They're here! More Muvipix.com Guides by Steve Grisetti!
The Muvipix.com Guides to Premiere & Photoshop Elements 2024
As well as The Muvipix.com Guide to CyberLink PowerDirector 21
Because there are stories to tell
muvipix.com

Depth of field and hyperfocal focusing in video

Video / Image editing, advanced techniques, computer settings, third party software, shortcuts, workarounds ... share your tips and tricks here.

Depth of field and hyperfocal focusing in video

Postby Francesco Carzedda » Fri Jan 24, 2014 2:10 am

Moving slowly from analogue photography to digital reflex passing through pocketcam art :-) , but above all from handycam to video with DSLR reflex, I had to concentrate on how to increase depth of field in shots.

As it is very easy to follow -for example - a flight with my handycam with autofocus, with Rebel T3i I have to think to:

- increase depth of field ,
- set an ideal hyperfocal distance .

There are two very useful tools online, two dynamic charts:

1. http://www.dofmaster.com/doftable.html for calculating depth of field (available as an application for iPhones and smartphones too) and

2. http://www.dofmaster.com/download_chart.html , a software for pc that helps calculating the hyperfocal distance .

I wrote a short tutorial about what effectively "depth of field" and "hyperfocal distance" are and how to set Canon 600d for the best performance, thanks to the charts above and the right "circle of confusion" value.

I used as a reference a short, clear article by Gary Nugent
http://www.picturecorrect.com/tips/hyperfocal-focusing-photography-tips/ ,
but - above all - the great help of my friend José Alonso Leon - photographer, filmmaker and producer - who is leading me as my trainer in the world of DSLR video.

dof_and_hyperfocal_focusing.pdf
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
User avatar
Francesco Carzedda
Super Contributor
Super Contributor
 
Posts: 543
Joined: Fri Jul 19, 2013 6:01 am

Re: Depth of field and hyperfocal focusing in video

Postby Steve Grisetti » Fri Jan 24, 2014 8:13 am

Grazie, Francesco! These will be very helpful for people who are just starting to work with DSLRs.
HP Envy with 2.9/4.4 ghz i7-10700 and 16 gig of RAM running Windows 11 Pro
User avatar
Steve Grisetti
Super Moderator
Super Moderator
 
Posts: 14439
Joined: Sat Feb 17, 2007 5:11 pm
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Re: Depth of field and hyperfocal focusing in video

Postby momoffduty » Fri Jan 24, 2014 9:00 am

Very nice resources Francesco! The hardest part of learning my DSLR was understanding the point of focus has the general rule of 2/3 behind and 1/3 in front. I first thought it was the total field. The f/stop and the focus point distance determines how much is in focus. Lots of variables.
aka Cheryl
Intel i7 3770, Windows 7 Pro w/SP1, 64 bit, Intel 520 Series SSD, 32G RAM, 2 – 2T RAID, (1T external), GTX 550 Ti graphics
User avatar
momoffduty
Moderator
Moderator
 
Posts: 7590
Joined: Thu Feb 22, 2007 10:43 am
Location: near St. Louis

Re: Depth of field and hyperfocal focusing in video

Postby Francesco Carzedda » Wed Jan 29, 2014 3:23 pm

I noticed that the "Depth of field table" and the "Hyperfocal distance software" return different values for the position of the subject (distance from the camera) that fits to focus to infinitive.
10 meters versus 8.5, for example, with T3i with focal length 18, f/2 of diaphragm aperture.
User avatar
Francesco Carzedda
Super Contributor
Super Contributor
 
Posts: 543
Joined: Fri Jul 19, 2013 6:01 am

Re: Depth of field and hyperfocal focusing in video

Postby Bob » Wed Jan 29, 2014 4:28 pm

Use the hyperfocal distance calculator if you want to determine the hyperfocal distance. The table isn't intended to find the precise hyperfocal distance. If the hyperfocal distance for that combination is 8.5 M, the far focus distance is infinity at that distance. But, the table doesn't show an 8.5 M row. Focus distances further than the hyperfocal distance will also have a far focus of infinity. Hence the infinity value on the 10 M row. Setting the focus to a distance greater than the hyperfocal distance will result in the near focus moving further away thus reducing the overall depth of field. For the greatest depth of field, set the focus to the hyperfocal distance.
User avatar
Bob
Moderator
Moderator
 
Posts: 5925
Joined: Wed Feb 21, 2007 4:49 am
Location: Southern California, USA

Re: Depth of field and hyperfocal focusing in video

Postby Francesco Carzedda » Wed Jan 29, 2014 4:35 pm

Thank you very much, Bob, I'll keep your explanation on my desktop these days, I found it very clear and you hit the target.
User avatar
Francesco Carzedda
Super Contributor
Super Contributor
 
Posts: 543
Joined: Fri Jul 19, 2013 6:01 am

Re: Depth of field and hyperfocal focusing in video

Postby Francesco Carzedda » Wed May 14, 2014 11:14 am

One more good contribute is this one from Tedric Garrison:

http://www.picturecorrect.com/tips/dept ... ure-stops/

A good synthesis, some points to keep in evidence.
User avatar
Francesco Carzedda
Super Contributor
Super Contributor
 
Posts: 543
Joined: Fri Jul 19, 2013 6:01 am


Return to Tips and Tricks 


Similar topics


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests