Hyperfocal ... putting into practice.

[simonB_2010]

When I was a kid (ahem ..some time ago), my Dad had an SLR, and upon the lenses I remember seeing little coloured markings, lines and cool curves drawn on them.
30 years later, I find out what they are for !
Unfortunately, you don't get pretty little lines drawn on your lenses these days, or at least in my budget range of lenses.

But anyway, to the point ...

After reading Hyperfocal tutorials and explaination into the night, I'm now keen to get out there in the field and put it all into practice.
However, being impatient let's put a question out there...

So I'm armed with my Hyperfocal/DOF charts and tables, I go out into the field, and I have to handle 2 distances (a) the ditance of my subect (b) after consulting my tables, the distance at which to 'aim' at.

Can I ask, who out there 'guestimates', who uses a rangefinder, who uses a triangle of cardboard with funny markings held at arms length ? who used the 1/3 rule ?

I guess any feedback on method/results would be interesting as this is all new to me.

Has anyone felt the need to have the pretty range markings, custom etched onto their precious lenses ?

Many thanks....

 

[HoppyUK]

When I was a kid (ahem ..some time ago), my Dad had an SLR, and upon the lenses I remember seeing little coloured markings, lines and cool curves drawn on them.
30 years later, I find out what they are for !
Unfortunately, you don't get pretty little lines drawn on your lenses these days, or at least in my budget range of lenses.

But anyway, to the point ...

After reading Hyperfocal tutorials and explaination into the night, I'm now keen to get out there in the field and put it all into practice.
However, being impatient let's put a question out there...

So I'm armed with my Hyperfocal/DOF charts and tables, I go out into the field, and I have to handle 2 distances (a) the ditance of my subect (b) after consulting my tables, the distance at which to 'aim' at.

Can I ask, who out there 'guestimates', who uses a rangefinder, who uses a triangle of cardboard with funny markings held at arms length ? who used the 1/3 rule ?

I guess any feedback on method/results would be interesting as this is all new to me.

Has anyone felt the need to have the pretty range markings, custom etched onto their precious lenses ?

Many thanks....

There are quite a few good threads on this recently, if you search - like this one http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=255258

You don't get DoF scales on zooms these days as it's impossible to get all the info on there. Don't confuse hyperfocal distance with the 'focus one third in' rule of thumb, or you'll be miles out.

The most helpful thing I know about HFD focusing is that the near point of the hyperfocal range is always exactly half the HFD setting. Estimate them both by eye and use centre-point AF - it's easiest and most accurate as the distances involved are usually only a yard or two.