DOF Calculator for the Nokia N95

[Jaysee&Dali]

Hi all,

Have owned the Canon 40D [my first DSLR; previously had a Panasonic FZ30] for a few months now and one issue I've been reading up on is the whole DOF/Hyperfocal distance topic. Took a while but I think I now understand it. :rolleyes:

As you all probably already know, there's numerous online & downloadable "calculators" out there [I found this one (http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/technical/dofcalc.html) to be excellent] however it's not very practical to to carry a laptop around with you.

Did a quick "google" and found this one (http://koti.welho.com/kkordyba/kmk_DoF/index.html) that has been created especially for the Nokia N & E models. I have the Nokia 95-3 and it works like a treat! :D

Just thought I'd past it on ...

[I've already sent the author an encouraging email]

cheers
J&D

[deadpass]

holy crap that's awesome, i'm gonna put this on my n95-1 right now.

edit: installed it and it's ok, I don't really like the graph output, even the simple one. I'd prefer to just have numbers. Also when I compare it's results to those of the online one they're not the same, they're close, but not the same. Lastly, since I'm a yankee I don't like that it's in meters.

super edit: I just figured out that you can get numbers by choosing the "details" option, that's much better. now i just need to brush up on my metric system.

[steve75]

I'll have a look at this one when i get home, thanks for the link!

I have one on my n95-2 already- no graph, just simply enter focal length, f/stop & focus distance and it'll tell you your dof - or you can set it to tell you the hyper focal distance. I can't remeber where i got it to be able to link to it now, but i will find the file on computer when i get home and upload it on rapidshare.

I'll give this one ago too and see which is the better of the 2.

Thanks again

[steve75]

ah.... just found the one i got: >>>HERE<<< (http://jc.tools.free.fr/en_menu_DoFCalculator_Overview.html)

http://jc.tools.free.fr/dc/DoFCalculator_anim.gif

Latest version apparently works with most Nokia & Samsung phones

[TeeJay]

Superb one here for the iPhone....

(type this link into the address box in Safari on the iPhone)

http://iphone.dofmaster.com

TJ

[Col_M]

Cool, I'll give it a try on my E51 when I get home :)

[JustinLawrence]

Just installed both on my N95, good stuff! i think this will come in handy :)

[Jaysee&Dali]

Glad you are all finding it handy!

What are you guy's using for the "Set acceptable blur [mm]:"?

I have the 40D [1.6 crop] and read somewhere that it's 0.020. I've put this in and then done a few comparisons with the downloadable program I mentioned in my original post and it was pretty close ...

cheers,
J&D

[Jaysee&Dali]

ah.... just found the one i got: >>>HERE<<< (http://jc.tools.free.fr/en_menu_DoFCalculator_Overview.html)

http://jc.tools.free.fr/dc/DoFCalculator_anim.gif

Latest version apparently works with most Nokia & Samsung phones


Just installed this one.

Very nice! :D ;Thanks Steve75

cheers,
J&D

[bwolford]

Just installed this one.

Very nice! :D ;Thanks Steve75

cheers,
J&D

How do you install it?

[Wilt]

OK folks, hate to rain on the parade, but...

Assuming you find the Hyperfocal Distance to be some distance like 23', how do you find that position on the focusing scale of your digital camera? And if you estimate the distance, do you have calibrated eyeballs with built in rangefinder?!

[Glenn NK]

OK folks, hate to rain on the parade, but...

Assuming you find the Hyperfocal Distance to be some distance like 23', how do you find that position on the focusing scale of your digital camera? And if you estimate the distance, do you have calibrated eyeballs with built in rangefinder?!

More rain coming:

Never mind the fact that the concept of DOF is fuzzy at best.

Someone said on this forum that DOF charts are a learning tool; I agree.

Yesterday on a thread, I posted a link for a calculator for someone to use in order to gain an understanding of the concept.

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

I have plotted simple charts for use in the field - they are in my bag, but I never use them - the DOF preview button is more useful - learn to use it.

While the calculator seems cool at first, I'd hazard a guess that you won't find it to be of much use.

If however it serves your needs, then have fun with it.

[Jaysee&Dali]

OK folks, hate to rain on the parade, but...



More rain coming:


I'm not gettin' wet! ;)

Assuming you find the Hyperfocal Distance to be some distance like 23', how do you find that position on the focusing scale of your digital camera? And if you estimate the distance, do you have calibrated eyeballs with built in rangefinder?!

I'm around 6ft; 4 times me perhaps? I'm a newbie but from what I have read you don't have to get a tape measure out.


Yesterday on a thread, I posted a link for a calculator for someone to use in order to gain an understanding of the concept.

I've had good look at all these and they're been very helpful. The sole reason for my post was to just let all those who are interested know that I found a real handy application which will allow me to development my understand of DOF etc out in the field, where it counts.

While the calculator seems cool at first, I'd hazard a guess that you won't find it to be of much use.


You may very well have a point there however I'm a newbie and my understanding of "where to focus to get most of the frame in focus" will only increase through it's use while I'm out & about. Hopefully after I've made around 3,700 posts I'll have no need to refer to it! ;)

cheers,
J&D

[Jaysee&Dali]

How do you install it?


bwolford,

I just downloaded the "jar" file, transfered it to my N95-3, browsed and located it, selected it and it installed.

I then put it as one of my "active standby apps." for easy access ...

cheers,
J&D

[Wilt]

I'm not gettin' wet! ;)



I'm around 6ft; 4 times me perhaps? I'm a newbie but from what I have read you don't have to get a tape measure out.




You are blessed if you can estimate distances well...there appear to be tons of folks who cannot estimate more than one or two car lengths, judging from how overly close they tailgate while travelling at 70 mph (about 120 kph) on the highway. Just as a challenge to your estimation skills, stand on the edge of a cliff or at the water's edge and judge 4 times your height! :)

[Jaysee&Dali]

You are blessed if you can estimate distances well...there appear to be tons of folks who cannot estimate more than one or two car lengths, judging from how overly close they tailgate while travelling at 70 mph (about 120 kph) on the highway. Just as a challenge to your estimation skills, stand on the edge of a cliff or at the water's edge and judge 4 times your height! :smile:


I don't quite get it :confused:

Are you saying that we should all pretty much ditch what we have learnt so far in regards to DOF etc 'cause we're not able to accurately judge distances?

I'm simply using the calculator as a guide to learn "where the hell should I focus?"

I'm at the water's edge looking over a vast lake. I want as much as possible to be in resonable focus. I frame the shot, meter off something then think " oh, sh&t - I'm new at all this! where do I focus? At a distant mountain?, at a boat way off in the distance? ..."

I get out the calculator on my N95, enter 20mm [I want a nice wide shot] and 11.0 for the f/stop [good for landscapes] and it tells me that if I focus at around 1.8m [or around 6'] into the scene eveything from pretty much a metre to infinity should be "sharpish". I've learnt something new! I now attempt to focus 1.8m into the scene. I may not be accurate but at least I'm not locking my focus on a boat way off into the distance or a mountain range ...

cheers,
J&D

[deadpass]

I think it's handy to have but I never really use dof calculators in the field I just wing it and get what I was lookin for.

[Wilt]

I don't quite get it :confused:

Are you saying that we should all pretty much ditch what we have learnt so far in regards to DOF etc 'cause we're not able to accurately judge distances?

I'm simply using the calculator as a guide to learn "where the hell should I focus?"

I'm at the water's edge looking over a vast lake. I want as much as possible to be in resonable focus. I frame the shot, meter of something then think " oh, sh&t - I'm new at all this! where do I focus? At a distant mountain?, at a boat way off in the distance? ..."

I get out the calculator on my N95, enter 20mm [I want a nice wide shot] and 11.0 for the f/stop [good for landscapes] and it tells me that if I focus at around 1.8m [or around 6'] into the scene eveything from pretty much a metre to infinity should be "sharpish". I've learnt something new! I now attempt to focus 1.8m into the scene. I may not be accurate but at least I'm not locking my focus on a boat way off into the distance or a mountain range ...

cheers,
J&D

My point is that the concept, not the precise distance for a given situation, is the most important element -- in part due to the fact that is so difficult to focus your lens to precisely the hyperfocal distance indicated by a chart or a program! Lenses used to have DOF scales, so you could place the nearest and farthest distances opposite the f/stop marks for your chosen aperture. I would use those with prime lenses. With zooms, that is gone, and AF makes the rotational distance scale so compressed as to be useless with hyperfocal charts and programs.

[steve75]

Jaysee&Dali - I'm completely with you on this...... The DOF calculator is a great aid, admittedly 'i' may not be able to accurately determine the distance that the calculator churns out, my estimation may be off by a few centimetres or even a couple of meters out, but.... It enables me to have a far better chance than having no clue what so ever and just guessing the whole thing - now, as already said, as we become more experienced the need for the calculator will become less, but for now, it helps me increase my odds of getting it right.........

I don't quite get it :confused:

Are you saying that we should all pretty much ditch what we have learnt so far in regards to DOF etc 'cause we're not able to accurately judge distances?

I'm simply using the calculator as a guide to learn "where the hell should I focus?"

I'm at the water's edge looking over a vast lake. I want as much as possible to be in resonable focus. I frame the shot, meter of something then think " oh, sh&t - I'm new at all this! where do I focus? At a distant mountain?, at a boat way off in the distance? ..."

I get out the calculator on my N95, enter 20mm [I want a nice wide shot] and 11.0 for the f/stop [good for landscapes] and it tells me that if I focus at around 1.8m [or around 6'] into the scene eveything from pretty much a metre to infinity should be "sharpish". I've learnt something new! I now attempt to focus 1.8m into the scene. I may not be accurate but at least I'm not locking my focus on a boat way off into the distance or a mountain range ...

cheers,
J&D