BebuLamar

Does it has the marking as to which aperture it set to? I know some of the Fuji X series lenses do have such a markings but not on Canon EF or RF lenses even though they have the aperture ring. The camera can limit what the aperture ring can do with the RF lenses. It actually has no mechanical linkage to the lens aperture (which is the good thing but it also doesn't dictate the aperture. It's under the camera controls)

epd1947

Most lenses are at their peak of critical sharpness somewhere in the middle of the aperture range -does that mean apertures wider than say f/4 or f/5.6 should be eliminated as options? Slower shutter speeds often lead to motion blur - should those slower speeds be removed too? My point is that having options is a plus - you just need to recognize where specific options might negatively impact your results (and to what extent) and then work within any meaningful issues.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Options? Good. Limits? bad. Testing for real world practicality? PRICELESS!

I test everything. I don't want surprises. I want good images. Testing and experimentation give me the confidence I need to concentrate on the visual "message" and rely on the hardware to do its job.

delder Loc: Maryland

This discussion ties in with the previous post about the AI creation winning a Photo Contest.

We ARE living in an amazing time.

Don't forget, graphics is not the ONLY field of?
[Art?, Creativity?, Technology?]
having this discussion.

AI bots are now writing articles, responses to queries and college papers.

I am certain that this discussion will continue on UHH.

User ID

In m43 all apertures are small apertures. Thaz one major reason I really love m43.

M43 is only for us fearless ones. Peepers are such a fearful and paranoid bunch.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Absolutely!!!

Luft93 Loc: Finger Lakes, NY

This is the best reply here although others can be helpful if thought through.

It must be unstood that diffracting exists in all
Lenses at all apatures It is a product of light passing past an edge. This a matter of actual physical demansion and the wavelength of the light. Lens designers use criteria that determine that smallest aperture. Larger physical dimensions allow larger f/numbers. In the end the proportion of defracted image light to non-apature effected light increases as the F/number increas. The cumulative effects of diffraction become increasingly visible.

Dennis833 Loc: Australia

I've stopped down to F90 on a large format camera and no one has ever commented about any diffraction. IMO the image itself is more important.

User ID

F/90 on 8x10 is about equivalent to f/11 on APSC. For other comparisons just do the arithmetic.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Beautiful!

fantom Loc: Colorado

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Yep. Equivalent diffraction limiting of sharpness apertures vary by sensor or film size and resolution. That is why I said earlier that it is so important to RUN YOUR OWN TESTS.

On Micro 4/3 16MP sensor, I like f/4 and f/5.6.

On APS-C 15MP sensor, I liked f/5.6 and f/8.

On Full Frame 20 MP sensor, AND most 35mm films, I liked f/8 and f/11.

That said, different lenses will affect the results differently. Generally, very fast lenses will perform better if used at wider apertures.

Test, test, TEST, test, test, test, TEST.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

For those unsure how to test, the testing process is easy using digital technology. Simply set-up a tripod and walk the aperture. Of course, the subject matter is important, but it doesn't have to be a grand landscape. Anyone can walk out their door this morning, and assuming it's not foggy or raining, just shoot down your own street. Set a fixed focus point roughly 1/3 into the frame, set the camera to aperture priority, and capture 3 images / takes at each aperture setting, min to max.

Since you've agreed to run this experiment, reset to the max aperture and turn the camera so the horizon passes through one of the corners of the frame, since 'corner sharpness' is one of the quality items on lens reviews. This slanted approach give you 'image detail', rather than blank sky, in one of the corners for a better assessment.

Walk back into the house and offload your images and review the results on your computer monitor. Pick two or three points of comparison, such as center frame, foreground, and far (upper) left or right corner. For the leveled composition, just cycle through every image at the same point of comparison. You'll see with your own eyes where nothing gets better, and then, where things start to get worse. I don't even have to be there at your monitor with finger pointed at your screen. That point of diminished returns will fall between f/13 and f/18 for your DSLR. It will be even easier to point to when looking at the slanted frames from your test.

Your other format cameras may be different, see the discussion, above.

From the image review, incorporate this knowledge into your shooting technique when using this camera and lens combo. Repeat as often as needed for all relevant lenses and cameras.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

I concur wholeheartedly.

The larger the print you want to make, the larger the aperture you will learn is the diffraction limiting aperture. The smaller the magnification, the smaller the aperture you can get away with using.

btbg

The only workaround to small f stops is focus stacking. Lets say that the wind is blowing. Then focus stacking will not be an option. So, if I want an object close to the camera lens in the foreground and also want the background in focus then the only options there are is to focus stack or use f22. None of the changes that you suggest will give adequate depth of field in that situation.