. I probably will try manual and aperture priority. I intend to try a circular polarizer because of the glare that I expect...although it could be snowing or raining. I might also try AEB to try and capture one good shot. In any case, trying different f stops is a good way to go.
Thanks for your input.
Jose
Sep 16, 2019 17:13:58 #
bleirer wrote:
There's a diffraction calculator here if you scrol... (show quote)
Bleirer - thanks for the link. It looks interesting...I hope that I can understand it. I suspect that with a gradual lose of sharpness, my eye would not see differences. I doubt that I will enlarge shots much, but I suspect with my cameras (Canon 5DII and Canon 7DII) I will have enough pixels to make some good prints.
As for metering white...I like what Bryan Peterson suggested about getting a reading my the palm of my hand. I also will gt a gray card and learn to use it too. I have a lot of studying and practicing to do in the next couple of months.
Thanks again for your post.
Jose
Sep 16, 2019 17:29:05 #
CHG_CANON wrote:
I've been dismissive of diffraction myself so I took an opportunity to look at results of one of my lenses earlier this year when taking macro shots of flowers... In my tests there clearly is a point of diminished returns.
CHG_Canon, again I appreciate your comments. You testing also sounds in line with what I've seen in videos on the subject. I know that I have to run my own tests, although I'm still a little puzzled why Bryan Peterson seems to use f/22 so often for landscape shots during the day or night.
Jose
Sep 16, 2019 17:43:21 #
I did my own testing a few years ago and made a triptych in Photoshop so it would be easier to compare. I used a Nikon D90 with Nikon 16-85mm lens. I had the camera on a tripod and changed the aperture. The upper photo here was shot at f/11, the middle photo at f/29, and lower photo at f/36. The image quality is getting progressively worse.
Sep 16, 2019 17:55:01 #
CO wrote:
I did my own testing a few years ago The upper photo here was shot at f/11, the middle photo at f/29, and lower photo at f/36. The image quality is getting progressively worse.
CO - great example - clearly the larger f stop number, the poorer the quality. I appreciate your response and demonstration.
Jose
Sep 16, 2019 18:07:16 #
A related idea is to get a feel for how much depth of field your lens at different focal lengths gets at different distances. It can be surprising how much you get as the distance increases, so you don't always have to have f22. Sometimes f8 is plenty. https://www.photopills.com/calculators/dof-advanced
Sep 16, 2019 19:27:52 #
It depends on the format, but in general, I try not to go past f11 based on my tests of my lenses on my FF body. I have tested all my lens and a couple of combinations with matched extenders, and while some are actually sharpest wide open while others are sharpest 1-2 sharps down, one thing is true for every lens - they all lose sharpness after f11 due to diffraction. As in many cases, it’s a compromise - how much sharpness you’re willing to trade for DOF. Here’s an example:
Sep 16, 2019 20:45:51 #
bleirer wrote:
A related idea is to get a feel for how much depth of field your lens at different focal lengths gets at different distances.
Bleirer - Thanks for sending me the Advanced DoF Calculator. I saw the calculator used in a couple of videos and I thought, "What a pain." I don't think that I would be able to access the calculator when I'm in South Georgia Island or the Antarctica; especially when I'm on the ice. BUT, by studying the article you sent and trying it at my house, I should get a slight handle on DoF near limit where I should focus. Terms like Circle of Confusion and Hyperfocal distance are intimidating, so as some videos suggested, don't pay a lot of attention to them.
I thought that there was a rule of thumb to estimate the focal point for a landscape shot, but I can't find it in my notes...I have to rewatch some videos. Do you have any rule of thumb when using a wide angle lens with a 20 - 30 mm lens?
Thanks again for your response. I will read the article you linked and see what I can retain.
Jose
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