Like always, we were looking on the internet “googling” away for a DOF calculator and couldn’t find a good one, so we decided to make our own. if you know about DOF, jump down to the bottom of the post or follow the link here to depth of field calculator if not read on about how depth of field works.

This post is about the DOF – depth of field calculator. what is DOF?

Answer: Wikipedia on DOF
In optics, particularly as it relates to film and photography, the depth of field (DOF) is the portion of a scene that appears acceptably sharp in the image. Although a lens can precisely focus at only one distance, the decrease in sharpness is gradual on each side of the focused distance, so that within the DOF, the unsharpness is imperceptible under normal viewing conditions.

In some cases, it may be desirable to have the entire image sharp, and a large DOF is appropriate. In other cases, a small DOF may be more effective, emphasizing the subject while de-emphasizing the foreground and background. In cinematography, a large DOF is often called deep focus, and a small DOF is often called shallow focus.
The DOF is determined by the camera-to-subject distance, the lens focal length, the lens f-number, and the format size or circle of confusion criterion.
For a given format size, at moderate subject distances, DOF is approximately determined by the subject magnification and the lens f-number. For a given f-number, increasing the magnification, either by moving closer to the subject or using a lens of greater focal length, decreases the DOF; decreasing magnification increases DOF. For a given subject magnification, increasing the f-number (decreasing the aperture diameter) increases the DOF; decreasing f-number decreases DOF.
When a picture is taken in two different format sizes from the same distance at the same f-number with lenses that give the same angle of view, the smaller format has greater DOF. When a picture is taken in two different formats from the same distance at the same f-number using lenses of the same focal length, the smaller format has less DOF.
Cropping an image and enlarging to the same size final image as an uncropped image taken under the same conditions is equivalent to using a smaller format under the same conditions, so the cropped image has less DOF.

When focus is set to the hyperfocal distance, the DOF extends from half the hyperfocal distance to infinity, and the DOF is the largest possible for a given f-number.
The advent of digital technology in photography has provided additional means of controlling the extent of image sharpness; some methods allow extended DOF that would be impossible with traditional techniques, and some allow the DOF to be determined after the image is made.

Here’s what you been looking for DOF depth of field calculator use this as only a tool, we are not responsible for any mis calculations or any un-sharp images that are taken from this calculator.

Happy shooting and hope you enjoy your next photo session. aloha!

we will go over each mode and further explain what it’s is good for and when to use it.

Tip: as you shoot in each mode the aperture, shutter, and iso with change automatically according to lighting conditions. if you make a note of the these settings, it will make it easier when shooting in the creative and manual modes.

Portrait The (Portrait) mode blurs the background (shallow depth of field) to make the human subject stand out. It also makes flesh tones and the hair look softer than with the (Full Auto) mode.   Shooting Tips The further the distance between the subject and background, the better. The further the distance between the subject and background, the more blurred the background will look. The subject will also stand out better in front of a plain, dark background. Use a telephoto lens. If you have a zoom lens, use the telephoto end to fill the frame with the subject from the waist up. Move in closer if necessary. Focus the face. Check that the AF point covering the face flashes in red.

Landscape Use the (Landscape) mode for wide scenery, night scenes, and to have everything in focus from near to far (wide depth of field). The greens and blues also become more vivid and sharp than with (Full Auto).   Shooting Tips With a zoom lens, use the wide-angle end. When using a zoom lens, use the wide-angle end. This will have objects near and far in focus, better than at the telephoto end. It also adds breadth to landscapes. Shooting night scenes. Since the built-in flash will be disabled, this mode is also good for night scenes. For night scenes, use a tripod to prevent camera shake. If you want to photograph a person against a night scene, set the Mode Dial to <> and use a tripod.

Close- Up When you want to photograph flowers or small things up close, use the (Close-up) mode. To make small things appear much larger, use a macro lens.   Shooting Tips Use a simple background. A simple background makes the flower, etc., stand out better. Move to the subject as close as possible. Check the lens for its minimum focusing distance. Some lenses have indications such as <40.28m/0.9ft>. The lens minimum focusing distance is measured from the (focal plane) mark on the camera to the subject. If you are too close to the subject, the focus confirmation light will blink. Under low light, the built-in flash will fire. If you are too close to the subject and the bottom of the picture looks dark, move away from the subject. With a zoom lens, use the telephoto end. If you have a zoom lens, using the telephoto end will make the subject look larger. Shooting Tips

Sports To photograph a moving subject whether it be a child running or an auto race, use the (Sports) mode. this mode is focused on shutter priority and AI Servo focusing mode.   Shooting Tips Use a telephoto lens. Using a telephoto lens is recommended so you can shoot from afar. Use the center AF point to focus. Aim the center AF point over the subject, then press the shutter button halfway to auto focus. During autofocusing, the beeper will continue beeping softly. If focus cannot be achieved, the focus confirmation light will blink. When you want to take the picture, press the shutter button completely. While holding down the shutter button, continuous shooting (max. approx. 6.5 shots per sec.) and autofocusing will take effect.

Night Portrait To shoot someone at night and obtain a natural-looking exposure in the background, use the (Night Portrait) mode. Using a flash is highly reconmend (580IIEX, 430IIEX, 220EX)   Shooting Tips Use a wide-angle lens and a tripod. If you use a zoom lens, set it to the wide-angle end to obtain a wide night view. Use a tripod to prevent camera shake. Keep the person within 5 meters/16.4 feet from the camera. Under low light, the built-in flash will fire automatically to obtain a good exposure of the person. The effective distance of the built-in flash is 5 meters/16.4 feet from the camera. Shoot also with (Full Auto). Since camera shake is prone to occur with night shots, shooting also with (Full Auto) is recommended.

Flash off In places where flash photography is prohibited, use the (Flash Off) mode. This mode is also effective for candlelight scenes when you want to obtain the candlelight effect.   Shooting Tips If the numeric display in the viewfinder blinks, take care to prevent camera shake. Under low light when camera shake is prone to occur, the viewfinder’s shutter speed display will blink. Hold the camera steady or use a tripod. If you have a zoom lens, use the wide-angle end to reduce blur due to camera shake. Taking portraits without flash. Under low light, the person must not move until the picture is taken. If the person moves during the exposure, he or she might look blurred in the picture. Shooting Tips

If you are reading this, you should have a camera and ready to go out and make beautiful images. Where do you start? if you have no experience with a camera, except with a point shoot, turn the dial on the top of the camera with all the little icons. line up the green square with the white square on the side of the dial. this is what is called the automatic mode.

This mode is not the best mode to shoot in, but if you have any experience with shooting with manual DSLR, like aperture, shutter speeds, white balance and ISO. The automatic mode is a safe setting to guarantee you won’t get a bad exposure. When you are ready to take a shot press down the shutter button half way, this will allow the camera to auto focus on your subject, you will see the little squares in the viewfinder light up red. this means that the camera is focused on these points in the photo. From here, the camera will automatically adjust using the built in light metering system and adjust all the setting accordingly. Continue to press the shutter down completely and abracadabra! you have taken your first digital image.

just a little warning, when shooting in the green square mode, it’s not very flexible. while shooting in the automatic mode, settings are locked and preset. For example, If there is not enough light to take a photo, the on board flash will automatically open to correct the exposure. so if you are shooting in a dark or poorly lit places and flash photography is prohibited, be aware, you have been warned before hand.

In part 2 of shooting modes, we will cover all the other little icons and what they do.

so go out there and make some beautiful images, the more you shoot the better you will become as a photographer.

good luck and thanks for reading.

Aloha and welcome to thedigidarkroom.com by bradyoshiro.com.are you ready to launch your photography off the ground and make some awesome images? if your answer is “yes” your in the right place.

A small introduction about us before we go off into the wild wild west of digital photography. We have been shooting photography for the the last decade and have entered into the industry at the start of the digital revolution, where everything is digital with a world full of gadgets. We started off shooting surf photography and now shoot weddings. We have experimented in fashion, portrait, landscape and all kinds of photography along the way, enough to get into trouble. but we would have to say our strengths are in surf and wedding photography.

The whole reason we wanted to start this site, is because two friends (www.bradyoshiro.com) (www.davecollyer.com) talking shop about the latest cameras trends and how we could improve our photography. Instead of keeping it to ourselves we have decided to share some our experiences and knowledge with you.

So continue reading and start from anywhere you want as we go over the basics of photography, equipment, techniques, workflow, and wherever else this site and photography will take us.

Before you continue on, please create an account on the forum by clicking here to register this will allow to post and ask questions about each post.

Well, enough nonsense, let get started!!! Mahalo for reading and Happy Shooting!

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