The Joys of Extended Depth of Field

August 27, 2012 ·

Mark Dubovoy

THE YIN AND THE YANGAs most experienced photographers know, the smaller the lens aperture, the larger the depth of field. Unfortunately, “what a small aperture giveth, diffraction taketh away”: The more we close the lens down, the more diffraction degrades the image.

This interplay between diffraction and depth of field is a constant yin and yang in photography. Combined with other lens aberrations, it leads to a typical “sweet zone” of optimum performance for each lens. Each lens is different in this regard, but a general rule of thumb is that the sweet zone is around F/5.6 for 35 mm lenses, around F/8 for Medium Format lenses and around F/11 for 4x5 inch lenses. Please take this rule of thumb with a huge grain of salt, as the aperture range for optimum performance is unique for each lens design. True APO symmetric lenses for example often perform best wide open.

There are many types of images where the depth of field provided by a lens at a reasonable ...

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Mark Dubovoy

See all articles by Mark Dubovoy

Mark Dubovoy is a well-known photographer, educator, writer and businessman. His images are a unique combination of impeccable aesthetics, a deep love for nature and flawless technique. His unique background, starting in the darkroom as a child, combined with a long-term career in science and technology, are clearly evident in his work. He is a master printer in many traditional and digital methods and considers printing an integral part of the creative process. Mark’s love of the technical aspects of photography is only exceeded by his passion to reveal and document the natural landscape, the hidden beauty in objects and the personalities of wild animals. While his main area of focus is landscape photography, he has also completed a number of projects photographing the animals of Africa, rare automobiles and images of flowers. His photographs are included in a number of private collections, as well as the permanent collections of major Museums, including the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Monterey Art Museum, the Berkeley Art Museum, the Museum of Modern Art in Nanao Japan and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Mexico City. His images have also been published in a number of magazines and books, including the Best of Photography Annual, International Edition. Mark is a highly regarded technical expert in many aspects of photography. As such, he has been and continues to be an advisor, consultant and early tester for a number of manufacturers of high quality photographic products. Mark has also been a major contributor to a number of print and online publications. He has been an instructor and a leader of photographic expeditions and workshops around the world, including places like Antarctica, Iceland, Africa, Mexico and others. Prior to founding Photo Aesthetics, Mark was a regular contributor to PHOTO Technique magazine and Editor-at-Large of The Luminous Landscape. Mark holds a BS degree in Physics from the National University of Mexico, and MA and Ph.D degrees in Physics from the University of California at Berkeley. In addition to his involvement in photography, he has had a long and successful career in science, technology and early stage companies in Silicon Valley