ron chappel wrote in post #2023499
I don't know why on earth one of the manufacturers don't build the 'DOF scales' into the camera. Something like (for example) showing the far focus distance and near focus distance in meters in the viewfinder.[/COLOR][COLOR=red]The camera allready has all the info it needs -the lens' focus distance* and aperture
I suspect that this would bring about the same shortcomings that the DOF marks can bring (especially in the digital age) - failure to account for actual final print size and viewing distance (which influence the circle of confusion, another part of the depth-of-field equation). Even the marks on the lens are only guidelines, and many recommend going a stop tighter than what's indicated.
I agree that it would be useful in-camera, especially if the user could input some sort of quality index number so that if the image were to be used for pixel peeping at 100% magnification on the screen, then a deeper DOF might be in order. (I admit, that was a bit sarcastic, but I really wanted to stress the point that there are variations in viewing that need to be considered).
Still, the markings on the lens would be more useful if the shooter intended to use the focus scale and shoot with manual focus as they might do in a few situations where AF might be less reliable. The guy that shot my niece's wedding did so with 4 manual Nikon film cameras. He used the DOF and distance scale for many of the reception shots, and with great results.
