Focusing

[DJMorgan]

Good afternoon guys, I was wondering, With this image..

or many more I do, How can i get it to focus other than in the centre..

I think Iv done it before where I have focused on more than that, But im just after a few tips.

Thanks

 

[foggy4ever]

You can move your focus point with the pad on the rear depending on how many the D3000 has or focus and recompose.

 

[nikonuser]

If you want the foreground in focus right the way through to the background you will need to use a high f stop say f16 then focus about 1/3 of the way in to the image this is termed the Hyperfocal Point
http://www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html
hope this helps
Dave

 

[Forbiddenbiker]

You need to set your lens to produce a larger Depth of Field.

.... your shot is taken with a narrow DoF, so your focus point and a small amount of the scene from that focal point is Sharpe in both directions, the rest is out of focus, or to put it another way, the out of focus bits in the distance and in the foreground are outside the DoF range for that aperture on that lens.


Take a look at the link provided above ... start getting your head around it all and then re-shoot at say F8 (will produce a larger DoF) ...focused on the same spot and you will see that the greater amount of DoF F8 provides will make more of the background and foreground look in focus.

 

[DJMorgan]

So would you say If i had took the shot around 25mm, it would of been better? Also thanks for the help via link, I find it hard to understand it though,

 

[DJMorgan]

You need to set your lens to produce a larger Depth of Field.

How would I make it larger, would you know?

 

[Forbiddenbiker]

So would you say If i had took the shot around 25mm, it would of been better? Also thanks for the help via link, I find it hard to understand it though,

No, not the focal length ...the aperture is what you need do adjust ... it is tricky to get you head around don't worry.

How would I make it larger, would you know?

yes I would. tis tricky to understand though ...few points to help you.... imagine focusing on one fixed point in scene when you read the stuff below.

1. The F number is a fraction of the lens opening (in very simple terms, more to it really)

2. So F4 is a larger fraction than F8 ...or to put it another way, F4 is a bigger hole to let the light through than F8 is.

3. A narrow hole (large F (fraction) number) will allow mainly narrow rays of light from your scene to hit the sensor. ...I larger hole (low F number) will allow both narrow and wide rays of light to hit the sensor.

4. Depth of field is a side effect of the recording of these rays .... narrow rays cause a large DoF ...wide rays cause a slim DoF



The actual understanding of what happening at the focal plane (the sensor or film) with all the light rays hitting it is down to something called circles of confusion, or CoC for short.

For example - when you focus at some point in an image the focus renders the CoC as in Focus at that point. ... But DoF can be added to that focal point by adjusting the aperture .... so in basics, just understand that any parrt of your scene away from the focal point (where you've focused) will be affected by the DoF set on the lens .... e.g. narrow rays cause tight CoC and wide rays cause lose CoC ... tight Coc equals in focus, lose equals out of focus.

Hope that helps ...it may take you sometime to understand ...start reading, DoF is most one of the most useful skills to know. (actually reading it through its not going to be easy explaining it. ..try searching for DoF threads also.)