Confused – aperture setting for landscape shots – f/11 or f/22 recommended?
Sep 17, 2019 08:29:07 #
CHG_CANON wrote:
Rather than still more inconsistent feedback, why ... (show quote)
Solid advice. Peterson's take on f/22 was that newer lens had less problems at the ends. If you have a cheap lens you may need to avoid f/22 for all the stated reasons. I had and old 75-300mm that absolutely sucked at f/22. All that said, I still believe, and even with the real high end lenses, two stops above is the sweet spot. How ideal should be verified with taking a series of shots to see if your lens and sensor are in harmony. I have Canon L lenses and will use f/22 when I'm too lazy to use a ND filter to slow a falls in the daytime. Editing profiles will correct for this.
Sep 17, 2019 08:38:18 #
Sep 17, 2019 08:41:55 #
Sep 17, 2019 08:43:07 #
Sep 17, 2019 08:56:08 #
Without reading all four pages, f/22 can vary, depending on the lens. If that's your smallest aperture, it will probably not give you the best results. Extremes at either end of anything are not usually the best.
Sep 17, 2019 08:57:17 #
bleirer wrote:
The calculator is a phone app, so you don't need a connection. Depth of field near and far limits gives "acceptably sharp" focus but that is a compromise and not tack sharp.
Bleirer, thanks for your comeback and for re-emphasizing the value of downloading PhotoPills. Even Doubting Thomas became a believer at some point. I will download the application and try it during my tests.
Thanks very much!
Jose
Sep 17, 2019 09:02:46 #
TriX wrote:
👍👍 Well said. There is an old “rule of thumb” about focusing 1/3 the way into the scene to approximate the hyperfocal distance, but if you plug in some values into the DOF calculator, you’ll see that it isn’t accurate.
Trix, thanks to you also for your follow up comment and for giving a two-thumbs up for Blierer's comments. I will download the application and give it a shot.
Let me ask a practical question, if you will. Let's say I'm standing on a ship and taking a picture of the glacier landscape. If I understand PhotoPills, I am supposed to focus on something say 10' away. If I'm on a ship balconey, there is nothing to focus on 10' away. In that event, what do you focus on?
Jose
Sep 17, 2019 09:04:08 #
Antarctica? I'm jealous. How will you meter white on white exposures?[/quote]
Do you have an excellently rated circular polarizer filter for each of the lenses you intend to use while in Antarctica? That will render your sky a beautiful deep blue and eliminate glare from the snow's surface.
Enjoy the trip and bring back lots of penguin and other fauna shots.
Do you have an excellently rated circular polarizer filter for each of the lenses you intend to use while in Antarctica? That will render your sky a beautiful deep blue and eliminate glare from the snow's surface.
Enjoy the trip and bring back lots of penguin and other fauna shots.
Sep 17, 2019 09:08:28 #
duane klipping wrote:
F16 I use when I want the scene to be in focus more. The background. Mid and foreground. I use f8 to f11 on ther landscape scenes with no foreground interest. I go below f8 when scenes have low light such as the blue or golden hours.
Duane, thanks very much for your post - it responded to a question that I just asked Trix, i.e., when I'm on a ship and there is nothing to focus on. It sounds like using f/8 or f/11 may work for me when there is no foreground to focus on. Another reason why an f/8 might be the way to go is that I will be able to use a faster shutter speed to freeze the scene. Excellent feedback. Thanks.
Jose
Sep 17, 2019 09:10:32 #
John N wrote:
Top stuff from CHG_CANON again, you can learn a lot from books and You tube, but the best lessons are those you teach yourself.
John, CHG_Canon is generaly a straight shooter with excellent advise, so I respect that, as I have many of your posts in the past. Thanks for the post.
Jose
Sep 17, 2019 09:11:58 #
JDG3 wrote:
CHG_CANON has nailed it. No better advice can be found. Rather than depend on someone else's experiences with their equipment, you will know the optimum settings for your equipment.
JDG3, point made and agreed to. But, I like asking questions to get feedback...it's focuses me on solutions. Thanks.
Jose
Sep 17, 2019 09:14:17 #
ggenova64 wrote:
My Understanding the best general aperture settings is f/8 or f/11. Correct me if I am wrong. I agree with taking test shots from f/8 thru f/22 and checking the images on a computer.
GGenova - fully agree! By seeing the difference in smooth background with an f/22 aperture and comparing that to the results of an f/8 or f/11 aperture, I hope to bring the point home. Thanks.
Jose
Sep 17, 2019 09:24:36 #
Collhar wrote:
I would be guided by the level of accomplishment of those who profess to have the answer. Peterson is a leader in his field.
Collhar, I agree that Bryan Peterson is the acknowledged expert and many hogs have recommended his book, "Undetanding Exposure", in the past. But it seemed that most of his landscape pictures in his 4th edition were taken with a f/22 aperture. Based on videos I saw and comments from responders to my post, I would have through Peterson would have taken the same pics using a f/8 or r/11 to highlight the difference in apertures. Surely that would be a good way for a newbe to better understand expsoures.
It's clear that all photographers have their own techniques and as many posters have said, the only way to get "creative" exposures is to test my equipment and learn what works and what doesn't. With that "knowledge" in my quiver, I hope to take some pics that tell stories creatively.
Thanks for your post.
Jose
Sep 17, 2019 09:25:07 #
And here's a vote for f/16 by a very accomplished photographer.
https://photographylife.com/landscapes/f-16
Try it, you just might like it
https://photographylife.com/landscapes/f-16
Try it, you just might like it
Sep 17, 2019 09:27:10 #
billnikon wrote:
I use a Nikon 16-35 f4 for my landscapes. Typically your best images come from stopping down between 3 and 4 stops. So, on my f4 lens, it would be f11 or f16. Photography sure is interesting.
BillNikon - appreciate your input and agree that photography is interesting...particularly if you know what you are doing. That's the level I'm trying to get to. Thanks again for your experiences.
Jose
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