Hyperfocal Distance

Norkie

Norkie

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Jak
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I often struggle to find the hyperfocal distance.

If I use live view and the superimposed grid, the lower of the horizontal grid lines would be the 1/3 distance once I have composed my image, would it not?

Appreciate any replies, thank you :)
 
Also, a third of the way up the viewfinder doesn't equate to a third of the distance into the scene.

What is a third of infinity anyway?!!!


Steve.
 
I'm by far no expert on hyperfocal distances but I can still put forward my experiences. The first time I heard about it I found a simple distance chart depending on your aperture and focal length. It tells you the distance to focus at for the combined settings. I went out to practice with the settings on the chart in relation to focusing distance and every shot was sharp from foreground to the distance. Correct me if I'm wrong it may not be as simple as that but it worked for me.

I just printed off one of the many table charts and keep it handy in my bag.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=hyperfocal distance&rlz=1C1GIWA_enGB588GB588&espv=2&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=5i2sU-XCPMuO7Qbo5IHABA&sqi=2&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAg&biw=1920&bih=1075
 
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Norkie said:
I often struggle to find the hyperfocal distance.

If I use live view and the superimposed grid, the lower of the horizontal grid lines would be the 1/3 distance once I have composed my image, would it not?

Appreciate any replies, thank you :)
Click to expand...
The 1/3 distance thing is a rule of thumb, not be strictly adhered to. But it's 1/3 of the way into a finite scene. Depending on what you're actually taking a photo of, the bottom grid line could be far closer or (less likely) far further than 1/3 of the way into your scene.
For the sake of easy visulisation, let's say you're taking a cityscape* photograph out of an open window but there are some features on the windowsill you want to include. The bottom grid line may be over your windowsill but that is very unlikely to be 1/3 of the way into your scene. It will be far less than a third of the way in. You're looking for a third of the distance from your camera to the most distant building you want to include. Forget the gridlines, they don't mean anything.

*I'm using a cityscape as the example, because it's a large but potentially finite scene
 
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ghoti said:
You're looking for a third of the distance from your camera to the most distant building you want to include.
Click to expand...

That doesn't really work though. If the most distant thing in the scene is 1000 feet away (and it could easily be a lot more) a third of the way in is 333 feet which is just about infinity on the focus scale.

The actual hyperfocal focus setting will be much closer than this as it is not a linear scale.

Much better to use a chart for the focal length you are using, or even better, an older lens with the depth of field markings.


Steve.
 
Many thanks indeed all :)

You have given me lots to consider and digest, it's great, thanks.

I've actually found an app for my Hudl that will calculate and guide me, I'll give that a whirl also.

I found the thread you linked to Richard very interesting, I should have searched before posting really (n)
 
Steve Smith said:
That doesn't really work though. If the most distant thing in the scene is 1000 feet away (and it could easily be a lot more) a third of the way in is 333 feet which is just about infinity on the focus scale.

The actual hyperfocal focus setting will be much closer than this as it is not a linear scale.

Much better to use a chart for the focal length you are using, or even better, an older lens with the depth of field markings.


Steve.
Click to expand...
Yeah, it's a rule of thumb for finite scenes. And I gave a bad example. I was just trying to illustrate the difference between a third of the way into a scene and a third of the way up the frame.
 
If you have a camera with live view AND a depth of field preview (dof pb) button it's super easy to find the hyperfocal distance. For example - shooting at f11. Place camera on tripod. Set camera to f11. Switch lens to manual. Switch on live view. Move live view curser to most distant object. Expand curser view to maximum magnification ( normally x100). Turn focus ring until distant object is in focus. Press dof pb. Turn focus ring to focus at closer distance. Stop when distant object just goes out of focus. Turn focus ring a nudge back to bring distant object into focus. Release dof pb. That's it !
Hope this helps
James
 
jbw said:
If you have a camera with live view AND a depth of field preview (dof pb) button it's super easy to find the hyperfocal distance. For example - shooting at f11. Place camera on tripod. Set camera to f11. Switch lens to manual. Switch on live view. Move live view curser to most distant object. Expand curser view to maximum magnification ( normally x100). Turn focus ring until distant object is in focus. Press dof pb. Turn focus ring to focus at closer distance. Stop when distant object just goes out of focus. Turn focus ring a nudge back to bring distant object into focus. Release dof pb. That's it !
Hope this helps
James
Click to expand...

That's another method, though I would say it takes a bit of experience to judge sharpness accurately from the LCD in the field, especially if it's bright and not that easy to see. I often use that for checking DoF though, and maybe for a final tweak. You don't need to do it on live view - it's easier to take a snap and then zoom in on that without needing to keep the lens stop-down button pressed. You can also take a series at different apertures and flick through them on the magnified LCD image, if your camera allows this (my Canons do).

The easiest and most accurate way to set hyperfocal distance is the method outlined in the thread I linked in post #2. Good DoF calculator at DofMaster here http://www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html also available as a phone app.
 
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