DEPTH OF FIELD BUTTON

clive

clive

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clive
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looking through my camera manual nikon d300 ive noticed a depth of field button can anyone explain what this is for and what it does.
can this function be used to acheive hyperfocal distance.
 
It just stops the lens aperture down to the aperture you have selctected in the camera to give you a preview in the veiwfinder what the DOF will be. Pretty much useless on crop camera as the veiwfinder is just too dark to see it in anything but bright light.
 
When you look through the viewfinder the lens is wide open. It gives a brighter picture and more accurate manual focussing. When you select the aperture you want to use for the shot the lens actually stays wide open and only stops down to the selected value as the picture is taken. This system doesn't show the depth of field of the selected aperture, but pressing the DOF button will stop down the lens so you can see the DOF before you shoot.
 
Next to useless when looking through the viewfinder, but works quite well in live view for estimating DoF.
 
I've been taking photos since I was about 8 and still haven't found a use for it.
 
I honestly can't see a difference when I've tried it on my camera :lol: I just see the whole picture getting darker.
 
I'm the same, never really noticed it doing anything but making the image darker. Haven't tried live view though so will give that a shot.

To be honest though I think I'm pretty well aware of what depths I want in different circumstances that I won't need it ever anyway.
 
draiman said:
I'm the same, never really noticed it doing anything but making the image darker. Haven't tried live view though so will give that a shot.

To be honest though I think I'm pretty well aware of what depths I want in different circumstances that I won't need it ever anyway.
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It's really handy in live view. I use it a lot for table-top stuff. Just change the aperture and watch things pull into focus. You can also use the magnification feature and get an absolutely accurate visual fix :thumbs:

Of course you could always just take a view snaps and examine them in the same way, but it's easier and more fun in live view :)
 
HoppyUK said:
It's really handy in live view. I use it a lot for table-top stuff. Just change the aperture and watch things pull into focus. You can also use the magnification feature and get an absolutely accurate visual fix :thumbs:

Of course you could always just take a view snaps and examine them in the same way, but it's easier and more fun in live view :)
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Yeah, the exposure simulation mode in live view is surprisingly useful. I didn't even know it was there prior to buying the camera but I like it! :)
 
Parker0485 said:
I honestly can't see a difference when I've tried it on my camera :lol: I just see the whole picture getting darker.
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It is not nearly as effective as it is on film SLR's. Probably due to the type of focussing screen in use on these cameras.
 
dont know if canon is different but with my nikon when i put it in live veiw nothing at all happens when i press the dof button.
 
clive said:
dont know if canon is different but with my nikon when i put it in live veiw nothing at all happens when i press the dof button.
Click to expand...

I don't know if it's different either, but I'd be surprised if it was. You have to have the lens set for a high f/number though to see any DoF changing when you press the button.

BTW, live view also shows the true/shallow DoF at lowest f/numbers, whereas if you use the standard viewfinder focusing screen, that always shows the DoF simulated at around f/5.6, even when you're at lower f/numbers. You need a special screen to show the true effect.
 
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