Good afternoon Rocky and many thanks for yet another excellent video, explaining much valued issues. Can you help answer a Canon issue that I’m having please, as I’m now getting very confused. I have an R6 MKII and I’ve just started using the DOF preview button and for me, it’s a great tool and much welcomed. But let’s say as an example, I’ve auto compensated 2/3 of a stop either way using the control ring on my 24 to 105 f/4. If I then let go of the DOF button and take the photo, it comes out as if I hadn’t adjusted the auto exposure. But if I keep the DOF button pressed, the image comes out just how the DOF button is showing me through the viewfinder. I’ve tried auto and manual on the lens and also used my 100 to 500 as well but the issue still remains, hence using BBF at the same time as holding the DOF button whilst pressing the shutter button can get a bit of a handful, but either way, I hope you'll agree that I shouldn’t have to hold the DOF button to get the image recorded as per my exp comp settings. Rocky whilst I know this is something that I'm doing wrong, any thoughts or tips would be extremely welcome and much appreciated, many thanks.
As a long time photographer I've used the DOF button often, since I am a scenic photographer, but with the new Nikon cameras, ( I have a D750, and a D7100) pressing the button only informs me that my format is either an FX, a 1/2 format or a DX format. This is not what the old DOF buttons did, as in your demonstration they used to actually close down the lens to the F opening you had previously set. The instruction booklet which came with each camera really did not tellme anything. John Valenti
I've never owned or used a DSLR so I had no clue they did this. Makes sense though. I did use a film SLR in high school, but can't remember if it did this. Do they stay wide open too?
I doubt I'm able to determine if f/4 or f/5.6 (or any other f stop for that matter) will help make my subject have sharp enough eyelashes when I'm focusing on the eye and looking through the viewfinder. Maybe my eyesight is getting old, but can anyone tell if their subject's eyelashes will be sharp enough while looking through viewfinder?
Help, that button fucks up my exposure. I’m researching this because I used this feature on a film camera. When I found this button on my regular dslr I was pretty excited... When trying to use it the same was I was using it on a film camera 2 things happened, my exposure adjusts perfectly and gives me exposures in lighting conditions I’ve never been able to shoot in or, the opposite. The image gets darker and darker at every press of the button... This is very unreliable, I’ve tried aiming the camera at different light conditions to readjust the exposure back to normal. Again, there seems to be no reliable way to tell whether pressing this button will completely mess up my exposure or give my t3i “super powers.” Anybody else experience this? (I have magic lantern installed)
Sometimes this button is customizable instead of just being a DOF preview. Maybe check your camera settings. It could be configured to some other function on the camera.
Is it really necessary to use the f-word? Many of us find that word offensive. Rocky Mountain (no affiliation with them) not only presented a great video, but even responded to your post quite graciously. Photography is challenging. If you adjust one setting, it often affects another. In the future, you might consider a better "f"-word: "f-stop". Which affects aperture. Which affects depth of field. Which was explained so well in the video.
I’m so confused as to what the actual function of this is. I mean, if I want to see my subject at say f2 versus f1.4 I just change the aperture on the lens. Am I missing something here?
If you look through the viewfinder f/2 will look just like f/32. It’s once you take the photo that the camera actually stops down to the selected aperture. The depth of field preview button lets you see the depth of field before you shoot.
Rocky Mountain School of Photography Ah I get it. I never knew that, I’m shooting with an XT1 so I guess newer cameras do it for you automatically. Something new to learn for shooting film. Thanks for the reply.
The reason why this video is so clear and helpful is because the presenter avoids the mistake of assuming that his audience already knows a lot of technical data. I have SOME technical knowledge; a number of occasions I found myself asking the question "but what if . . ." only for the presenter (in the next breath) to answer that very question. Name, please!
