How to Set the Depth of Field on a Wide Angle Zoom Lens
Wide-angle zoom lenses offer great performance for a variety of different photography styles, and proper control over depth of field will unlock their true potential.
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Instructions
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Digital SLR Cameras and Modern 35mm Cameras
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A 35mm SLR camera body, minus a lens. Attach the wide-angle zoom lens to your camera, ensuring it is firmly in place.
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A digital SLR mounted on a tripod for rigidity. Frame your shot. A tripod will help if you are aiming to capture a very large depth of field with a slower shutter speed.
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A camera dial, used to change shooting mode. Use your camera's aperture priority mode (A) or manual mode (M). Aperture priority will leave the camera to determine the shutter speed, manual mode will require the photographer to specify shutter speed.
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A photo with a very shallow depth of field. Use your camera's controls to choose your aperture. Higher aperture values--a lower f-stop number--provide a shallow depth of field with clear areas of sharp and blurry contrast. Lower aperture values--a higher f-stop number--capture a wider depth of field, with a larger area of focus.
Traditional Manual 35mm SLR Cameras and older lenses
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A traditional manual 35mm SLR camera. Attach the wide-angle zoom lens to your camera, ensuring it is firmly in place.
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A photographer using a tripod to hold a camera in position. Frame your shot. A tripod will help if you are aiming to capture a very large depth of field with a slower shutter speed.
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A 50mm prime lens with aperture ring. Twist the thin aperture ring on the lens to choose an aperture appropriate for the shot. Higher aperture values--a lower f-stop number--provide a shallow depth of field with clear areas of sharp and blurry contrast. Lower aperture values--a higher f-stop number--capture a wider depth of field, with a larger area of focus.
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A photographer, calibrating his next shot. Set the shutter speed, paying close attention to your camera's light meter to ensure perfect exposure.
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Tips & Warnings
A larger aperture--a higher f-stop number--will allow a lot more light into the camera than lower apertures. Many photographers use neutral density filters to reduce exposure values and reduce the chance of over-exposure.
Many older wide-angle zoom lenses that use an aperture ring allow a photographer to override the need to twist the ring and rely solely on camera instructions instead. Consult any lens or camera manuals for information on your specific brand.
Not all wide-angle zoom lenses will have an aperture ring. Newer lenses designed solely for use with digital SLRs rely on the camera's inputs to change aperture settings, and will not work on older cameras with the same mount.
References
- "The Essential Guide to Landscape Photography"; Landscape Gear: Wide-Angle Lenses; Daniel Lezano, July 2009
Resources
- Photo Credit Wide angle lens image by TekinT from Fotolia.com camera isolated image by Falk from Fotolia.com photographe image by bacalao from Fotolia.com camera dial image by Tanya McConnell from Fotolia.com red and yellow tulips with shallow depth of field image by Ferenc Szelepcsenyi from Fotolia.com film-camera on camera-bag image by Andrii Oleksiienko from Fotolia.com photographer"s photographer image by Lee O"Dell from Fotolia.com Lens image by pershing from Fotolia.com photographer image by jimcox40 from Fotolia.com
