Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 26

Thread: Best way to ensure appropriate DoF in interior shots?

  1. #1

    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Posts
    20

    Best way to ensure appropriate DoF in interior shots?

    Hi everyone,

    I have recently starting doing a lot of work of interiors (architectural) on MF, but am considering changing to 4x5 for more movements.

    However, a lot of the time, the spaces are pretty tight with walls on both sides as well as rooms in the distance, requiring lots of DoF.
    On my MF cameras (mainly Hasselblad) I will simply focus on the near and far while checking the distances on the scales on my lens, then stop down to the appropriate aperture.
    On and LF lens, this is of course not possible.

    My question is: what is the best way to secure that I have the DoF I need, without stopping all the way down on every shot?

    I can use a DoF calculator, but how do I decide which part of the scene to set my focus? Just put it in the middle I guess?

    Maybe there is a much smarter way to do this, that I haven't thought of?

    I can of course stop down as far as possible, I am not super worried about diffraction, but I am a bit worried about exposure time, as I am shooting color negative and would like to keep the shutter faster than 1 sec if possible.

    Any help is much appreciated! Thank you!

  2. #2
    Tin Can's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Posts
    22,383

    Re: Best way too ensure appropriate DoF in interior shots?

    Switch to best available Digi with wide lenses

    Most Pros have, some here too
    Tin Can

  3. #3

    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Posts
    776

    Re: Best way to ensure appropriate DoF in interior shots?

    There’s a good discussion here:


    https://www.largeformatphotography.i.../t-161363.html

  4. #4

    Join Date
    Sep 1998
    Location
    Oregon now (formerly Austria)
    Posts
    3,397

    Re: Best way to ensure appropriate DoF in interior shots?

    Quote Originally Posted by macmx View Post
    ...
    However, a lot of the time, the spaces are pretty tight with walls on both sides as well as rooms in the distance, requiring lots of DoF.
    On my MF cameras (mainly Hasselblad) I will simply focus on the near and far while checking the distances on the scales on my lens, then stop down to the appropriate aperture.
    On and LF lens, this is of course not possible.
    Of course it is!

    What is missing are the engravings that you have on your MF lenses that tell you where to position the focus for any given near/far spread.

    However, near/far focusing for depth of field with large format is a standard practice. You'll need a scale of some sort on your camera bed/rail and a way to decide what f-stop you need for any given focus spread.

    Thankfully, it's pretty well laid out for you here: https://www.largeformatphotography.info/fstop.html

    The article goes into a lot of detail about Circles of Confusion, etc., which I find really valuable. However, if you don't want to wade through that discussion, you can simply use the author's table of f-stops based on focus spread that is given toward the end of the article. It is likely far better in terms of finding the optimum f-stop than the scales on your MF lenses.

    In practice, the application of this is simple: focus on the near, focus on the far, note the distance between near and far points on the camera scale, position your focus halfway between and use the appropriate f-stop from the table.

    All my cameras have mm scales and f-stop tables taped to them.

    As for getting everything in focus with tight interiors: If you want to preserve vertical parallelism in your image, the camera back will have to be plumb. Some front tilt may help some images, but, in general, the only movements you will really be using are rise and, to a lesser extent, fall. To keep everything sharp, short focal length lenses and stopping down to the optimal aperture will be your go-to method.

    Hope this helps,

    Doremus

  5. #5

    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Posts
    20

    Re: Best way to ensure appropriate DoF in interior shots?

    Thank you, Doremus. That was a very useful answer! I'll have to make some scales for my camera.

  6. #6
    ic-racer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Posts
    6,736

    Re: Best way to ensure appropriate DoF in interior shots?

    My 8x10 camera focuses with a knob. I have an indicator on the knob so I know, for example, "12 Hours" (half turn) = F32, etc.

  7. #7

    Re: Best way to ensure appropriate DoF in interior shots?

    Quote Originally Posted by ic-racer View Post
    My 8x10 camera focuses with a knob. I have an indicator on the knob so I know, for example, "12 Hours" (half turn) = F32, etc.
    Could you expand on that method please? Have you measured how many mm of travel your focus rack moves per/1/2 turn?

  8. #8
    ic-racer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Posts
    6,736

    Re: Best way to ensure appropriate DoF in interior shots?

    Quote Originally Posted by GoodOldNorm View Post
    Could you expand on that method please? Have you measured how many mm of travel your focus rack moves per/1/2 turn?
    Exactly that!

    I focus the near point and glance a the knob marker and note the "time."
    Then I focus at the far point and check the knob and note the "time."
    It is pretty easy to determine how far apart they are in "hours" and to find the middle "time."

  9. #9

    Join Date
    Sep 1998
    Location
    Loganville , GA
    Posts
    14,409

    Re: Best way to ensure appropriate DoF in interior shots?

    Quote Originally Posted by GoodOldNorm View Post
    Could you expand on that method please? Have you measured how many mm of travel your focus rack moves per/1/2 turn?
    Or, just get one of these, it will compute DOF, focus point, camera angle for al formats from 35mm to 810 on one side and Scheimpflug on the other. No batteries, finger powered and easily fits your shirt pocket.

  10. #10

    Join Date
    Jun 2001
    Location
    North of Chicago
    Posts
    1,756

    Re: Best way to ensure appropriate DoF in interior shots?

    No one has mentioned yet that one of the benefits of a large format camera is the focus screen. After focusing the camera stop the lens down a couple or three stops and with a good quality loupe check the ground glass to see if everything is sharp. Focusing half-way between near and far will be quite close, but could easily need tweaking, so take a close look.
    ____________________________________________

    Richard Wasserman

    https://www.rwasserman.com/

Similar Threads

  1. Replies: 12
    Last Post: 22-Mar-2016, 05:58
  2. My first landscape/church interior shots
    By IanWilliams in forum Image Sharing (LF) & Discussion
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 17-Apr-2011, 20:42
  3. Fuji NPS 160 and interior shots with long exposure
    By Michael Ervolina in forum Darkroom: Film, Processing & Printing
    Replies: 10
    Last Post: 8-Aug-2005, 19:00
  4. Interior Photography complications
    By Mike Austin in forum Lenses & Lens Accessories
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 5-Dec-1999, 18:14
  5. Interior Shooting Tips
    By Kurt Bauernschmiedt in forum Style & Technique
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 6-Sep-1999, 12:59

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •