when I saw that DEP mode was removed, I was livid. Absolutely insensed. I was ready to take up arms and.... well, knowing I was going overboard, I went to the boards to see what the explanation was, and what others had to say.
Sadly, this didn't make things better. The "reason" for dropping it is reflected by people's indifference to it. Hardly anyone seemed to be using it. This makes sense, as it was never documented well, and that it was incompletely implemented from a user interface point of view.
Judging by the responses to the above posting, we are back to debating about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin. This thread has been filled with long dissertations on DOF charts, but the point is that DEP is far easier to use.
Many of you have said that you'd rather carry and consult DOF charts. Talk about an imprecise and time consuming alternative. I don't have the skill to accurately judge distance at 15, 20 or 40 feet and then determine where to precisely focus the lens to obtain the hyperfocus point. And that is EXACTLY what is required when using charts. You must accurately determine the near distance (assuming the far focus point is infinity). Then you stop shooting and consult the correct chart for the focal length of your lens. Obtain the hyperfocus distance. And then focus at exactly that distance to set the focus on the lens. There is no other way to do it since detailed distance scales are no longer included on lenses. The distance scale on the 24-70 is useless in setting such distances. You can't set the focus using the scales -- you must focus at that distance to set the hyperfocus. DEP is a snap compared to the above, and I am very surprised that more photographers haven't seen the light. I agree with Dan!
The real tragedy is the review of the MkII on Luminous Landscape. If anyone should be protesting the loss of DEP it is Michael Reichmann, since this web site is devoted to landscape photographers. In point of fact, Michael previously recommended DEP on this site and provided a primer on its use:
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/dep.shtmlDespite that, Michael does not even mention the loss of DEP in his review of the MkII.
If a reviewer with the clout of Reichmann does not urge Canon to restore DEP in future models, then I fear that all hope is lost. And one of the most practical features that Canon has included in its cameras for the last 20 years will disappear.
Reichmann has promised his readers one more installment on the MkII, this time with his assessment of actual prints from the 4000. (I hope in a direct comparison with the camera that it replaces.)
I can only hope that Michael will strongly protest the loss of DEP in his final installment on the MkII. If he doesn't do so -- as one of the leading advocates for landscape photography -- the a wonderful feature for landscape photographers may be gone from all future models.
That would be a tragic blow for landscape photographers, given how easy it would be to continue to include DEP as an option through the functions or firmware.