Settings for Taking Group photos

[lancer75]

HI there,

Very new to DSLR world. Just got mine 1 week ago.
I am just wondering, is there any advise or tips as to what kind of settings on the camera is ideal for Group photo taking?

Assuming lighting & all is adequate.
I would like to know, how to get everybody's face in focus etc.

Thanks.

 

[Blur Shadow]

Assuming that lighting is adequate, you'd just have to watch your aperture to get everyone in focus. There are a lot of (somewhat minor) factors to consider, but generally, a f/5.6 onwards should get everyone in reasonable focus. When in doubt, just use P mode. I'd say the Program mode produces an adequate picture most of the time.

Of course, the problem comes when there is insufficient ambient light, uneven lighting, light of various sources etc..

 

[ortega]

make sure that the DOF is deep enough to cover everyone

actual aperture setting will depend on how many rows of people there are and the lens in use.

 

[Headshotzx]

My general guideline.

With a 50mm equivalent lens (set your lens to 30mm on 1.6 crop, for example):

1 row: f/4 or smaller
2 rows: f/5.6 or smaller
3 rows: f/8 or smaller
4 rows and more: Find a higher angle to shoot from, and use f/8 or smaller

Cheers,
Zexun