Depth Of Field Preview Button

[LittleWolf]

does all DSLRs definitely have one?

No, some don't have this feature.

 

[gooseberry]

Canik wrote: "Another strange thing is that the picture capture seems to have shallower DOF then what i see from the viewfinder. Does anyone have this experience of it is just because the picture captured has been properly exposed....."

This is due to the fact that your eyes has an aperture. In some conditions - low light - your aperture opens up = shallower preview. In brighter conditions, your eyes aperture becomes smaller = more depth of field. This is scene dependent.

Therefore, you will see the difference in what the actual DOF through view finder and the DOF of the actual image. Not many photographers realize this. This is based on my personal observations while doing macro photography and this is one key thing to note.

However the DOF gives a close resemblance of the final image.

Hi sulhan,
If you think about what you wrote, you'd find that it's incorrect. The key thing is that your eye is looking at an image that is projected onto the focusing screen. What you are essentially saying above is that the image projected onto the focusing screen will appear to have more or less DOF as you change the aperture of the lens (aperture of your eye) you are using to view the focusing screen with - which is incorrect (physically impossible) - you are viewing a projected image, the DOF of the projected image won't change by changing the aperture of the viewing lens.

What LittleWolf said is correct. The modern day SLR/DSLR have "bright" screens - these screens are "bright" because they scatter less light - so that your viewfinder is not dark when you have those "slow" modern kit zoom lenses. The problem with a small scattering angle is then when you mount a fast lens, the DOF from eg f/1.4 to f/4 looks virtually the same.

I personally find the DOF preview button useless on modern day SLR/DSLRs with "bright" screens, as it gets too dim when you go passed f/5.6, so you're basically left with viewing at f/4 or f/5.6. Much better off using liveview to get a real DOF view (even wide open at f/1.4) and you can see and compose something at f/45 on a bellows and not viewing some black screen.

 

[luntut]

Hi sulhan,
I personally find the DOF preview button useless on modern day SLR/DSLRs with "bright" screens, as it gets too dim when you go passed f/5.6, so you're basically left with viewing at f/4 or f/5.6. Much better off using liveview to get a real DOF view (even wide open at f/1.4) and you can see and compose something at f/45 on a bellows and not viewing some black screen.

Maybe you should feedback that to Nikon? and see why they are still putting DOF buttons on D80s and beyond? I am sure its there for a reason. and definitely not everyone has a luxury of having liveviews on their cam. And then, if you are gonna use liveview everytime, is there a difference between a PNS and a VERY high end, expensive, lots of settings PNS?

DOF buttons cannot be used EVERYWHERE. I never had a problem using it in the day, outdoors. Never done TFCD indoors, or even TFCD at all, so i cant comment. DOF is a good to have, IMO, for those without liveview.

** PEace!!:angel::angel:

 

[gooseberry]

Maybe you should feedback that to Nikon? and see why they are still putting DOF buttons on D80s and beyond? I am sure its there for a reason. and definitely not everyone has a luxury of having liveviews on their cam.

Why would I want to feedback that to Nikon ? Just because it is a feature that I personally don't find useful anymore on the newer cameras, as long as it doesn't detrimentally affect the operation of the camera, they can leave it in if they want. If a manufacturer added a feature in, and this feature doesn't affect the operation of the camera - I might say it's a feature I wouldn't personally use, but I'm not going to complain about them adding it in.

And then, if you are gonna use liveview everytime, is there a difference between a PNS and a VERY high end, expensive, lots of settings PNS?

Don't get what you mean here - you're asking if there is a difference between a PNS and a VERY high end, expensive, lots of settings PNS ? 1. How is this relevant ? 2. My simple answer to that question is - the difference is one is a VERY high end, expensive, lots of settings PNS ?

DOF buttons cannot be used EVERYWHERE. I never had a problem using it in the day, outdoors. Never done TFCD indoors, or even TFCD at all, so i cant comment. DOF is a good to have, IMO, for those without liveview.

** PEace!!:angel::angel:

No worries. I just made a comment that with the modern bright screens, the DOF preview button I personally find useless as you can only realistically get a preview of f/4 or f/5.6. If you personally find it truely useful - good for you.