cboysen Loc: Homewood, IL

I've read that a person could obtain a printed DOF guide. Does anyone know where and how I might obtain one?

TonyBot

"Google is your friend:"

https://www.lightstalking.com/dof/

(and a favorite amongst a lot of photogs - and worth the 10 bucks to get on your phone)
https://www.photopills.com/calculators/dof

bleirer

bleirer

Free printable tables https://www.dofmaster.com/doftable.html

Charles 46277 Loc: Fulton County, KY

There are 4 factors for DOF--distance of subject, focal length of lens, aperture, and size of film or sensor, so it can get complicated.

If you have a chart that shows distance, aperture, and focal length coordinates for your sensor size, you can check all three when using a zoom lens--the focal length changes as you zoom, so the DOF changes even when the aperture and distance are constant. With prime lenses it is easier--use a chart with distances and apertures for that focal length (and your camera or sensor size).

Hasselblad prime lenses still show DOF in a window on the lens barrel, where distance is shown. Many cameras also have a button that lets you see DOF with your own eyes--it stops the lens down to the shooting aperture so you can see the DOF before shooting (stop-down button).

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

DoF is also affected by print size, print resolution, print medium, viewing distance and viewer's eyesight.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

While you can get a printed DoF chart, with the apps available for smartphones, the printed version is a bit archaic. If you use a zoom lens, then charts are impractical.

I use PhotoPils as well, after my DoF Master app stopped working.

https://www.photopills.com/calculators/dof

DoFMaster has a web-based app that is free to use on a computer, phone or tablet, but it requires Internet access. The website says an Android app is "coming soon" - whatever that means.

http://www.dofmaster.com/m/index.html

Charles 46277 Loc: Fulton County, KY

I agree about the limitations and complications, but don't most of us have a sense of DOF when setting aperture for a shot? In the days of view cameras, many people used f22 as the default, but when close and far were both important, stopped down more (as well as using view camera adjustments)... or up close, where DOF is limited (as in portraits), wide apertures were used and DOF disregarded (even deliberately). If I shoot something close, and still want a clear background, I know to use f22 for Canon or f32 for Hasselblad...

Some wishes are not possible even with a view camera--we have to balance what we want and don't want, all things considered. Focus stacking can alleviate large apertures, but only for still, set views. Going to a larger format is a solution, if available--since the image is not enlarged as much, diffraction is less problematic. If the image is not to be enlarged much, that also can be a factor.