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tsk1979

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After upgrading to DSLR, I have been getting better pics on our holiday trips due to
1. DOF control

2. Good high ISO performance and 50mm 1.8 means great pics at "no flash allowed" places
3. Manual controls

But the first point is actually a disadvantage.

P&S have large DOF. So when my wife and I want a pic of us to be taken, we just give the cam to somebody to "shoot".

but in case of the 350D, if the center dot is on the background our faces will be totally OOF!
Its hard to explain about center dot stuff.
So other option is to set up a tripod! but thats not feasible always.
So any suggestions?
1. I can go for F15 aperture or so... with higher ISO??
2. Do AF myself, switch lens to MF and give to bystander??

Please offer your suggestions. I am sure many of you would have faced similar dilemma!
--
Tanveer
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I faced a similar problem, except when I first went into dSLRs I didn't even know they naturally had a lower DOF. I've worked my way around it now, but as for you.. if you wanted your faces (i.e the subjects) to be in focus, then why did you focus on the background? Are you looking for both the background and the people to be in focus? I'm not quite sure what you mean. If you wanted the people to be in focus, simply use a sufficiently small aperture and focus on your face/body.

--
  • Collin
 
1. Fix the aperture to f8/f10 or narrower in Av mode
2. Swich to multi-point focus

3. be as far as possible from the camera (specially if there is a huge distance between you and background)
4. use as wide angle as possible

I guess that should work in most cases. Its hard to miss all 7/9 focus points

--
PicPocket
 
Why not spend a couple of minutes (30 seconds?) to educate the person?

It's not rocket science.

Most people who have never held an SLR would be interested to learn such a thing.
 
Just set the camera to "green box" auto mode before letting them take the picture.

This lets the camera make all the decisions and it would be hard for them to mess up.

Unless you really, really need these vacation snaps in RAW format, it would probably be your best option.

Regards,

Ryan
 
Use aperature priority, at 28mm, f/11 focussed anywhere 14 feet or more away from the camera...

The depth of field is from 7 feet to infinity. Just make sure you have a high enough ISO for handheld shutter speeed.

I would recommend setting up the camera like that and handing it to someone. They can't go wrong, if they focus on you then you are sharp. If they focus on the background, then you are still sharp.

Check out DOF here:
http://www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html

Other than that use the Green Box.

I handed the camera to a passerby for these shots. 10mm, f/8 depth of field 1.41 feet to infinity... easy, the only way they could have got it wrong was by dropping the camera!

http://www.pbase.com/citylights/image/64052392
http://www.pbase.com/citylights/image/64112419

--
CityLights
http://www.pbase.com/citylights/favorites
http://www.pbase.com/citylights/favorite_portraits
http://www.pbase.com/citylights/favorite_animals
.
 
the camera has a setting just for this scenario. If you are off centre then the building/animal or whatever in the background is also something you want sharp. Set teh camera to ADEP and hand it over....
 
Along these same lines... you could focus the camera yourself, switch the lens to manual focus, tell the person to stand right were you are/were when you focused for them... Let them hold the camera frame the photo and push the button...

Or as others have said... turn all focus points on, and tell the volenter photographer to take about 10 or more photos... one is bound to be in focus...
CityLights said:
Use aperature priority, at 28mm, f/11 focussed anywhere 14 feet or
more away from the camera...

The depth of field is from 7 feet to infinity. Just make sure you
have a high enough ISO for handheld shutter speeed.

I would recommend setting up the camera like that and handing it to
someone. They can't go wrong, if they focus on you then you are
sharp. If they focus on the background, then you are still sharp.

Check out DOF here:
http://www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html

Other than that use the Green Box.

I handed the camera to a passerby for these shots. 10mm, f/8 depth
of field 1.41 feet to infinity... easy, the only way they could
have got it wrong was by dropping the camera!

http://www.pbase.com/citylights/image/64052392
http://www.pbase.com/citylights/image/64112419

--
CityLights
http://www.pbase.com/citylights/favorites
http://www.pbase.com/citylights/favorite_portraits
http://www.pbase.com/citylights/favorite_animals
.
Click to expand...
 
tsk1979 said:
After upgrading to DSLR, I have been getting better pics on our
holiday trips due to
1. DOF control
2. Good high ISO performance and 50mm 1.8 means great pics at "no
flash allowed" places
3. Manual controls

But the first point is actually a disadvantage.
Click to expand...
no it is not. that all depends on the situation. I had the totaly opposite problem and when taking wildlife and birds or portrait I could never quite get the background blurr that I wanted with my point and shoot. that is why I went for a DSLR, to finaly have the control over that.

in your situation, it is a disadvantage yes, but you see with a point and shoot even wide open you can't get any DOF control, or barely.

this is a disadvantage in only 2 situations, when you want more DOF and in macro..otherwise in all other situations, it is a big disadvantage.

now it is very easy to compensate in your situation, use higher ISO since the DSLR has much less noise than your point and shoot.

but now try to do the other way around and try to get control on the DOF with your point and shoot and you will see it's not possible.
tsk1979 said:
P&S have large DOF. So when my wife and I want a pic of us to be
taken, we just give the cam to somebody to "shoot".
but in case of the 350D, if the center dot is on the background our
faces will be totally OOF!
Its hard to explain about center dot stuff.
Click to expand...
it's not hard to explain, it's perfectly clear and normal.
tsk1979 said:
So other option is to set up a tripod! but thats not feasible always.
So any suggestions?
Click to expand...
yes, use higher F number and raise the ISO a bit.
tsk1979 said:
1. I can go for F15 aperture or so... with higher ISO??
Click to expand...
no, F15 is way too high. use F8 should be fine and use center focusing point. most people will point and shoot cenering the subjects. also make sure that when you have your photo taken that you don't have anything too distracting in your background. this will not only help your focusing, it will also make a better photo than having all soft of disturbing things in the background.
tsk1979 said:
2. Do AF myself, switch lens to MF and give to bystander??
Click to expand...
I never seen anyone who cannot use a DSLR and get the correct AF with it. if you follow simple rules, use center focusing point only and make sure your background is not too distracting, it should be fine. make sure you tell the person to point the center braket at the subject before shooting.
tsk1979 said:
Please offer your suggestions. I am sure many of you would have
faced similar dilemma!
Click to expand...
should be easy.
tsk1979 said:
--
Tanveer
My galleries - http://tanveer.smugmug.com ,
My site : http://www.tanveer.in/drupal
My Photoblog : http://www.tanveer.in/photoblog
Click to expand...
--



http://www.pbase.com/zylen
 
tsk1979 said:
Camera is on AF.
I give it to a stranger.
He points it at us
Now the center point may not be on us. It may be on the background.
So we are OOF.
Its more true for shots where we are not in center of frame.

For example shot with some animal or where its a tall building
slightly to our side etc.,
Click to expand...
for this type of shot, you should probably use a higher ISO if needed and raise the F number higher. there is no point doing this type of shot with a small DOF if you want both you and your background to be any sharp anyway.

with a point and shoot it is not really possible to use ISO 400 because they are so noisy, but with a DSLR it is possible as your shot at ISO 400 with your DSLR will be as clean as your shot with ISO 100 on your point and shoot.

you have got to tell the people who take the photo how to use it. should be straightforward. tell them to either put the focusing braket on the main subject (you) and tell them to half press to lock the focus before they recompose the shot if they want to get a better composition.

I would play it safe and use F8, and ISO 400. that shoudl be enough for most lighting situation. for lower light then yes use a tripod and sefl timer.
tsk1979 said:
--
Tanveer
My galleries - http://tanveer.smugmug.com ,
My site : http://www.tanveer.in/drupal
My Photoblog : http://www.tanveer.in/photoblog
Click to expand...
--



http://www.pbase.com/zylen
 
tsk1979 said:
2. Do AF myself, switch lens to MF and give to bystander??
Click to expand...
I usually focus myself with Custom Function 04:1 Shutter button AE Lock/AE lock button AF. Basically you can recompose w/o AF, the * button now triggers the AF system.

Anyway telling your bystander "aim the central point on my face" could be easier :)

--
Visit my website at
http://www.webalice.it/technojet/

 
I disagree with advice for just setting low aperture and not caring where they focus. You can still end up with some horrible shots that way. And, a narrower aperture isn't always what you want or even feasible.

In my experience it's much easier to set to center point only, widen the zoom a bit and say:

"when you look through the viewfinder you'll see some dots. Just make sure the center dot is on someone's face"

if they're smart enough to point the camera in the right direction they're smart enough to follow those simple directions and I haven't run into someone yet who couldn't folow these directions.
 
I would use a combination of higher ISO to keep the shutter fast and prefocus, switching to MF when you hand the cam over since you already know what you want in sharp focus in your shot. Then tell them "point and shoot". Tripods and the time delay button would work too.
 
CityLights said:
Use aperature priority, at 28mm, f/11 focussed anywhere 14 feet or
more away from the camera...
Click to expand...
Good technical advice. Just make sure the stranger you hand your camera to appears trustworthy... especially since you are giving him a 14 foot headstart... in case if you have to get into a foot race :) Seriously, this may be an issue in some countries.
 
I keep a P&S in my pocket. My Elph is the perfect solution for those situations where I'd like to be in the picture.

There's something about handing over a couple thousand dollars worth of equipment to a stranger (even a relative) that makes me antsy.

I don't like to be in pictures so this works well for me.
 
I'm thinking I wouls set the aperatue and shutter values the way I want and then focus the camera on my wife....then after switching to manual focus hand the camera over.....now it is point and shoot unless the shooter moves. I am also nervous about handing the camera to others....the point and shoot idea is great. The fact that a 9 megapixel camera can slip into a shirt pocket is nice too, for a backup or for taking out when you don't want to bring all the gear.
--
My online gallery:
http://www.pbase.com/jeffreaux2
 
justrying said:
Good technical advice. Just make sure the stranger you hand your
camera to appears trustworthy... especially since you are giving
him a 14 foot headstart.
Click to expand...
Only 7 feet... but...
justrying said:
.. in case if you have to get into a foot
race :) Seriously, this may be an issue in some countries.
Click to expand...
You are right. If there was any question, then I don't need the picture that bad.

--
CityLights
http://www.pbase.com/citylights/favorites
http://www.pbase.com/citylights/favorite_portraits
http://www.pbase.com/citylights/favorite_animals
.
 
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