Photography Question........appeture I Think:s

[Davetrials]

The setting on my camera i think its the apperture f3.8 for example, what kinda of situation would i use this in?

[Joe Papasnap Maher]

If your taking a photo of something...and you want the background to be less in focus....

opposite to something like f22, where if you take a photo of something it will try and keep the whole shot in focus.

Ill let rob or chris use the bigs word to explain:P

[Phatmike]

Generally I'd used the widest (lowest number...) aperture I can, to allow me to use a faster shutter speed, and a lower ISO (less noise). This also gives me a narrow depth of field, meaning there won't be much in focus, ie backgrounds blurred.

If you wanted to get a photo with a large depth of field, such as landscapes, where you want foregrounds and backgrounds in focus, then you'd use a smaller aperture (higher number), which means you'd have to use slower shutter speeds, and or higher ISO.

[Rob_P]

Yeah what they said

Also when you zoom your lens so it's at max zoom (or near) then the apature will automatically change to it's next lowest setting, if already on the lowest (3.2)

For example, set a wide apature, then zoom in on something and watch it rise.

Thats why with DLSR lenses you see this : I.e. "70-300mm F4.5-5.6" << Thats the widest apatures, depending on how much it's zoomed.

Edited April 18, 2006 by Rob_P

[F-Stop Junkie]

The only problems with this is that lenses tend to be less sharp 'wide open' and stopping down to F8 will certainly give sharper pictures. Also if the autofocus is inaccurate or focuses on the wrong point, the whole image will be out of focus.

This is less of a problem with a compact digital camera as the sensor size is small, and hence depth of field is huge in almost any situation.

You would use the mode to control depth of field, or basically how much is in focus.

[Davetrials]

Excellent, ill try and use it next time then.

[MadsP]

Is that why a fixed 50mm/1.4 lens is good shit? the AP can get really wide?

[Rob_P]

Yep

Also night shots would be more of a reality handheld than a F3.5 lens as theres so much more light entering the lens. Also pretty expencive

Although as Chris said, at the widest AP it won't bes as sharp, using 1.8 would be a better option as a lowest.

[Dai the Socket]

Is that why a fixed 50mm/1.4 lens is good shit? the AP can get really wide?

Fixed 50mm Primes are good 'cos they let lots of light in, allow quick shutter speeds so no blur, and a greater depth of field. This means the closer subjects or ones which you've got in focus are sharp, but then the background is more out of focus.

[minitrialer]

Basically just depth of field isn't it and it's something to do with how the light is let through the iris or something. also rather than making a new thread can someone give me a rough but clear explanation of groups and elements, i have a rough idea, i know it's how the lens is constructed and how many pieces of glass there are, but that's about it really.

Cheers in advanced, sorry to steal your thread.

[woodster90]

also think about your distance to the subject-and the distance of the background---

confused?????you will be if I were to talk about HYPERFOCAL DISTANCE?????

But thats another thread another day, and not really suited to a trials forum!!!

Nowadays with digital compacts you hardly have any control over depth of field.

concentrate more on composition( whats in the picture)

its that factor that can make you go wow or whoopeee, or make it look like an average pic.

woody

Edited April 18, 2006 by woodster90

[F-Stop Junkie]

also think about your distance to the subject-and the distance of the background---

confused?????you will be if I were to talk about HYPERFOCAL DISTANCE?????

No such thing really. Everything may look in focus, but it's never really the case.

[oakley]

oh.. right.