I have been carrying depth of field tables in my camera bag and it is a bit of a pain. Is there a program out there for a palm pilot or similar device that I could use for different lenses and formats?
Printable View
I have been carrying depth of field tables in my camera bag and it is a bit of a pain. Is there a program out there for a palm pilot or similar device that I could use for different lenses and formats?
The Rodenstock DOF/Schempflug calculator takes up far less space then a Palm, uses no batteries and calculates DOF for all formats from 35mm to 8x10 with inclined or level camera positions. Also supplies bellows extensions when needed.
Don -
DOF Master does what you want. Surf to www.dofmaster.com.
Also, there is Bob Wheeler's Vade Mecum - greater capability, but also more complex.
Don,
I use a very convenient practical tool I made myself for my Toyo View. From an old Linhof depth-of-field calculator I copied the intervals, measured in mm, within which I would find acceptable sharpness if the lens was focused in the middle. I put these intervals, for several lens stops (f 22, f32, f45, f64) on a piece of paper.
When taking the picture, I first align the focusing sled flush with the front end of the camera and lock the focus. I then slide the lens standard on the sled until the far part of the picture away is rendered sharp and lock it. I then unlock the sled and focus it until the near part of the picture is rendered sharp. The sled will have moved forward a couple of mm. I then read off the distance it has moved on my piece of paper. The latter shows me which f-stop would render the whole distance sharp, if I place the sled in the middle of the distance. Voilą!!!
Check out this very web site for info:
http://www.largeformatphotography.info/fstop.html
Especially, read the article referenced at the bottom written by Paul Hansma.
http://tangentsoft.net/fcalc/
The Expo/Dev program developed by Phil Davis and distributed through the View Camera store will do DOF, and a lot more. It is available for Palm operting systems and will soon be available for some versions of pocket PCs.
I'll second the recommendation of the Rodenstock DOF/Schempflug calculator for the following reasons:
1. Cheap, ~$25 USD.
2. It does both DOF and tilt calculations (in combination) with a process that's easy to understand. In other words, it's taught me something. I've learned enough by working through the tool that I can make pretty good judgements if I've forgotten it. Unlike a program which will take my input and spit out a recommendation from the other end of a mathmatical black box.
3. It hangs from a string. I've used palm apps in the field, and my problem's been that with a lightmeter, polaroid back, loupe, millimeter scale, levels, etc, there was enough juggling that I'd use the Plam once, then try to get it out of the way. With this, I can easily check and recheck as I adjust camera position as I loop it over a tripod knob with my loupe. There's a scale, instructions, and various adjustments all in one package.
-Ted
Having tried using Palm-based apps in the field, I now use the Rodenstock DOF/Scheimflug calculator wheel. It can be put on a lanyard, and hung around the neck. That way, it blends in with the light meter and the similarly-corded British Webley revolver, so essential for field work. ;-)
And if your subject gets pissy, you can plug it.