I really appreciate the clear explanation of critical concepts. The fact that I am also shooting with a Sony a7iii makes it particularly valuable to me. More than anything, I appreciate the pace at which the information is presented. It makes it easy for me to follow and even to take notes.
Thanks again for another great review, I really like fact that you give us information from other UA-camrs as a reference. You’re one of the few that seem to do this out of passion more than profit.
Thanks for all your vids they are extremely useful for someone like myself just starting out. I have the Sony a7iii and can’t seem to figure out how you are configuring your camera for flexible spot focus then zoom in and get the crosshairs to move to chosen focus area.
These are really difficult films to make and your delivery is very admirable. It was once pointed out to me many moons that depth of field isn't affected by focal length as long as the subject remains the same size in the frame with each focal length and the same aperture. I didn't believe it but when you pixel peep at the distant part of the wide shot, he has a point. But that's science and I don't pretend to or want to understand it!
I think its when you keep the same distance to the subject and the background. Depth of field affected by the magnification ratio. If you stay in the same spot whatever zoom you take will not change the depth of field. It nice "fun fact", however I think it does not have much practical use since there is not use comparing photos where subject is of different size, and when you start moving to have the subject fill the frame in the same way you than change the distance to the subject and therefore the magnification ratio...
Excellent Video/tutorial without the need for technical mumbo jumbo .. straight to the point with good clear simplistic instruction..Thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge with us .........subscribed and thumbs up
love the way you explain things and I can't believe this video doesn't have more likes than 4.5k because it's the best I've seen for showing how to do landscape focusing!
YOU GOT A NEW SUBSCRIBER Dear Mads, l am incredibly new in photography, very fresh and have been watching UA-cam photography and videography reviews, for the past six months to date. Your analysis and teaching are simply the best, and you are the first that l am subscribing with because l have learnt a lot and l trust your lesson and giveaways. Thank you!
I love your obvious ease at presenting the "how-to" of your photography. I have this camera and had no idea that the plus button put a crosshair into the photo! I can't wait to try out focusing using this new tool. I have always used it to blow up the image on the LCD screen. Beautiful photography and your two e-books are fantastic resources!
Excellent Mads! You really explained focusing in simple, laymen terms. The in camera examples are what people need to see to better understand the technique. Seeing is believing. Well done!
Since I also photograph I understand your viewpoint and examples very well. The one thing is to make mistakes and practice more and more and the motor skills and practice together becomes second nature. Thanks for the video Mads Peterson, cheers.
Love your videos. Hope you took some of that Wild Garlic home with you. I go out to pick that with a couple of friends when it's in season. Tasty stir fries :)
Excellent video, as always. I focus stack when necessary with my D850. You inspire me to explore more unique landscape opportunities in my state so that my eye for compositions will improve. At that, you are a master. Thank you!
the issue with focus stacking as your samples show is that the wind moves the brush and leaves and they are not in the same position in each frame so that you introduce motion blurr into your final stacked image
Very nice Boss , we are learning from you and other great photographers a lot , just i want to mention and confirm and add to what you said one thing , that every time we get closer to the ground it is more diffecult to use infinity rule or get everything sharp by using closed apreature so we should use focus stacking to guarantee that we have everything sharp, like for example shooting a frozen lake and we want to shoot the frozen surface closely and make it as a foreground
Excellent presentation. I came across your channel recently and am still catching up on some of the older posts, but I really appreciate your focus on elevating one's photography as an artistic pursuit. With this video I finally understand the "1/3" technique as approximating the hyperfocal distance. For a time I got caught up in trying to do the math with hyperfocal distance, but your explanation gives me the confidence to keep it simple and use focus on infinity, focus about 1/3 in, or focus stack.
Another great video Mads. One aspect which is not often considered when discussing focussing is the size of the print you are producing and at what distance it is being viewed at. At a small scale or print viewed at a distance, the "acceptably sharp" depth of field will be much larger than for a large print view close up.
i only have an DX at the moment but i found in all my tests, my lenses are at their sharpest at between F4 and F6.5 although this shallow i always stack and i found over f11 with most of my lenses i see diffraction i am pretty new to all this though, great video thank you.
Thanks, good overview. If I'm looking to get a critical image right for focus then I will tend to consult PhotoPills app on my phone. Apart from lots of good astro guidance it has DOF data that is useful in more general photography too. I have also used the 1/3 into scene guide for the optimum focus point, but when you run the DOF calc for your lens focal length, distance, aperture etc it also shows how much distance behind and in front of your focus point should be in focus - often I see it's closer to 50:50 rather than 33:67. Separately, I find forest scenes like your example hard to shoot, when stopping down, as any wind induced subject movement blur can start to become a problem. So I agree focus stacking is probably the best tech approach. That said as long as you are getting the main foreground subject sharp then if some of background is a little soft it matters less IMO.
It is by far the best explanation I have ever seen, I always wondered about focus stacking. Thanks to you Mads, It helped me a lot. I use Nikon D5200 (definitely I need to upgrade) but how do you recommend focusing if I dont have touch screen here?
Thanks for the wonderful images from Denmark, and yet another video with easy understanding tips. And thanks for admitting to use Autosetting on the camera. Manual setting can be scaring for a lot of people who get told not to use automatic.
Hello Mads, how are you? I was wondering if you could tell me which month the leaves arrive in the Danish forest and whch month the leaves fall off in the autumn? I am interested , how many months the forests there are green ?.I am curious because Denmark is so far north and warm compared to the forests in New York.
Hey Mads, I would be really interested in a Video about Focus Stacking. Especially when it comes to the amount of photos and the distance between shots, while using camera automatics. Maybe it is even recommended to use manual pictures for that? Much confusion about that here. I am shure, I am not alone with that. Thanks an keep it up. Love your work!
Informative a concise explanations Mads. Use a similar method for focusing using the live screen to get an approximate distance from the middle of the camera to the point in the scene that is in the bottom of the live screen. Then double the distance for focusing and like yourself check afterwards and adjust if required. Glad to see you getting out and about locally, hopefully in the Uk we will have that opportunity soon
Hæ Mads. Just found your channel and it answers all of my questions as well ás the the ones I didn’t yet know I had! Very much looking forward learning a lot from you. Best regards from Iceland
Awesome video as always. Do you have the AF-ON button set as a custom button to allow you to zoom in when finding autofocus? I shoot the A7R, and when I set my C2 custom button to focus magnification, the camera does not allow me to use it saying “This operation or setting not available as follows”, “Focus Mode, Single-Shot AF”
I’m heading out to practice shooting 1/3 into the scene and shooting at infinity. I think my Hangul is that I’m still learning my camera and really need to understand it’s different focus modes. Thank you for a great tutorial!
The biggest problem I have found when I use focus stacking for landscape are all those thing moved by the wind, or close elements covering more far elements. At last focus stacking, most of the time does not give a so good result, unless I spend hours and hours in post production.
Excellent video, been struggling a bit with some unwanted foreground blur on shots where I'm very close to the ground and have a very deep scene but following this should solve them for me.
I really appreciate the clear explanation of critical concepts. The fact that I am also shooting with a Sony a7iii makes it particularly valuable to me. More than anything, I appreciate the pace at which the information is presented. It makes it easy for me to follow and even to take notes.
Great video, a journey in learning that is constant. Never boring I think.
Easy to understand and to start using right away. Thanks for sharing!
This was a fantastic video. I figured things out that I hadn’t before. Thank you kindly.
Well done presentation! Most helpful!
What I was traying to learn...Thanks..❤❤
Great video, thank you! 👍
Great video Mads, and a fantastic explanation of focusing.
Thanks for making this nice tutorial!
Omg I never knew about the cross hair technique, thank you so much Mads!
Always informative and always in beautiful settings to captivate your viewers.
Great video. Well laid out and understanable. Thank you
This will help me a lot. Thank you
Thanks Mads for this great tutorial on landscape focus! Good tips and advice that I will put in practice ASAP!
Thanks again for another great review, I really like fact that you give us information from other UA-camrs as a reference. You’re one of the few that seem to do this out of passion more than profit.
Thanks for all your vids they are extremely useful for someone like myself just starting out. I have the Sony a7iii and can’t seem to figure out how you are configuring your camera for flexible spot focus then zoom in and get the crosshairs to move to chosen focus area.
Great explanation. I have learned a lots of things about focus
This is the stuff that keeps me up at night.... Thank you for explaining it so well :)
Thank You, Excellent Video, Excellent Teachings.
Very hard core science- I know most of this stuff but it doesn't hurt to review and you are such a pleasure to listen to.
Mads you are a fantastic educator, I love you videos that I have only just discovered.
Hi Mads. I enjoy your videos and have learned a great deal from you. Thank you 🙏
These are really difficult films to make and your delivery is very admirable. It was once pointed out to me many moons that depth of field isn't affected by focal length as long as the subject remains the same size in the frame with each focal length and the same aperture. I didn't believe it but when you pixel peep at the distant part of the wide shot, he has a point. But that's science and I don't pretend to or want to understand it!
I think its when you keep the same distance to the subject and the background. Depth of field affected by the magnification ratio. If you stay in the same spot whatever zoom you take will not change the depth of field. It nice "fun fact", however I think it does not have much practical use since there is not use comparing photos where subject is of different size, and when you start moving to have the subject fill the frame in the same way you than change the distance to the subject and therefore the magnification ratio...
Great description. Love it thoroughly
Mads, great video. You are one of the best landscape photography educator on the web, Thanks for your work.
You're very welcome and thank you very much for those kind words :)
Excellent information.thank you.
Excellent tutorial Mads
Very very good, thank you.. great tips.
Great video & comments/advice..thank you..
You’re content is the best.
Thank you, so, so much! 🙏
Excellent Video/tutorial without the need for technical mumbo jumbo .. straight to the point with good clear simplistic instruction..Thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge with us .........subscribed and thumbs up
Hey Mads! Can you share the settings for how you got the little cross hairs when you focus zoomed? I would be interested in setting that up.
Yes I would also like to know those settings, please....
You have to turn on AF in Focus Mag (still image) to "On" (Menu->Tab 1->Page 13) to get the cross hair. Note it only works in AF-S not AF-C.
Great explanation. We don’t want technical but simple explanation. When we are in the field that’s how we photograph. Thanks for a great vlog.
You're very welcome and thanks a lot, Colin! :)
Very informative. Really enjoying all your videos.
Best video I have ever watched on where to focus. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you so very much, John! That means a lot! :)
I learned a lot from this video. Thx!
Great tutorial
Learnt a lot thank you
love the way you explain things and I can't believe this video doesn't have more likes than 4.5k because it's the best I've seen for showing how to do landscape focusing!
YOU GOT A NEW SUBSCRIBER
Dear Mads, l am incredibly new in photography, very fresh and have been watching UA-cam photography and videography reviews, for the past six months to date. Your analysis and teaching are simply the best, and you are the first that l am subscribing with because l have learnt a lot and l trust your lesson and giveaways. Thank you!
Thanks Mads , i use same thing on the d850s , but my eyes arent the best so use an add on 7" screen to really set that focus
Great content,Thank you very much.
I love your obvious ease at presenting the "how-to" of your photography. I have this camera and had no idea that the plus button put a crosshair into the photo! I can't wait to try out focusing using this new tool. I have always used it to blow up the image on the LCD screen. Beautiful photography and your two e-books are fantastic resources!
Excellent Mads! You really explained focusing in simple, laymen terms. The in camera examples are what people need to see to better understand the technique. Seeing is believing. Well done!
Thank you very much! :)
Awesome information Mads, thank you and stay safe
Since I also photograph I understand your viewpoint and examples very well. The one thing is to make mistakes and practice more and more and the motor skills and practice together becomes second nature. Thanks for the video Mads Peterson, cheers.
Thank you for re-enforcing the focus stacking concept for amature photographers!
Love your videos. Hope you took some of that Wild Garlic home with you. I go out to pick that with a couple of friends when it's in season. Tasty stir fries :)
great content.. Affinity photo also does focus stacking..
Awesome video! Thank you 🤝
Great content!! And helpful advices!
Such lovely greens! Thanks for the great video about focus.
Good down to earth info , great work
Love seeing the Aarhus countryside. Such a beautiful land. So many memories of visits; someday I have to return.
Yes, there are some beautiful areas around here. They require another way of thinking than photographing in Iceland or other mountain areas.
Mads, It's not flexible spot manual, it's medium - you can choose medium, small or large focusing spot.
Makes sense! I always wondered why they'd put "manual" there ;) Thanks!
Thank you for this
Stunning camera you have, great video by the way.
hello Mads fantastic tips to improve sharpness in landscape photography congratulations
Excellent video, as always. I focus stack when necessary with my D850. You inspire me to explore more unique landscape opportunities in my state so that my eye for compositions will improve. At that, you are a master. Thank you!
the issue with focus stacking as your samples show is that the wind moves the brush and leaves and they are not in the same position in each frame so that you introduce motion blurr into your final stacked image
I found the video easy to follow and enjoyable.Bless you. may everyone get something out of your teaching. Peace God Bless.
Very nice Boss , we are learning from you and other great photographers a lot , just i want to mention and confirm and add to what you said one thing , that every time we get closer to the ground it is more diffecult to use infinity rule or get everything sharp by using closed apreature so we should use focus stacking to guarantee that we have everything sharp, like for example shooting a frozen lake and we want to shoot the frozen surface closely and make it as a foreground
Yes, I'd try to focus a bit into the scene first, but at one point even f/22 isn't enough to get the entire scene in focus.
You rock. Many Thanks
Very nice, thank you.
Great information Mats. Thank you!
Excellent tips Mads - all very useful! All the best!
Great explanation, thank you, you helped me a lot!! :)
Great video !
Excellent presentation. I came across your channel recently and am still catching up on some of the older posts, but I really appreciate your focus on elevating one's photography as an artistic pursuit. With this video I finally understand the "1/3" technique as approximating the hyperfocal distance. For a time I got caught up in trying to do the math with hyperfocal distance, but your explanation gives me the confidence to keep it simple and use focus on infinity, focus about 1/3 in, or focus stack.
There are so many factors to consider if you want to make it into a science, so generally I just work pragmatic and see what works :)
Another great video Mads. One aspect which is not often considered when discussing focussing is the size of the print you are producing and at what distance it is being viewed at. At a small scale or print viewed at a distance, the "acceptably sharp"
depth of field will be much larger than for a large print view close up.
Yes, I know Nigel Danson just released a video close to that topic, you should check that one out :)
Enjoying your videos
Thanks. Very helpful. 👌
Great video explaining the focusing workflow. If this, then do this, if still not in focus then you need to do this. Perfect video. Thanks very much
You're very welcome! Thanks a lot :)
Thank you Mads.
i only have an DX at the moment but i found in all my tests, my lenses are at their sharpest at
between F4 and F6.5 although this shallow i always stack and i found over f11 with most of
my lenses i see diffraction i am pretty new to all this though, great video thank you.
Yes, I think it's a rule of thumb that the smaller the sensor the "sharpest part of the lens" goes towards the more open aperture values :)
so when my D850 arrives i have to do all those tests again ? .. :(
Super helpful and easy watching : )
Thanks, good overview. If I'm looking to get a critical image right for focus then I will tend to consult PhotoPills app on my phone. Apart from lots of good astro guidance it has DOF data that is useful in more general photography too. I have also used the 1/3 into scene guide for the optimum focus point, but when you run the DOF calc for your lens focal length, distance, aperture etc it also shows how much distance behind and in front of your focus point should be in focus - often I see it's closer to 50:50 rather than 33:67.
Separately, I find forest scenes like your example hard to shoot, when stopping down, as any wind induced subject movement blur can start to become a problem. So I agree focus stacking is probably the best tech approach. That said as long as you are getting the main foreground subject sharp then if some of background is a little soft it matters less IMO.
Great video Mads. At what time did you shoot the video?
It is by far the best explanation I have ever seen, I always wondered about focus stacking. Thanks to you Mads, It helped me a lot. I use Nikon D5200 (definitely I need to upgrade) but how do you recommend focusing if I dont have touch screen here?
Thanks for the wonderful images from Denmark, and yet another video with easy understanding tips. And thanks for admitting to use Autosetting on the camera. Manual setting can be scaring for a lot of people who get told not to use automatic.
It's about using the tools you have :)
Thanks Mads. Great tip about using the magnifier option mapped after the Flexible Spot. Have set up a quick key for that now on A7R3
You're welcome :)
Thank you Mads. A tasteful vídeo. 🙏
nice. thank you so much.
Thank you
Hello Mads, how are you?
I was wondering if you could tell me which month the leaves arrive in the Danish forest and whch month the leaves fall off in the autumn? I am interested , how many months the forests there are green ?.I am curious because Denmark is so far north and warm compared to the forests in New York.
Very helpful and inspiring, Mads. Thanks for sharing your focusing technique!
Mads, great guide. The tip around long focal lengths is one that often gets overlooked. Well done.
Great job thank you again.
Hey Mads, I would be really interested in a Video about Focus Stacking. Especially when it comes to the amount of photos and the distance between shots, while using camera automatics. Maybe it is even recommended to use manual pictures for that? Much confusion about that here. I am shure, I am not alone with that. Thanks an keep it up. Love your work!
Informative a concise explanations Mads. Use a similar method for focusing using the live screen to get an approximate distance from the middle of the camera to the point in the scene that is in the bottom of the live screen. Then double the distance for focusing and like yourself check afterwards and adjust if required. Glad to see you getting out and about locally, hopefully in the Uk we will have that opportunity soon
I cross my fingers you guys will get out soon! In Denmark the officials are asking us to get out ;)
Hæ Mads.
Just found your channel and it answers all of my questions as well ás the the ones I didn’t yet know I had!
Very much looking forward learning a lot from you.
Best regards from Iceland
Awesome video as always. Do you have the AF-ON button set as a custom button to allow you to zoom in when finding autofocus? I shoot the A7R, and when I set my C2 custom button to focus magnification, the camera does not allow me to use it saying “This operation or setting not available as follows”, “Focus Mode, Single-Shot AF”
Beautiful landscapes
I’m heading out to practice shooting 1/3 into the scene and shooting at infinity. I think my Hangul is that I’m still learning my camera and really need to understand it’s different focus modes. Thank you for a great tutorial!
Mads. Thank you for another great video! I would like to see a video on how you set up your ARiii
That's a very specific video, I don't think I'll make one of those ;)
But the thinking is to just have easy access to the most used tools :)
Thanks. Plenty free hyperfocal apps which may be useful. Also thanks to your viewers for clearing up a few Sony operating tips..
Thanks
The biggest problem I have found when I use focus stacking for landscape are all those thing moved by the wind, or close elements covering more far elements. At last focus stacking, most of the time does not give a so good result, unless I spend hours and hours in post production.
Excellent video, been struggling a bit with some unwanted foreground blur on shots where I'm very close to the ground and have a very deep scene but following this should solve them for me.
I hope it'll work out! :)
Great Thanks