Prime lenses and Depth of Field

[snostorm]

Hi Ira,

Here's a couple that I think illustrate how controlling DOF can be important -- even in birding with a telephoto.

These are from the zoo, and the Frogmouth (one of my personal favorite birds) was cooperating, so I had time to play with focusing on different parts of its face with the A*200 f2.8. Both were taken at f4.5 with a flash.

On the first, I focused on the beak instead of the usual birder's practice of focusing on an eye.



IMO, the Frogmouth looks serious and menacing, even with the eyes slightly OOF.

On the next one, 2 shots later, I focused on the eyes.



I think that with the beak OOF, it kinda blends in with the feathers, and even with the eyes sharp and intense, it makes for a more benign (and almost goofy) look.

I personally own a lot more zooms than primes -- but you gotta love those primes. . .

Scott

[NonEntity1]

The beak shot is defintely better Scott (very good shot too). In the beak focus shot the eyes may be slightly soft but only barely, the shot with the focus on the eyes has the beak very out of focus.

Tim

[NonEntity1]

robar wrote:

tim,
don't get a swell head but i've always thought this shot of yours ranks right up there in the top ten that i've seen posted here.. congrats on a super shot..

roy

Too late Roy, I am preening already! Seriously, thanks for the kind words (and Kjell and Tom), this is one of my favorites too.

Here is one more recent one, Kiron 105mm macro at f/8 but pretty near 1:1 as I remember it. Nothing left of the background but color and the green plants in the background could only have been a foot (1/3 meter) away max.

Tim

[ccallana]

Here is one with the SMC-F 50/1.7 @ 2.5





And here is one with the SMC-M 50/1.7 on extension tubes...

[beachboy2]

Yes Ok its a zoom. F13 on my Sigma 28-300 at 300mm. The Rainbow Lorikeets mate is way out of focus as is most of the foliage. 68% crop

[bper]

Hi Ira - Here's one I took with one of your old favorite's, the M50-1.7 at F3.4. I took this last week of some Tulips in a vase with a blue posterboard as the background - Bruce

[hamtaro]

Taken on an *istD with TronTec 28mm lens set at f2.8
No post processing

[hamtaro]

hope this works this time!

[bilybianca]

Examples requested, examples delivered.

I took out my bag in the fine weather and took these. Lenses: FA28mm f2.8, FA35mm f2.0, FA50mm 1.4 and A*85mm f1.4. First is a series with all lenses set at f2.8, then with largest aperture for each lens. The shots were all at the lenses' shortest focusing distance. The pictures are shot in RAW, post processed for increased contrast but no sharpening and lastly resized for the web.

Interesting to see how all the lenses give about the same enlargement in spite of different distances from the subject. Pity I didn't try the A*200mm f2.8 (pity or stupidity?:angry, hope to get an opportunity soon.

Kjell

First FA28 mm @ f2.8

[bilybianca]

FA 35mm @ f2.8