winterrose Loc: Kyneton, Victoria, Australia

This happens all the time....perfectly valid information, well meant but which would not be less understandable to the OP if it were hieroglyphics.

DPFotos Loc: Pembroke, Ma

you're right about stepping down the aperture, but shutter speed has nothing to do with it unless you are getting a motion blur...slower shutter will allow in more light

emmons267 Loc: Arizona, Valley of the Sun

Great resource! Thanks.

riverlass Loc: northern California

True. Too much information is better than none. We, who are beginners, can take what we find useful and leave the more complicated info for the more experienced. We appreciate all the help as long as it's given without a side of sarcasm or belittling.
I find this forum a wonderful source of information for my growing love of photography.... and it's free. I will take the simple with the more complicated answers and use what I can.

strikerazde Loc: Phoenix, AZ

Don't forget lens type (prime or telephoto) will also effect DoF.

imagesintime Loc: small town, mid-America

How?

mborn Loc: Massachusetts

Relationship
What Creates Different Ranges of Focus?

1. Aperture size. Large aperture openings like f 2 or f 2.8 will have among the shortest or shallowest of range of focus. A smaller portion of the photograph is in focus when using these larger apertures. Smaller openings, like f11, f16, and f22, result in a progressively bigger depth of field, as the opening is smaller (bigger numbers = smaller openings). More of the photograph is in focus.

2. Lens type. Wide angle lenses tend to have a greater range of focus than longer telephoto lenses. The same is true even with zoom lenses. When you’re zoomed to a wider angle, such as 35mm or smaller, you have a bigger depth of field than when the lens is zoomed to 100mm or higher.

3. Focal distance. This may actually be the most important setting for determining whether you have a very narrow or very wide range of focus. If the absolute focus point is set on a point less than a meter away from the camera, you will have a much shallower depth of field than if your focal point is 10 meters or more from the camera.

Consequently, although an f2.8 aperture setting where you focus on a subject less than a meter from the camera has a shallower range of focus than the same picture taken with a smaller aperture (f8, f11, f16, etc.), both images will have relatively shallow DoF precisely because the camera is focused very close. You’re likely to find that the DoF becomes narrower as you move into tighter quarters which prevent focusing on objects from a greater distance.

martinfisherphoto Loc: Lake Placid Florida

The further you zoom the Greater the DoF.. If you have two birds sitting on a branch crank the aperture down a little and focus on the bird in front, this gives you a much better chance of capturing the bird in back. This falls under hyper focal distance. Basic understanding is 1/3 in front of focus point, 2/3 behind focus point will render acceptable focus. Here is an example shot Today. No sharpening, no PP, only cropped, Nikon 70-300mm. Used F/8 to focus on pair of birds. Focus point on bird in front..

Also used F/8 but photographed last year.

riverlass Loc: northern California

Thanks. This is really good information that I can understand.

Lucian Loc: From Wales, living in Ohio

IF you have the time, as in the birds do not fly off, you can also (if on a tripod) focus on one, take the shot and then quickly refocus on the other and take the shot. Then put on image on top of the other and using photo shop, remove the blurred bird of one image with the sharp bird from the other, in the same image.

riverlass Loc: northern California

Wow! Thanks.

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

I'm sorry to sound unenlightened, but I don't understand that statement. If I have a 100 - 400mm lens, do you mean that, with all else being equal (ISO, shutter speed, aperture, distance to subject), I will get a greater depth of field at 400mm than I will at 100mm.

Actually with full frame, F/8, with a subject at 300m away......
At 200mm, my DOF would be 102.78m to infinity, a virtually infinite DOF, but
If I zoom to 400mm, my DOF would be 202.79m to 576.21m, a DOF of 373.42m.

What am I doing wrong? Thank you.

bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana

I get what you are saying, but to someone who doesn't understand hyperfocal distance, this could create a mess. If there is sky between the 2 birds, and you focus between them, you aren't going to get either bird in focus. You need to focus on a branch or something between the 2 birds, not just in the space between the 2 birds.

No offense Goofy, just wanted to clear up your point just a bit for any newbies.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

I understand the point you are making. No offense taken.
There may not be anything to focus on between the closest object and the farthest one. It's not always easy to do. Shoot several and "bracket" focus...or just scare one away, leaving only one to worry about.

riverlass Loc: northern California

"...scare one away..." Ha, ha! "I'm sorry guys, but one of you is going to have to leave. I can't focus on both of you."
I like the idea of "bracket" focus. :thumbup: