Need advise on use of hyperfocal technique in street shots

Friends, I have a Rollei 6008i and the 150mm, 50mm but mostly use

the 90mm. Typically, I do landscape work which allows a certain

amount of contemplation and fiddling. But I am traveling to

Jerusalem in March and plan to haul the beast along. Before I go, I

want to learn and practice some techniques that will speed the

process for street shooting, as people tend to move faster than

trees. I have prepared DOF and hyperfocal tables for each of my

lenses and will study them. Surely, some scenes will permit the

luxury of consulting the data, but others not. Ideally, I'd like

some suggestions for setting aperature and shutter speeds in

anticipation of the shot. If the setting is right, I may not even

have to refocus, and perhaps just tweak the shutter speed or dial in

adjustment. For example, at f16, the hyperfocal distance for the

90mm is 27.7'. So prefocusing at 13.85 (or an

approximation),theoretically means that everything at and beyond

that distance would be within the circle of confusion, if I

understand it correctly. Obviously, there may be more in focus in

the foreground that I want, but I can crop if need be. Is this the

proper approach, or is there a more effective process using DOF?

That approach would require actual focusing on a subject as a

reference point, but would permit a more precise control of

foreground DOF. While I do favor my 90mm, the hypefocal for the 50mm

at f16 is just 8.5', so anything at 4.25 to infinity is

theoretically in focus. Kind of makes the Rollei beast a point and

shoot...Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

"For example, at f16, the hyperfocal distance for the 90mm is 27.7'. So prefocusing at 13.85 (or an approximation),theoretically means that everything at and beyond that distance would be within the circle of confusion"

 

Sorry, I should have said that prefocusing at 27.7' gives that 13.85' near focus.

The DoF tables are usually based on a degree of acceptable unsharpness that is borderline for small snapshots. It is expressed as "circle of confusion" which is nominally the size of the disc on the negative that would have been a point had focussing been perfect.

 

For anything important in the frame, I would use the DoF marks for two stops wider than the traditional DoF marks. I'm afraid that this does not exactly make your Rollei a P&S any more than my SL66.

 

At least in Jerusalem there would generally be plenty of light, I suppose, so a small aperture would be feasible. If you do a search you will find lots of opinions. At least you have some time to try this out.

My lenses have scale markings on the barrels. I put the infinity marker on the distance scale opposite the f stop I'm using. The paired f stop marker to the left (on my lenses) shows me where to read off the minimum distance I should use. Between those distances, the photo should look sharp enough. For example, I'm looking at my 50mm lens. If I set the infinity marker opposite the f8 indicator, the corresponding f8 indicator to the left allows me to read off 4 meters as my lower distance. So, from 4 meters to infinity will have sufficiently sharp focus. If I want a wider range than that, I can set the infinity marker opposite the f11 indicator, and read off opposite the f11 indicator to the left 3 meters. So, my shooting range would be from 3 meters to infinity. I understand more modern lenses no longer have markings on the lens barrel so this wouldn't work for those. Hope this helps.

After years of lots of street shooting, including with medium format, I have come to a simple conclusion.

<p>

Focus on the closest thing that matters. What is far enough behind the DOF rarely matters. However, it's painfully obvious when the closest stuff is somewhat soft. Hyperfocal really doesn't work all that well with street shooting, and the background is probably better slightly soft.<p>

 

<Center><img src="http://www.spirer.com/mexico2001/images/buscene.jpg"><br><i>Looks, Copyright 2001 Jeff Spirer</i></center>

Jeff is right, setting the camera on hyperfocal distance is nice, but almost useless for street shooting - it is more needed if you take landscapes and want everything in focus or when you are shooting and you can be sure that your subjects are within that area.

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If you cannot measure to the distance you want because your subject is i.e. fast moving then estimate the distance and hope that the DOF generated by your closed-down aperture will take care of the rest. That turn your Rollei 6008 basically into a larger variant of the Rollei 35 which works the same way. You will be surprised how many sharp shots you get. Esp. with the 50mm which would be better for the narrow streets of Jerusalem estimating the distance let you shoot quite quickly and the results will be quite ok.

I'll also agree with Jeff (who's first book will be entitled _The Closest Thing that Matters_). Another approach that Weegee and Cartier-Bresson used is to memorize one or two distances, and always try to be that distance from the subject. For Weegee, this was particularly important, because he always used flashbulbs, so both focus and exposure depended on distance.

 

With an SLR and a waist level finder, some pre-focusing, practice, and a little margin for error, you should be able to focus easily enough.

Gents, thanks for your kind suggestions. I have some practicing to do.