GROUP SHOTS

[Peter DYER]

Hi, new arrival to this very good forum. Have just upgraded my D70 for a D200 with 17-55 2.8 DX lens. (wife does not know yet!)
I take a lot of group shots involving several rows of people eg: babies at the front next row kids then adults. What's the trick to taking a photo where everyone is pretty much in focus not just one row? Have tried shooting at f20 to no avail. Ialso use a 80-200 f2.8 on a monopod.

Would appreciate any advice from anyone!
Thanks Peter DYER

[losfp]

D200 with 17-55 2.8 DX lens. (wife does not know yet!)

You're brave, Peter! But maybe if you wait long enough, you can use the "but I've always had it...." excuse. My problem is normally that I can't wait to brag about my new purchases, even if it means my imminent death. For example, I've told my fiancee that I'm going to get a new tripod this weekend, in direct contravention to our newly established "saving up every spare penny for the wedding" policy.

Sigh.

Anyway.

I find that with shorter focal lengths, it's easier to get more DOF, so you might try that. Do a search for "hyperfocal" distance, and go from there. Basically (and this is VERY basic, subject to my limited understanding of the subject), for any given focal length, the hyperfocal distance is the point to which you focus that gives you the largest possible DOF. Anything between half the hyperfocal distancce and infinity should theoretically be in focus.

[myarhidia]

I find that with shorter focal lengths, it's easier to get more DOF, so you might try that. Do a search for "hyperfocal" distance, and go from there. Basically (and this is VERY basic, subject to my limited understanding of the subject), for any given focal length, the hyperfocal distance is the point to which you focus that gives you the largest possible DOF. Anything between half the hyperfocal distancce and infinity should theoretically be in focus.

Does this means that as long as you have your focus set at infinity, and the subjects are further away from the hyperfocal distance then everything will be in focus

[padey]

(wife does not know yet!)

Have tried shooting at f20 to no avail.

2 wow moments.

Maybe you won't have to worry about group shots once your wife kills you for getting the 17-55!

f20!?!?! I can't think of any F-mount lens that would be remotely sharp at f20. Maybe the closest you'd get is with a macro, but seriously, f20!???!?!

I regualry take group shots, 3 and 4 rows, with the husband killer that you just bought, and find it captures everyone in focus comfortably. How far way is the subject from you?

[moz]

Does this means that as long as you have your focus set at infinity, and the subjects are further away from the hyperfocal distance then everything will be in focus :?:

Not quite. If you focus at the hyperfocal distance you get the max possible depth of field - everything from half that distance to infinity is in focus. So obviously it gets shorter as aperture increases and more stuff comes into focus.

Lots of links to better explanations are out there:
http://www.dofmaster.com/hyperfocal.html
http://www.nikonians.org/html/resources ... ocal1.html

[moz]

What's the trick to taking a photo where everyone is pretty much in focus not just one row? Have tried shooting at f20 to no avail.

As you reduce the aperture (bigger F numbers), you also need to move the focus point towards you. Think of the "depth of field" as extending from some distance in front of the focus point to some distance behind. As the aperture gets smaller, that depth of field increases. But since it can't go past infinity, the extra DoF behind the focus point is wasted. Better to use it in front where you need it.

Google "depth of field" (in quotes) and "hyperfocal distance", there's lots of articles out there.

One thing that's useful is marking the hyperfocal distance on at least your primes on the lens. This is why some lenses have apoerture markings on the focus scale, BTW - it lets you set the infinity mark to the far edge of the DoF which is... hyperfocal focussing.