Focusing Help @ Distance

I'm obviously doing something wrong but I'm not sure what and this image is a classic example. I thought that if I used f20 / f22 and focused mid way the DOF would mean that the whole image was in focus. However as this image shows (f20) the foreground is good but the lighthouse is really OOF. It's not the lens as this happens with pretty much any lens I use. So I am pretty sure it's me! OR is it that I'm just asking to much of the pixels?

Any advice greatly received.. thanks.

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I would say it's most likely from diffraction. Just do a google and you can read up on it. A shot like that would probably be better at f11 or f16 at most. As far as focus I usually focus about 1/3 of the way into the seen but if you want to be exact just google hyperfocal distance. Oh, by the way that is a nice shot; I love the composition and that sky is awesome. Did you use any gnd's on that shot.

I wouldn't expect much better from this shot. For one thing the lighthouse is very far in the distance and is also backlighted. Even if you were focused on the lighthouse it likely wouldn't show much improvement.

I'm not sure that I follow your focusing technique fully..

I'm guessing that you want to use hyper-focal techniques, but your description isn't exactly that..

With new lenses that are not inscribed as the old ones were, it isn't quite as easy as it used to be.. But, you still don't just "focus in mid-way and have the whole image in focus". Hyper-focal focusing is based on the the idea that depth of field typically extends 2/3 behind the point focused on and 1/3 in front, and varies based on aperture. With older lenses, you calculated your hyper-focal distance and the f-stop needed, then rotated the lens focus barrel so the infinity mark rested on that f number, and then everything from infinity back to the opposite inscribed f number would be in focus.. (or, of course, you focused on an object at your calculated distance) See, if you just focus halfway, or what seems like halfway, then you may have things in focus at a hyper-focal distance (2/3 behind the focus point and 1/3 in front) but you don't actually have that calculated distance in front of you, and so your "in focus far point" may be short of that distant object - your lighthouse. - You didn't focus on a point out far enough to capture it.

So, ask yourself... am I focusing so that my infinity mark is further around the lens barrel than it might be if it was inscribed (for DOF) similar to the old ones ? For it to be accurate, then your infinity mark HAS to be at a value that does not exceed where the value of the (non-inscribed) f-stop is. If you actually calculated your hyperfocas distance, then that distance would be the number that is at the lens center mark when you have focused.

Here is my 2 cents.. 1. I think that you are enlarging the distant subject (pixel peeping?) so much that you see it at it's worst. and, 2. I believe that you are concerning yourself with getting the foreground in focus and not really nailing the distance objects (You need to bring the infinity mark back in towards the lens center line a bit more and to within the "range" of your chosen f-stop) ..

That's very kind of you thanks - I was definately using a CPL. The thing is I took heaps of images with idfferent ISO and f stops (not to mention bracketing!) for some I used a .3 stop grad but I honestly can't remember for this one!

So this is a new one fore me and reading about it could explain a lot - thanks for the tip it's great to learn something new / something to have to think about when trying to get a good shot!

Ah yes this thing called hyper-focal calculations......I've been behaving a bit like an ostrich in respect to hyer focal distance. I know that I have to learn about it to improve but every time I start reading about it my eyes glaze over.....If there's an idiots guide someone could point me to I'd be grateful.

Thanks again for all your help guys...

I doubt that you have any diffraction issues...f/20 and f/22 work just fine on the FF sensor, especially at the hyperfocal distance. Also, hyperfocal distance techniques will not make distant images pin-sharp...it only ensures that the elements of the image will be in the "acceptable range of sharpness" from front to back. As far as focusing 1/3 in and hoping for the best, this general rule-of-thumb is a bit misleading since it really only applies to a specific focal length. Going to 100% pixel peeping on distant objects will drive you crazy, especially considering that prints are equivalent to a 25% screen view.

It is

Are you saying that this wouldn't be as noticeable on a print? I've seen loads of your work on here - how do you manage to get such great DOF where it all seems in focus? Thanks

It's late and I'm tired so maybe I'm missing something, but my exif program shows this photo was shot at f3.0.

Not a chance...