BetterPhoto Q&A
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Stephen		DOF PREVIEW I hear people talk so much on how much they rely on their DOF preview, but I can't really see a difference when I look through the viewfinder. What's an easy way to get used to this funtion? And another question, when using Landscape mode on most newer camera's, is this mode more towards picking F-stops in the middle, or more towards getting the most DOF. Thanks To love this question, log in above May 25, 2001

John A. Lind		Stephen, I believe the bias your camera will use in "Landscape mode" is very dependent on which make/model of camera body you have in combination with the lens you have on it (its aperture range). There should be something in the camera body instruction book about how it will bias aperture settings in various modes. The DOF preview through a viewfinder is only a sanity check at best. It is difficult to see exactly where the boundaries of the DOF are due to the size of the focusing screen in a veiwfinder. As a sanity check though, if something appears to be out of focus in the viewfinder, it definitely will be in the photograph. Does your lens have DOF markings for the different aperture settings next to the focusing ring that shows focus distance? If so, you can use these as a very general guide. Sadly, many newer lenses for auto-focus systems don't have DOF markings. Quite a few don't even show focus distance! Note: Some cameras have an accessory viewfinder magnifier that clips onto the viewfinder. With one on the viewfinder you typically cannot see the entire image, but its magnification of the image allows more critical focus and determining the DOF using DOF preview. Most often these are used for macro-photography, and almost always with the camera on a tripod. -- John To love this comment, log in above May 25, 2001

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