Kirk Marshall Photography

With regard to depth of field I should probably mention hyperfocal distance. There are actually two definitions for hyperfocal distance. 

1. The closest distance at which a lens can be focused and still have objects at infinity acceptably sharp.

2. For a lens focused at infinity, the distance beyond which all objects are acceptably sharp. 

While these two definitions result in almost the same depth of field they’re not identical (only differing by one focal length) but are interchangeable from a practicality perspective for most situations. 

When I was a kid I had a point and shoot camera that didn’t have any configuration capability; there wasn’t any way to focus the lens, change the aperture or adjust the shutter speed. Literally, point and shoot. 

When I got a bit older and starting shooting with my Dad’s full-function cameras I asked him how my no-option camera managed to get anything in focus. He introduced me to the concept of hyperfocal distance and explained that the camera was fixed at a moderate aperture (probably around f/8), had a slight wide angle lens (probably 35mm equivalent) and was permanently focused at infinity. These settings ensure acceptable results for most daylight pictures.

Current disposable cameras probably work on the same principles, though I haven’t played with them at all to verify that. 

Arthur “Weegee” Fellig, a legendary street photographer, is credited with coining the phrase “f/8 and be there”. Using an aperture of f/8 provides a reasonable large depth of field and when coupled with an appropriate focus setting allows shooting rapidly and achieving acceptable results without having to fiddle with the technical camera settings. 

(Canon 5DMII, EF24-105 @ 105mm, 1/80s, f/8, ISO 640)