patrick in memphis
Senior Member
hi ok i think the reason i dont get good dof is, using the auto mode. so if i use auto for metering then go to manual which way would i go with the aperature to increase dof bigger or smaller?
dof adjustment
- Thread starter patrick in memphis
- Start date
Don Kuykendall_RIP
RIP :(
Longer shutter speeds = more light
shorter shutter speeds = less light
Smaller F-stops numbers = larger openings
larger openings = more light
A half second exposure is ONE STOP darker than a one second exposure.
A 1/125 exposure is TWO STOPS brighter than a 1/500 exposure.
A 1/1000 exposure is THREE STOPS darker than a 1/125 exposure.
2.8 > 4.0 > 5.6 > 8 > 11 > 16 > 22 Each one is 1 stop from the one next to it.
1/15sec > 1/30sec > 1/60sec > 1/125sec > 1/250 sec > 1/500sec > 1/1000sec Each one is 1 stop from the one next to it.
Since f-stop and shutter are both measured in stops, keeping balance is easy. If you take away 2 stops from the aperture, you can give 2 stops back with the shutter and end up with the same exposure level.
shorter shutter speeds = less light
Smaller F-stops numbers = larger openings
larger openings = more light
A half second exposure is ONE STOP darker than a one second exposure.
A 1/125 exposure is TWO STOPS brighter than a 1/500 exposure.
A 1/1000 exposure is THREE STOPS darker than a 1/125 exposure.
2.8 > 4.0 > 5.6 > 8 > 11 > 16 > 22 Each one is 1 stop from the one next to it.
1/15sec > 1/30sec > 1/60sec > 1/125sec > 1/250 sec > 1/500sec > 1/1000sec Each one is 1 stop from the one next to it.
Since f-stop and shutter are both measured in stops, keeping balance is easy. If you take away 2 stops from the aperture, you can give 2 stops back with the shutter and end up with the same exposure level.
Ruidoso Bill
Senior Member
I shoot mostly in Aperture Priority, my most favorite camera setting. The front dial on most Nikons allows you to change the Aperture and all you need to remember (given adequate light) is the lower the number like f1.8 less DOF and a blurry background. You can increase the DOF by increasing the number to say f11 or f18. Check your LCD of what your shooting amd adjust accordingly. You might want to google the exposure triangle which is how ISO, Shutter and Aperture play together.
You mean less DOF.
I'm assuming that "good DOF" as the OP put it, means he wants the background to be out of focus and his subject in focus, which will require a narrower depth of field which is controlled by using a wider aperture (lower F number), focal length and your subject's distance from its background.
Here is a Depth of Field calculator than will help work out yo're depth of field for a given combination of F/stop and Focal distance: http://www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html
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No I mean more DOF.
OP question is bigger or smaller aperture to increase DOF. Answer is smaller aperture = more DOF.
patrick in memphis
Senior Member
so sorry for the delay in returning.i loaned my equip to family member for cross country trip and reading posts was giving me anxiety...lol i was looking at some of the pics on the site and had seen several pics that were crystal clear from foreground into distance. I had been using my cam on auto and i am learning to truely take pics the way i want rather than have the cam decide...lol.(auto) in auto it pics an item and focuses on that and ?blurs the background. so i was wanting to know how to get the whole pic in focus. thanks so much for the calculator and quick ref page. i am hoping to go play soon to try out the new techniques....thanks so much for the advice.