Depth of Field

Back on the topic of the Nikkor 18 - 200, here's a shot showing depth of field at extended zoom:

F 5.6 ... 200 mm ... 1/60 sec

These are the same shot. The first image has been compressed to save bytes. The second image is a crop; if you click on it you will see it at 100% relative to the original.

This shot was taken on a windy day - I missed the moment when the leaf was fully vertical but am nonetheless impressed by the lens's auto-focus working with the moving target.

Having used the lens for a couple of months now, I really like the large aperture bokeh at extended zoom, though the narrow depth of field does require precise attention to focus, as the following shots show:

F 5.6 ... 120 mm ... 1/160 sec

Despite the shorter zoom, the area of sharpest focus is at the intersection of bricks between the leaves. Ho hum... boring.

F 5.6 ... 200 mm ... 1/200 sec

This time the leaf is in focus and the brick blurs slightly. Once again an uncompressed crop to show the detail at 100%.

Depth of Field / Zoom

Here's a study in how the depth of field alters as one adjusts the zoom.

All photos were taken from the same spot, using a fixed aperture (F 5.6). The first two involved focusing in turn on neighbouring flowers to give a sense of the very narrow constraints on depth of field at 200 mm. Subsequent shots all focused on the forward flower.

Of note - when using the maximal zoom, exactly *what* you focus on is very important. At wide angles focusing anywhere roughly in the general area one wants will do. So no snapshots / action shots at great zoom.

F 5.6 .. 200 mm .. 1/160 sec

F 5.6 .. 200 mm .. 1/125 sec

F 5.6 .. 105 mm .. 1/160 sec

F 5.6 .. 56 mm .. 1/125 sec

F 5.6 .. 27 mm .. 1/125 sec

F 5.6 .. 18 mm .. 1/80 sec
original jpg

Low Light Photography

Yesterday evening I went out a little too late... which meant that I didn't get great art shots, but I did have the chance to try out the Nikkor's vibration reduction (VR) technology, as well as to make some 'artsy' shots.

All of these were hand-held with VR (vibration reduction) on. Aperture priority unless otherwise noted.

Of note: Vibration Reduction ROCKS!

Context for these shots: Danehy Park, Cambridge MA, shortly after sunset.

F 5 .. 18 mm .. 1/100 sec

A couple of teenage girls were rolling down the hill:

F 5.6 .. 135 mm .. 1/13 sec
original jpg

On the field at the bottom of the hill some boys were kicking a soccer ball around:

F 5.6 ..170 mm .. 1/13 sec
original jpg

F 8 .. 29 mm .. 2/5 sec
original jpg

F 13 .. 29 mm .. 2/5 sec
original jpg

Nikon 18 - 200 mm Lens

Before the next exotic trip I want to get to grips with the new lens. Yesterday I took it for a spin, and here are the results:

All photos Nikon D70, Nikkor 18 - 200 mm lens.

Busa Farm, Lexington MA USA

This sequence was taken standing on the same spot, using the same f-stop (aperture priority), in bright daylight (auto white balance). The original full-size photos are hosted by Pixamo.

Of note: very crisp focus, bokeh increases dramatically with zoom. Almost no bokeh at wide angles.

F 5.6 .. 150 mm .. 1/1250 sec

original jpg

F 5.6 .. 80 mm .. 1/1250 sec
original jpg

F 5.6 .. 26 mm .. 1/2000 sec
original jpg