Today we’ll discuss ‘Hyperfocal Distance’ in this article. You probably already know a lot about what composition is, how to make a photo more expressive, what settings to choose in one case or another, etc. But let me tell you a secret – there is another concept in the world of photography, on which a not insignificant parameter depends at all, namely, the clarity of your frame. How does the abbreviation FR stand for, is it necessary to draw up a unique table, and when can it come in handy? This will be discussed further.
What is Hyperfocal Distance?
The lens’ hyperfocal distance is the area of physical space where the photographer must focus the camera on obtaining a high depth of field for the entire image, even when zooming in on a camera or computer. It helps to get sharp photographs with a maximum depth of field and clarity.
If you know how to work with this parameter, then all the frames taken will be high-definition from 1/2 distance to the picture’s end.
The advantages of working with hyperfocal distance are apparent. You ask, is it just that the correct settings on the camera do not achieve what you want? Alas, in this case, you will get only one-third of the sharpness of everything in the photo.
In other words, if you focused on an object at a certain distance from you, then 1/3 of this distance in front of the object, and after 2/3 of the part (not all of the space) will be visible. Remember, the detail of a photograph is an indicator of the camera’s stable position and the photographer’s understanding of how to apply the focal range in practice.
Hyperfocal Distance Table
As you can imagine, the term is directly related to the depth of field. The depth of the field displayed in the photo below can be achieved through 3 available tools:
Hyperfocal Distance Formula
Diaphragm. In photographing many objects or people, the f value must be from 6.3 to get all the objects in focus and be visible. The opposite principle works if the aperture is open: then you get a nice blur or unique curly bokeh around the model, but in this case, the whole image will not be sharp.
Focal Length. To include all the photo elements in the frame, you should not choose a lens with a long focal length or twist the zoom to the maximum.
Range of Objects. Getting closer to something will automatically increase the blurring of the background, so move farther, and you will increase the depth of field.
All of the above techniques and hyperfocal distance are liked by landscape photographers when they want to draw the viewer’s attention to the whole picture’s details, not just part of it.
If the concept of focal range is a dark forest for you, then I recommend using one or two of the methods described above at the same time. They are somewhat convenient and effective and require less preparation and imaging time, but they are still not as accurate as hyperfocal distance.
Let’s Go to Practice
Let’s not get distracted; let’s return to the topic of the article. Knowing about the existence and importance of hyperfocal distance, the question arises: how to set the camera settings to take this parameter into account and improve your images?
First, you need to know the appropriate formula. It says that you must divide the available focal length squared by the scattering spot constant times the aperture value. The final result will be in mm.
I will not burden you with unnecessary terminology; I will only say: the scattering spot has a constant value, for example, 0.02 for digital cameras, 0.03 for film cameras, etc.
Let’s take a closer look at the formula. I have a regular digital camera; I chose a focal length of 50 mm and f = 8. Then it turns out: 50 * 50 / 0.02 * 8 = 15625 mm or about 15.6 meters.
It is very convenient to have a table with such data. You can calculate it yourself for those settings with which you most often shoot.
So, here we have calculated the hyperfocal distance indicator according to the scheme; what next? And then we take pictures. Let’s take the camera and mount it on a tripod – for accurate focusing and minimizing blur due to vibration.
We set the settings and define the composition. In our case, the focus area should be on an object located one and a half meters from the camera. This is where the main character of the photo should be. However, it does not have to be right in the center.
By selecting the single-point focusing function on the camera, you can move that point to the right or left. It can be challenging to focus in the right place so that experienced photographers can choose a manual, more refined, focusing mode.
Everything is ready, shoot! Based on the definition of Focal Range, in the example I have analyzed, everything from 7.5 m will be in focus and will go far beyond the horizon to infinity.
Do not stand still; develop if you want to achieve good results in photography. That’s all. Not as tricky as it seems at first glance.
You may also like to read: 7 Good Reasons to Use A 50mm Fixed Focal Lens
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