clear details in the whole of a landscape pic

[spazio]

first of all, hi to everybody! I'm new in this forum.

the passion of photographing is starting to burn, therefore I'd like to grow in experience.

I use a canon powershot a80 and before passing to a dslr, I'd like to know every function of my current camera.

I take pics for 99% in macro and landscape.

for macro I'm really satisfied, since I use manual modes.

in fact: without flash, with little tripod, autoshooting, f8.0 and automatic times or 3,4 times (then I choose the best one at the pc) the result is very good for me.

with landscapes the situation is different.

the pic that I really like is the one that shows the real view in front of me. for the moment nothing of artistic or to be retouched at the pc.
therefore it's important to have every detail clearly focused.

I noticed that either one subject or another is clear, while the rest is not clear in details.

this is what I did: no flash, high tripod, f2.8, automatic or 3,4 different times.

maybe the not globally right focused pic resulted in the fact that I had the AiAF (auto focus) OFF. it means that I could choose where to focus and not ON (the camera chooses where to focus)

or maybe in the light reading.
I set it in the "evaluative" (the camera chooses and gives the correct exposure for the main subject).
alternatives are: "center weighted average" (the camera makes an average giving priority to the central subject) or the "spot" (it measures at the centre of the monitor)

I hope my description was clear. I'm italian, my english is not my mother tongue.

in few words, I'd like to have landscapes that are clear in every detail, from the closest ones until the farest one.

thank you very very much!

[DarkPenguin]

Read up on Depth of Field.

[howiesmith]

maybe the not globally right focused pic resulted in the fact that I had the AiAF (auto focus) OFF. it means that I could choose where to focus and not ON (the camera chooses where to focus)

in few words, I'd like to have landscapes that are clear in every detail, from the closest ones until the farest one.

thank you very very much!
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=79813\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

First, I agree to understand depth of field.  And I mean really understand it.  Then you will see that f2.8 may not be the correct f/stop to get what you need.

Learn to calculate depth of field and the near and far points for depth of field.  Don't use calculators that make assumptions for you that you don't use in printing. Really understand circle of confusion and how it is the key to exposing and printing for the depth of field you want.



Select carefully elements that can fit into the depth of field you set.  Sometimes items are just too far apart.  And be very careful about taking advice from strangers.

[spazio]

thank you very much!

I'll follow your suggestions.

I have much to learn but I'm very excited about the results are going to arrive.

thanks again!  

[dlashier]

It was easy in the old days - just set f11 on the infinity mark on the lens, but in their infinite wisdom camera manufacturers no longer put these marks on the lenses so you need to roughly learn DOF tables. For UWA I typically just focus 10 to 20 feet out on some convenient object then recompose and shoot. If clear out at 17mm and including very close foreground I sometimes just aim down and focus on my feet, then squat down and take the photo.

- DL

[wood]

Hello,

As told "dlashier", - It was easy in the old days - but today maybe need to learn DOF tables. ...Ok.
But maybe if you focus 1/3 from the bottom of your landscape composition, this distance could be enough to inform to the camera use a convenient f/stop or DOF to get what you need.

Read a good article here:  

http://luminous-landscape.com/columns/composition-2.shtml


Wood

[dobson]

You will have to be careful calculating DOF and hyperfocal distance with your camera due to the small sensor/pixel size. There's some useful info in the "sensor size/DOF" thread here. You will have to employ a smaller COC than those of us with larger sensors.


Phillip

[howiesmith]

first of all, hi to everybody! I'm new in this forum.

the passion of photographing is starting to burn, therefore I'd like to grow in experience.

I use a canon powershot a80 and before passing to a dslr, I'd like to know every function of my current camera.

I take pics for 99% in macro and landscape.

for macro I'm really satisfied, since I use manual modes.

in fact: without flash, with little tripod, autoshooting, f8.0 and automatic times or 3,4 times (then I choose the best one at the pc) the result is very good for me.

with landscapes the situation is different.

the pic that I really like is the one that shows the real view in front of me. for the moment nothing of artistic or to be retouched at the pc.
therefore it's important to have every detail clearly focused.

I noticed that either one subject or another is clear, while the rest is not clear in details.

this is what I did: no flash, high tripod, f2.8, automatic or 3,4 different times.

maybe the not globally right focused pic resulted in the fact that I had the AiAF (auto focus) OFF. it means that I could choose where to focus and not ON (the camera chooses where to focus)

or maybe in the light reading.
I set it in the "evaluative" (the camera chooses and gives the correct exposure for the main subject).
alternatives are: "center weighted average" (the camera makes an average giving priority to the central subject) or the "spot" (it measures at the centre of the monitor)

I hope my description was clear. I'm italian, my english is not my mother tongue.

in few words, I'd like to have landscapes that are clear in every detail, from the closest ones until the farest one.

thank you very very much!
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=79813\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Like I said before, be careful with lens markings, tables and rules of thumb.  They may, and usually do, contain unstated assumptions.  Those assumptions may not be valid for your print design.

It is far better to first really understand DoF before you start simplifying things.  Like, if f/11 on infinity, then why not stop down to f/16 too?  Most landscape photographers can neglect the focal length addition to hyprfocal distance because it is very small compared to the hyperfocal distance.  But to the macro photographer, such an assumption would be fatal.  What about a really big print to be viewed from a couple feet with dim light (30x40 in a hallway)?  Or a 16x20 coffee table book page to be view at arms' length in strong light?  

It is just easier and more satidfying to know and understand what you are doing than to blindly take the advice of a stranger (like me) or start using rules of thumb, lens markings or tables without knowing when and how they work.  And especially whether they work for you.

A good rule of thumb is to drive your car on the right hand side of the road.  If you drive in England, you may kill yourself.