Hyperfocal distance

I am curious to know how many of you are using a chart or app to determine hyperfocal distance as opposed to just simply doing an estimate. I usually shoot landscapes with a wide angle lens (16-24mm) at around f16-18 and manually focus somewhere between 10 to 15 feet. Based on the charts that I have seen and my own experience, everything seems to be in focus from 3+ feet to infinity. I would really like to know what other photographers are doing and would welcome any advice. Thanks

Learnt by heart...

Crop body, 25mm, f11 HD IS 9.6ft. Those are the outside figures.

Wider lens, smaller aperture just brings the HD Slightly closer so I still use 10 ft(or beyond) as the distance at which to focus.

I use the scale marks on my lenses.

maverick75 wrote in post #16616643
I use the scale marks on my lenses.

Are you using prime or zoom lenses? I have not found them very helpful with newer Canon lenses, especially the zooms. My Zeiss 21mm is great in that regard.

I mostly use vintage manual primes, my cheap AF lenses don't even have any marks.
It's a shame really.

Use the DOF preview button.

maverick75 wrote in post #16616643
I use the scale marks on my lenses.

This.

EOS5DC wrote in post #16616908
Use the DOF preview button.

And this.

I shot this at f/2 or 2.8 (can't remember, manual aperture lens) from the hip using hyperfocal scale with a 50mm lens.

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EOS5DC wrote in post #16616908
Use the DOF preview button.

I sometimes find that at smaller apertures (f16) it is hard to determine critical focus. The image is too dark.

cerett wrote in post #16616601
I am curious to know how many of you are using a chart or app to determine hyperfocal distance as opposed to just simply doing an estimate. I usually shoot landscapes with a wide angle lens (16-24mm) at around f16-18 and manually focus somewhere between 10 to 15 feet. Based on the charts that I have seen and my own experience, everything seems to be in focus from 3+ feet to infinity. I would really like to know what other photographers are doing and would welcome any advice. Thanks

I am discussing this in another thread. I'm really struggling to get the hyperfocal distance right. I printed a chart but I have a hard time estimating the distance. I don't have scale marks on my lenses...

I think I'm gonna need a lot of practice.

cerett wrote in post #16617830
I sometimes find that at smaller apertures (f16) it is hard to determine critical focus. The image is too dark.

But at smaller apertures such as f16, focus precision is far less critical.

virginie24jb wrote in post #16618205
I am discussing this in another thread. I'm really struggling to get the hyperfocal distance right. I printed a chart but I have a hard time estimating the distance. I don't have scale marks on my lenses...

I think I'm gonna need a lot of practice.

No, you need to abandon trying to use hyperfocal calculators/charts and estimating the distance on the AF lens' distance scale!!!

AF lenses have horribly small distance scales due to the designer wishing to reduce the amount of battery drain cause by an AF motor having to turn the lens focus mechanism through a large rotational distance, making its distance scale much less useful than manual focus lenses of the past. Compare distance scales of the AF lens vs. these two manual focus lenses.

Wilt wrote in post #16618319
No, you need to abandon trying to use hyperfocal calculators/charts and estimating the distance on the AF lens' distance scale!!!

I can't estimate the distance on the lens distance scale because I don't have one. No distance scale whatsoever on my lenses... The best I can do is use my eyes and try to estimate the distance of a certain object on my own.

Are you saying that a chart is also useless?

virginie24jb wrote in post #16618334
I can't estimate the distance on the lens distance scale because I don't have one. No distance scale whatsoever on my lenses... The best I can do is use my eyes and try to estimate the distance of a certain object on my own.

Are you saying that a chart is also useless?

Which Canon lens is totally lacking a distance scale?

I am saying that hyperfocal charts are useful IF YOU CAN estimate the distance on the chart. You can do that with...

• a manual focus lens (which has a much better scale)
  
• a laser distance rangefinder
  
• a very long measuring tape
  
• a very practiced eye for distance

Wilt wrote in post #16618351
Which Canon lens is totally lacking a distance scale?

At least the three I own. See below, they are listed in my signature. Yes these are relatively "cheap" lenses. I know.

I have none of the four techniques, especially not the last one. So for now, I'm going with a "poor guess".

I'm thinking of buying the Samyang 14mm f/2.8. It's manual, it's got a distance scale (though not very accurate from what I've read) so I'll be able to try and practice over and over again.

^The other thing you can do is use live view and 10x magnification. Don't forget to use the DOF preview button though, even in LV.