Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

Hi all!

I notice that when I photograph close subjects such as a flower bed or even
a couple sitting at a table, one area might be in focus while the next is
not. Is there something I'm missing? Thanks, Marcel

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

Celcius wrote:
> Hi all!
>
> I notice that when I photograph close subjects such as a flower bed or even
> a couple sitting at a table, one area might be in focus while the next is
> not. Is there something I'm missing? Thanks, Marcel
>
>

What setting are you using? What is the aperature setting? Do you know
about Depth of Field?

--
John

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

"John Reagan" <john.reagan@hp.com> wrote in message
news:08UYe.13128$Pv4.11629@news.cpqcorp.net...
> Celcius wrote:
> > Hi all!
> >
> > I notice that when I photograph close subjects such as a flower bed or
even
> > a couple sitting at a table, one area might be in focus while the next
is
> > not. Is there something I'm missing? Thanks, Marcel
>
>
>
> What setting are you using? What is the aperature setting? Do you know
> about Depth of Field?
>
Hi John!
Yes I know about the depth of field, but in this case, I was simply using
"P" (program AE). From what I can see, there are 7 points on AF mode. Does
it mean that if one point is on the main subject and another is not on the
other, then the 2nd one is blurred? The case in point:
http://celestart.com/images/publiques/019.jpg
He's in focus. She isn't, yet she's sitting next to him.
Marcel

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

----- Original Message -----
From: "Celcius" <cosmar@rogers.com>
Newsgroups: rec.photo.digital
Sent: Friday, September 23, 2005 3:07 PM
Subject: Re: Canon Rebel XT and focussing


> Hi John!
> Yes I know about the depth of field, but in this case, I was simply using
> "P" (program AE). From what I can see, there are 7 points on AF mode. Does
> it mean that if one point is on the main subject and another is not on the
> other, then the 2nd one is blurred? The case in point:
> http://celestart.com/images/publiques/019.jpg
> He's in focus. She isn't, yet she's sitting next to him.
> Marcel
>
>

"She" is NOT sitting next to "Him" in terms of distance from the camera, her
face is probably about 2 feet or 0.7 metres behind his face.

The camera has focussed on his face: at an aperture of f5.6, on a lens which
is focussing at 53 mm the "in focus depth of field" behind the subject (his
face) is probably less than one foot (30 cm).

Program mode cannot deal with all eventualities.

For similar photograph, suggest you use Aperture priority setting at say
f11, BUT also set the "custom function" (if there is one on the Rebel XT?)
to ensure that the minimum shutter speed in aperture priority mode is
1/200th. This will ensure the flash fires.

Alternatively use manual mode for setting both aperture and shutter speed
and the flash will adjust to compensate.

HtH

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

"PHH699" <anonymous@NOTmail.com> wrote in message
newsh13nf$gil$1@nwrdmz02.dmz.ncs.ea.ibs-infra.bt.com...
> For similar photograph, suggest you use Aperture priority setting at say
> f11, BUT also set the "custom function" (if there is one on the Rebel XT?)
> to ensure that the minimum shutter speed in aperture priority mode is
> 1/200th. This will ensure the flash fires.
>
> Alternatively use manual mode for setting both aperture and shutter speed
> and the flash will adjust to compensate.
>
> HtH
>
>
Thanks for the suggestion.
I will see if the Rebel XT has this custom function.
Marcel

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

Celcius wrote:
> "John Reagan" <john.reagan@hp.com> wrote in message
> news:08UYe.13128$Pv4.11629@news.cpqcorp.net...
>> Celcius wrote:
>>> Hi all!
>>>
>>> I notice that when I photograph close subjects such as a flower
>>> bed
>>> or even a couple sitting at a table, one area might be in focus
>>> while the next is not. Is there something I'm missing? Thanks,
>>> Marcel
>>
>>
>>
>> What setting are you using? What is the aperature setting? Do you
>> know about Depth of Field?
>>
> Hi John!
> Yes I know about the depth of field, but in this case, I was simply
> using "P" (program AE). From what I can see, there are 7 points on
> AF
> mode. Does it mean that if one point is on the main subject and
> another is not on the other, then the 2nd one is blurred? The case
> in
> point: http://celestart.com/images/publiques/019.jpg
> He's in focus. She isn't, yet she's sitting next to him.
> Marcel

You have to take into account Personal Focusability. Some folks got
it, some don't. I understand that with training and practice one can
develop a sort of _Faux Focus_, but True Perceivers will always know
thhe difference.

--
Frank ess

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

In article <4qSdndelDYB-Y67eRVn-sA@rogers.com>, Celcius
<cosmar@rogers.com> wrote:

> I notice that when I photograph close subjects such as a flower bed or even
> a couple sitting at a table, one area might be in focus while the next is
> not. Is there something I'm missing? Thanks, Marcel

First, take it out of "dummy" mode - then turn off all the AF points
except for one.

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

"Randall Ainsworth" <rag@nospam.techline.com> wrote in message
news:230920050853150381%rag@nospam.techline.com...
> In article <4qSdndelDYB-Y67eRVn-sA@rogers.com>, Celcius
> <cosmar@rogers.com> wrote:
>
> > I notice that when I photograph close subjects such as a flower bed or
even
> > a couple sitting at a table, one area might be in focus while the next
is
> > not. Is there something I'm missing? Thanks, Marcel
>
> First, take it out of "dummy" mode - then turn off all the AF points
> except for one.

Ok for the AF points.
"Dummy mode"? is this P?
Marcel

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

Hi Marcel,
The 350D also has an A-DEP setting which, IIRC, tries to set the aperture to
ensure that all points registered by the autofocus (the red dots in the
viewfinder) are in focus. Never used it myself, though ....

--
Paul ============}
o o

// Live fast, die old //
PaulsPages are at http://homepage.ntlworld.com/pcbradley/

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

"PcB" <pcbradley@no_spam_lineone.net> wrote in message
news:ZvWYe.1733$3q4.853@newsfe5-gui.ntli.net...
> Hi Marcel,
> The 350D also has an A-DEP setting which, IIRC, tries to set the aperture
to
> ensure that all points registered by the autofocus (the red dots in the
> viewfinder) are in focus. Never used it myself, though ....
>
> --
> Paul ============}
> o o
>
> // Live fast, die old //
> PaulsPages are at http://homepage.ntlworld.com/pcbradley/
>
>
Paul,
I saw it and read it, but somehow I didn't understand how it works. More
homework, I guess ;-)
Thanks,
Marcel

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

PHH699 wrote:

>> He's in focus. She isn't, yet she's sitting next to him.
>
>"She" is NOT sitting next to "Him" in terms of distance from the camera, her
>face is probably about 2 feet or 0.7 metres behind his face.
>
>The camera has focussed on his face: at an aperture of f5.6, on a lens which
>is focussing at 53 mm the "in focus depth of field" behind the subject (his
>face) is probably less than one foot (30 cm).

Exactly...and it's a common situation when people move from P&S cameras
to DSLR's. The bigger sensor and lenses are able to get a much more
shallow depth of field, so getting background blur can be a lot easier.

>Program mode cannot deal with all eventualities.
>
>For similar photograph, suggest you use Aperture priority setting at say
>f11, BUT also set the "custom function" (if there is one on the Rebel XT?)
>to ensure that the minimum shutter speed in aperture priority mode is
>1/200th. This will ensure the flash fires.

Yup.

This is exactly what happens in Program mode where the camera finds the
subject, focuses on it, and sets the shutter speed and aperture for you,
all automatically.

The problem is "P" mode doesn't account for depth of field and by
default the camera will use the largest aperture available unless it's a
very subject, then it will stop the lense down. In "P" mode you can make
adjustments, but the camera still does 99% of the work for you and often
gets difficult situations wrong.

Using the Av mode will let you reduce the aperture so you can increase
the depth of field, getting all the subjects in focus. The manual covers
how to use this mode, and it's one I use a lot.

The Rebel XT also has a depth of field preview button which will stop
the lense down to the current setting and let you see if the subjects
are in focus. Note that stopping down the lense also reduces the amount
of light getting through the lense, so the view will get darker the more
you stop down the lense. This works best is well lit areas.

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

I have not had much luck with the A-DEP mode...in fact, some of the
points that the camera said were in focus (and I checked in the canon
image browser afterward) were only minimally in focus, and some weren't
in focus at all. This may be due to the circle of confusion size that
the camera uses for the calculation, but regardless, I don't feel like
it worked very well. Like in P mode, the camera goes for the largest
possible aperature to keep things in focus.

Anyway, I think there is a lot more control setting the aperature
myself.

It would be nice if the camera could use the manual settings and
calculate what points would be in focus based on the aperature and
focal length that was set, but anyway.

Brian

Bill wrote:
> PHH699 wrote:
>
> >> He's in focus. She isn't, yet she's sitting next to him.
> >
> >"She" is NOT sitting next to "Him" in terms of distance from the camera, her
> >face is probably about 2 feet or 0.7 metres behind his face.
> >
> >The camera has focussed on his face: at an aperture of f5.6, on a lens which
> >is focussing at 53 mm the "in focus depth of field" behind the subject (his
> >face) is probably less than one foot (30 cm).
>
> Exactly...and it's a common situation when people move from P&S cameras
> to DSLR's. The bigger sensor and lenses are able to get a much more
> shallow depth of field, so getting background blur can be a lot easier.
>
> >Program mode cannot deal with all eventualities.
> >
> >For similar photograph, suggest you use Aperture priority setting at say
> >f11, BUT also set the "custom function" (if there is one on the Rebel XT?)
> >to ensure that the minimum shutter speed in aperture priority mode is
> >1/200th. This will ensure the flash fires.
>
> Yup.
>
> This is exactly what happens in Program mode where the camera finds the
> subject, focuses on it, and sets the shutter speed and aperture for you,
> all automatically.
>
> The problem is "P" mode doesn't account for depth of field and by
> default the camera will use the largest aperture available unless it's a
> very subject, then it will stop the lense down. In "P" mode you can make
> adjustments, but the camera still does 99% of the work for you and often
> gets difficult situations wrong.
>
> Using the Av mode will let you reduce the aperture so you can increase
> the depth of field, getting all the subjects in focus. The manual covers
> how to use this mode, and it's one I use a lot.
>
> The Rebel XT also has a depth of field preview button which will stop
> the lense down to the current setting and let you see if the subjects
> are in focus. Note that stopping down the lense also reduces the amount
> of light getting through the lense, so the view will get darker the more
> you stop down the lense. This works best is well lit areas.

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

"Bill" <bill@c.a> wrote in message news:WpadnY36wrjh4qneRVn-ig@golden.net...
> PHH699 wrote:
>

> The problem is "P" mode doesn't account for depth of field and by
> default the camera will use the largest aperture available unless it's a
> very subject, then it will stop the lense down. In "P" mode you can make
> adjustments, but the camera still does 99% of the work for you and often
> gets difficult situations wrong.
>
>
>
I found the P mode handy when taking "snapshots", where I only have to
adjust the WB or maybe the ISO or even flash...

> Using the Av mode will let you reduce the aperture so you can increase
> the depth of field, getting all the subjects in focus. The manual covers
> how to use this mode, and it's one I use a lot.
>
>
No problem on this one. But please in what other situation(s) would you want
to use Av?

> The Rebel XT also has a depth of field preview button which will stop
> the lense down to the current setting and let you see if the subjects
> are in focus. Note that stopping down the lense also reduces the amount
> of light getting through the lense, so the view will get darker the more
> you stop down the lense. This works best is well lit areas.

That's one thing (depth of field preview button ) I haven't understood. I
read it and re-read it but somehow, I don't catch. Say I choose f16 (because
at that aperture my shutter will be 125, I press halfway, then on the depth
of field preview button, the viewfinder darkens. It says I can "check the
depth of field range"... Where? How? What do I look for?
Thanks for your patience, Marcel

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

"Celcius" <cosmar@rogers.com> wrote in message
news:4qSdndelDYB-Y67eRVn-sA@rogers.com...
> Hi all!
>
> I notice that when I photograph close subjects such as a flower bed or
> even
> a couple sitting at a table, one area might be in focus while the next is
> not. Is there something I'm missing? Thanks, Marcel
>
>
Hi there.

No-one seems to have made it clear that no matter how many focussing points
are in use, the lens will only be in focus for one distance. If you have
two subjects with one of them further away than the other, and have a
focussing point on each, then the camera might focus on either one of them,
(usually the nearest), or somewhere in between them.

There have seen some references to "Dummy" modes.

Having all focussing points active at the same time is normally fairly dumb.
Select just one point for the main subject.

"P" is not a "Dummy" mode, since it is easy to vary the shutter speed and
aperture, by rotating the Command Dial, (or whatever Canon call it), to get
the combination you want.

Roy G

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

"Brian" <ripcurl187@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1127515424.322650.288730@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...
> I have not had much luck with the A-DEP mode...in fact, some of the
> points that the camera said were in focus (and I checked in the canon
> image browser afterward) were only minimally in focus, and some weren't
> in focus at all. This may be due to the circle of confusion size that
> the camera uses for the calculation, but regardless, I don't feel like
> it worked very well. Like in P mode, the camera goes for the largest
> possible aperature to keep things in focus.
>
> Anyway, I think there is a lot more control setting the aperature
> myself.
>
> It would be ni