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how DOF works with progressive focal lengths-question
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 13, 2012 3:24 pm    Post subject: how DOF works with progressive focal lengths-question Reply with quote

so i,m curious about how in fact DOF works as we increase FL of our lenses, relative to each other. what ive concluded is, as we double the FL of our lenses we have to double the aperture to achieve the same DOF.

for example, the DOF achieved by a 25mm lens at 2.0 is approximately the same as a 50mm lens at 4.0 (a 75mm lens at 5.6) and a 100mm lens at 8.0. etc etc. is that approximately correct?
tony


PostPosted: Thu Dec 13, 2012 6:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Did you check with this one


http://www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html


PostPosted: Thu Dec 13, 2012 8:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

interesting, that scale shows it is aprroximately 4x aperture to each doubling of FL. so a 25mm at f2 equals about the same DOF as 50mm lens at f8! and a 100mm lens at f32! wow! is that true?
tony


PostPosted: Thu Dec 13, 2012 9:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

rbelyell wrote:
interesting, that scale shows it is aprroximately 4x aperture to each doubling of FL. so a 25mm at f2 equals about the same DOF as 50mm lens at f8! and a 100mm lens at f32! wow! is that true?
tony


The DOF is given by (see Wikipedia, for example) ...

DOF =(2*s*f*f*N*c*[s - f])/(f*f*f*f - N*N*c*c*[s -f]*[s-f])

where ...

s = subject-lens distance
f = lens focal length
N = aperture number
c = circle of confusion

If s>>f and f*f*f*f >> N*N*c*c*[s -f]*[s-f]

DOF ~ 2*s*s*N*c/f*f

For constant s and c ...

DOF is proportional to N/f*f

So if you double the focal length you need to multiply N by a factor of 4 in order to obtain the same DOF.


PostPosted: Thu Dec 13, 2012 11:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

yup, i guess so. a factor of 4 is HUGE. i cant believe i didnt know this before...
tony


PostPosted: Thu Dec 13, 2012 11:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think it is fairly common misperception. Nature photographers know how big a difference it is between 200mm f/2, 300mm f/2.8, 400mm f/2.8, 500mm f/4 or 600mm f/4, someone who never has tried these don't realise it either.