spreadsheet showing why M8 and FF have same DOF

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My test results are here:

http://matsumura.smugmug.com/Journalism/M8-and-M6-depth-of-field/12529753_UJFd5#898702880_f85d9

Over 30,000 views, no one can see any difference between the M6 film and M8 DOF, except for Finder, and I've talked with dozens of folks who've magnified 10-400x to examine.

Amazing how Finder and others can ramble on these threads for days, yet when it comes to taking real photos and printing, they're too lazy to do it.

The sample pictures are at f8.... there's next to no out of focus parts available for scrutiny.
 
Here's an old post by Pickett Wilson that bears repeating:

Panasonic LX-3, 24mm (35mm equiv), f/2.8
dof_panasonic.jpg


EOS 5D, 24mm, f/2.8
dof_5D.jpg
 
That's pretty conclusive.

And completely expected. A smaller sensor or film format requires a shorter focal length lens for an equivalent view. And guess what you get with a shorter focal length: greater DOF (when the aperture and focused distance is the same.)
 
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into the best way to test this. I posted my methods far in advance of shooting, and of course am willing to re-shoot based on input given.

Thanks.

Off the top, use a wide lens aperture which gives a more limited DOF, in order to compare differences, not f8.
 
hmmm

hmmm

according to DOF Master online, the LX3 should give about 6 cm total DOF, while the 5D should give about 30 cm total DOF, assuming focus is at 1m, and would be even less at a shorter focal point.

Sure looks like the LX3 has a little more DOF, doesn't it?

Here's an old post by Pickett Wilson that bears repeating:
 
into the best way to test this. I posted my methods far in advance of shooting, and of course am willing to re-shoot based on input given.

My two cents:

- Normalize the angle of view. So for the M6, you'd use a 50mm lens, and for the M8, you'd use a 35mm lens. That would give a similar AOV. Or, 35mm on the M6 and 28mm on the M8.

- Use the widest aperture possible, to enhance the depth of field effect. If both lenses are capable of F/2, then use F/2.

- Photograph an object at a near distance to enhance the depth of field. Say, the distance should be 1m or so.

- The object should be something that's marked so that variations are easy to see. For example, a yardstick tilted at a 45 degree angle. If you focus on a specific point, the blur should increase gradually before and after the point of focus.

Actually, you might not see much of a difference. According to DOFmaster, the depth of field is pretty close between the M6 and M8.
 
tried this scenario

tried this scenario

I could try this, it gets very hard even with my longest throw lenses to have any room to move focus to one stop more wide open.

If you have suggestions for specific lenses or distances to try, I'll give it a shot.

What Finder/Roland and others propose is even more radical than the Zeiss PDF which indicates 1 stop between APS-C and FF (the table in the PDF gives no data point for a ~32mm diag. sensor, which is a lot closer to their 40mm diag (which they use for FF, not 43.2?), than to their APS-C diag size (26mm).

Perhaps Finder and Roland may want to revise their estimate to an appropriate fraction?

I'm all ears here ...



Off the top, use a wide lens aperture which gives a more limited DOF, in order to compare differences, not f8.
 
That's out of scope

That's out of scope

What we were all sincerely trying to help the OP's question was if his lens barrel DOF markings for a given Leica lens would still work they way they did on his MP as he transitioned to his M8.

I gave my own results, based and experience with prints and enlargements between my M6 and M8 (I don't have an MP).

The plan called for same lens, same focal distance (tripod in set position). Also, no magnification in pp. I don't think of sensors in terms of crop factors, but for what they are size and quality wise. If a FF with a given lens gives some overscan, like TV's, fine, I will concentrate comparing DOF on the range that is common to both images. I made this clear up front, and it was understood by all who can read.

The whole 1.33, 1.5, 1.6, 2.0 4/3rds is internet and magazine jargon that can help you quickly compare equivalent focal lengths, but to do the math required for analyzing CoC and DOF, you need to know the size of the sensors you're working with, and you need to know what your target CoC is for that sensor.

Leica uses .023 for FF and for 27x18mm sensors. I find both old and newer Leica lenses to adhere to this equally on film and the M8.

Canon (and many other 35mm vendors) use .030 for CoC for full frame. Canon uses .023 for the CoC of it's M8 sized sensor, and .019 for its smaller APS-C 26mm diag - 1.6x crop sensors.

Others used their FF film images, and "emulated" what they thought an M8 would look like DOF-wise with photoshop, which of course is bogus, since you're making an apriori assumption that a) the film image is equal to the live view, and b) that photoshop is a virtual Leica M8 and lens :rolleyes:

What others pointed out to the OP, were that to get equivalent hyperfocal settings with the M8, as on his MP, he would need to move the focus to one more stop wider than normal.

For me, when using hyperfocal, I already stop inwards 2 stops with FF, so what they were telling me was I needed to go 3 stops in.

That can't work if you're not >= 3 stops out from your wide open, and gives marginal rotation room, literally a degree or two max, depending on the lens.

The bottom line is that older lenses are perfectly fine on the M8, and even the RD1. I can't see any DOF differences in RD1 images magnified in print to 2ft x 3 feet compared with full frame images, and if anyone can, that would be most interesting.

My two cents:

- Normalize the angle of view. So for the M6, you'd use a 50mm lens, and for the M8, you'd use a 35mm lens. That would give a similar AOV. Or, 35mm on the M6 and 28mm on the M8.

- Use the widest aperture possible, to enhance the depth of field effect. If both lenses are capable of F/2, then use F/2.

- Photograph an object at a near distance to enhance the depth of field. Say, the distance should be 1m or so.

- The object should be something that's marked so that variations are easy to see. For example, a yardstick tilted at a 45 degree angle. If you focus on a specific point, the blur should increase gradually before and after the point of focus.

Actually, you might not see much of a difference. According to DOFmaster, the depth of field is pretty close between the M6 and M8.
 
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according to my favorite photo instructor

the factors affecting depth of field are only

1) focal length
2) f/stop
3) magnification of the image - (this used to be be enlarger magnification)
4) print or image size
5) viewing distance from eyeball to image

he believed format only affects dof as it affects the the real qualifier
-- the magnification necessary to achieve a certain size image.

Stephen
 
This is from page 87 of M8/M8.2 manual

This is from page 87 of M8/M8.2 manual

here, and was pasted before. Further clarification is provided by Leica in an LFI issue. However, no one seems to care about what Leica says about their own product, heck, they have dofmaster !!

From P. 87 of the Leica M8/8.2 manual:

"The extension factor
The nominal focal lengths of Leica M lenses are based
on the 35mm-format, i.e. on a film format of
24x36mm. In comparison, with its 18x27mm, the
sensor in the LEICA M8 is somewhat smaller though –
by a factor of 0.75. Therefore, when used on the
LEICA M8, these lenses have angles of view corresponding
to lenses with focal lengths that are longer
by a factor of 1.33 (1.33 = reciprocal of 0.75). This
has the respective effects on their perspective, but
not on their depth of field, which, with the LEICA M8,
can also be read directly off the lens (see the lens
instructions for more details).
The bright-line frame in the viewfinder of the LEICA M8
of course always shows the “correct” field of view for
this camera, i.e. it takes account of the increased
focal length. You can therefore compose your pictures
in the normal way, just as for other cameras in the
Leica M series (see also “The bright-line view- and
rangefinder “, p. 102)."




What was Leica's advice regarding DoF markings on lenses and the M8? I would just follow that, whatever they said.
 
Hi Stephen

Hi Stephen

I don't recall all of the details of my photo classes (in the 1980s), and optical physics classes and labs (also in the 1980s), but with a prime lens with focal length already physically determined, the last 3 items below can be embodied in the CoC value.

The CoC can contain the source and target magnification factors so diagonal of the film and now sensors is used in the computation.

The most common CoC formula is the "Zeiss formula" where:

CoC = diagonal of sensor/fim divided by the z-constant

where the z-constant varies by manufacturers and over time, but is usually a value around 1500. Leica, unlike Zeiss and Canon, designs its lenses with a very conservative .023 value, while Zeiss, Canon and others design their lenses for a CoC value of .030mm (Canon used .023 for their APS-H 1.3x 1d sensors for DOF calculations, and .019 for their APS-C family). Other than DOF markings, the CoC has no other impact of the lens.

The CoC is later used with other variables for DOF calculations that involve those first 2 factors above, along with magnification and viewing factors.

according to my favorite photo instructor

the factors affecting depth of field are only

1) focal length
2) f/stop
3) magnification of the image - (this used to be be enlarger magnification)
4) print or image size
5) viewing distance from eyeball to image

he believed format only affects dof as it affects the the real qualifier
-- the magnification necessary to achieve a certain size image.

Stephen
 
From P. 87 of the Leica M8/8.2 manual:
...depth of field, which, with the LEICA M8,
can also be read directly off the lens

Then the problem is solved!

I don't think Leica is saying the DoF is identical. It's more likely that, for practical purposes, there's not a big enough difference to matter in regular photographs.
 
I believe there is confusion in semantics here.

Personally, I don't adhere to everything mentioned in Wikipedia however I do feel they have their ducks in a row on this one:
When the “same picture” is taken in two different format sizes from the same distance at the same f-number with lenses that give the same angle of view, and the final images (e.g., in prints, or on a projection screen or electronic display) are the same size, the smaller format has greater DOF.

Many small-format digital SLR camera systems allow using many of the same lenses on both full-frame and “cropped format” cameras. If the subject distance is adjusted to provide the same field of view at the subject, at the same f-number and final-image size, the smaller format has greater DOF, as with the “same picture” comparison above.
- from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depth_of_field

When you look at Leica's literature, it does not take into account "the same distance". They refer to "angle of view" only. To achieve the "same picture" mentioned in the Wiki entry, you're going to have to change your distance when using the same lens on two different formats (Full Frame versus Cropped sensor).

Cheers,
Dave
 
From P. 87 of the Leica M8/8.2 manual:

...their depth of field, which, with the LEICA M8,
can also be read directly off the lens...

Lens maker puts conservative DOF markings on their lens, gets lucky because the crop factor difference is small enough. In particular for living room shots with a 35 at f/8 with nothing in the foreground. News at 11.

You put a lot of effort into this thread, what is it that you're really trying to prove here?
 
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Hi Dave

Hi Dave

Dave,

Actually it depends - the smaller sensor size with decreased CoC decreases DOF relative to a larger sensor, with larger CoC.

But, a shorter lens, paired with the smaller sensor, to equal the larger sensor and lens FOV will possibly make up for, and potentially increase, the overall DOF range over larger sensor, larger lens, assuming contant target print size, but different magnification factors in the CoCs.

See here: http://www.ronbigelow.com/articles/depth-of-field-1/depth-of-field-1.htm


I believe there is confusion in semantics here.

Personally, I don't adhere to everything mentioned in Wikipedia however I do feel they have their ducks in a row on this one:
- from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depth_of_field

When you look at Leica's literature, it does not take into account "the same distance". They refer to "angle of view" only. To achieve the "same picture" mentioned in the Wiki entry, you're going to have to change your distance when using the same lens on two different formats (Full Frame versus Cropped sensor).

Cheers,
Dave
 
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well

well

I'm very passionate about dispelling bull-shett.

Lens maker puts conservative DOF markings on their lens, gets lucky because the crop factor difference is small enough. In particular for living room shots with a 35 at f/8 with nothing in the foreground. News at 11.

You put a lot of effort into this thread, what is it that you're really trying to prove here?
 
From P. 87 of the Leica M8/8.2 manual:

The bright-line frame in the viewfinder of the LEICA M8
of course always shows the “correct” field of view for
this camera, i.e. it takes account of the increased
focal length.


Even the Leica manual cant get it right ...there is no increase in focal length due to a crop factor! And nor does the non-term "effective focal length" doesnt even belong here either. :eek:

This thread confuses me... about the logic going on here, not the subject. There is terminology, which is specific, although it sometimes tends to get perverted in general use. If you clearly understand the terminology there is nothing to discuss here...

  • For a given focal length the physical size of the CoC as represented on the film/sensor is the same (but as you dont view the film/sensor, this point finishes here)
  • Its when you make same sized print from both you enlarge the CoC of the smaller film/sensor more and that action in turn decrease the perceived DoF on the smaller film/sensor
  • If you try and equalise the FoV then the smaller film/sensor must have a shorter focal length, which in itself increases your DoF and then its no longer about focal length DoF vs film/sensor size

Whether you can visually see the difference in a print is irrelevant to the facts
 
right ...

right ...

but on that last bullet, we're not trying to do that. One of the questions I asked was same camera on tripod, same lens, focus, f-stop, but image 1 is FF film, image 2 is a smaller piece of film, say 27x18mm, develop and print them both, cutting off the excess overscan of image 1 to equal image 2 FOV.

Is the DOF the same? Some adamantly said no.


From P. 87 of the Leica M8/8.2 manual:

The bright-line frame in the viewfinder of the LEICA M8
of course always shows the “correct” field of view for
this camera, i.e. it takes account of the increased
focal length.


Even the Leica manual cant get it right ...there is no increase in focal length due to a crop factor! And nor does the non-term "effective focal length" doesnt even belong here either. :eek:

This thread confuses me... about the logic going on here, not the subject. There is terminology, which is specific, although it sometimes tends to get perverted in general use. If you clearly understand the terminology there is nothing to discuss here...

  • For a given focal length the physical size of the CoC as represented on the film/sensor is the same (but as you dont view the film/sensor, this point finishes here)
  • Its when you make same sized print from both you enlarge the CoC of the smaller film/sensor more and that action in turn decrease the perceived DoF on the smaller film/sensor
  • If you try and equalise the FoV then the smaller film/sensor must have a shorter focal length, which in itself increases your DoF and then its no longer about focal length DoF vs film/sensor size

Whether you can visually see the difference in a print is irrelevant to the facts
 
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