DOF Question

[Jackie Schuknecht]

Posted this in Avian yesterday and wasn't very well received. Think it is because of the OOF birds (chicks) at the front.

100-400 @ 400
f@5.6 (Didn't want to go higher as the SS would drop really low)
Full Frame
ISO 400 (Didn't want to go any higher as I think the 40D IQ isn't stellar after this ISO)
1/250 sec
Cloudy WB
+ 1 1/3 AV Mode /Eval.
Almost raining when I took this.

How would you have approached this shot? What settings would you use and what lens to max out the DOF and get as many of the chicks in focus as possible and where would your point of focus be. Would you shoot back more and crop to get bigger DOF. Or is it an impossible shot??? Or does anyone like it as presented???

Thanks for your input:)

[Dave Phillips]

I think it just has to be accepted as a very difficult/almost impossible task with 400mm Jackie.
Even at 15-18 feet, the DOF is a fraction of an inch. I often manually focus a bird to
move my focus point a bit forward to get a sharp beak. I let the AF focus and with Canon's USM
lens, I can tweak a bit manually after AF lock

here is an online DOF calculator that may answer a few questions, just enter the camera/lens combo
http://www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html

[Jackie Schuknecht]

Would it be possible with any other lens Dave. Say the 600, 800?? (don't know the big glass never having used it very much) Do you get any greater DOF??? Have seen the calculator. I guess it is getting to know your lens and it's limitations then.

[Dave Phillips]

Would it be possible with any other lens Dave. Say the 600, 800?? (don't know the big glass never having used it very much) Do you get any greater DOF??? Have seen the calculator. I guess it is getting to know your lens and it's limitations then.

wider lens....shorter focal length and closer(closer than with the tele) will get more DOF
Plug some numbers into that DOF calculator. The longer super teles will give you even
shallower DOF than the 400. Shooting the 400 up and not over f/11 will give a bit more.

Shooting too long a tele from a distance will have a noticeable compressing effect, like the lion
in the African sunset with the huge sun

[Jackie Schuknecht]

Thanks for the info Dave:)

[Jay Gould]

I think it just has to be accepted as a very difficult/almost impossible task with 400mm Jackie.
Even at 15-18 feet, the DOF is a fraction of an inch. I often manually focus a bird to
move my focus point a bit forward to get a sharp beak. I let the AF focus and with Canon's USM
lens, I can tweak a bit manually after AF lock

here is an online DOF calculator that may answer a few questions, just enter the camera/lens combo
http://www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html

Hi Dave and thanks for the link!

Great site; you can make you own DOF calculator to carry in the field, or just print off a couple of the online tables for your particular camera.

Cheers

[denise ippolito]

Jackie, I shoot w/ the 40D and the 100-400 and think you did very well with the details considering the info given-

Dave, Thanks for the link!!!

[Jackie Schuknecht]

Thought of flash D and just didn't have the heart to use flash on this little guys. Thought they might have flipped. Flash may have allowed a higher SS speed and then maybe more DOF, but Dave says it probably wouldn't have made much difference until f11. Maybe we are limited to a BOAS (Bird on a Stick) as the acronym goes in the Avian section:), simple shots with fairly shallow DOF on the subject???

[denise ippolito]

I just thought the same thing about the little guys that's why I took it out of my post!!

[Oscar Zangroniz]

Hi Jackie:
I like it as presented. You have great details on the ones in focus.
Regards,

[Alfred Forns]

Hi Jackie

For this type you need the front bird in focus Could work otherwise but haven't seen many. Not only for birds but generally an oof element in the fg will detract !!!

Agree with Dave on the dof ... at that distance is way under an inch !!!

[Gus Cobos]

All good advise and techs. given Lady Jackie...keep this as a record capture and keep them coming...:):cool:

[Lance Peters]

Hi Jackie - IMHO is these situations you really need to think outside of the box and move around as much as you can try different positions etc etc, I think there is a great shot there - only a matter of exploring the scenario until it reveals itself :)

[Jackie Schuknecht]

As a footnote, I went on to the DOFmaster site, and you can download the program to an Ipod Touch or Iphone which I did.($1.99) Pretty convenient to have in the field as a reference. Just dial in the numbers, does all the figuring out for you.