GET THE MOST FROM YOUR LENS - things you should know before taking photographs

[@starrshine5976]

This is the second video in 24 hours that I came across discussing the "Sweet spot". And I watch dozens of photography videos, and they never mention the sweet spot. Bokeh,yes, sweet spot, no. Thanks for video. Someone once said, shoot at f8, everything is great. LOL.

[@ocubex]

LOL... from the quick unscientific test of my 24-105 f4, I concur, f8 seems to be the most pleasing to me.

[@dcgfhgjnzgfnjcbgn5828]

Every lens is different. f8 is not necessarily the sweet spot of ur lens. Everyone should do this - write a word (any word - sharp?), with a black pen on a white piece of paper, put ur camera on a tripod, take pictures of the word at every second or third f stop, making sure to zoom in and get the focus absolutely perfect for each shot, and review the shots zoomed way in on a big screen, rate each shot and write your results down. You will find ur lenses sweet spot for sure. Easy peasy. Do it once and you will know the specific spot for the life of your lens. My current favorite lens starts getting great in the 4's, gets awesome in the 5's an 6's, then gradually slopes back down in sharpness.

[@paullanoue5228]

You give great practical advice. Most of what I see on line is bloggers telling people if the buy the latest camera body they will be Alfred Eisenstaedt overnight. Glad to see someone with experience. Thank you.

[@ocubex]

First of... love your work. I am one of those partial to a wide open lens, although don't go crazy, I usually hover around a stop over wide open and even for portraits I rarely go over f4. This is a real eye opener. I actually paused the video and took out my 24-105 f4 and from my eye, the sweet spot seems to be f8 but I love the f5.6 as well. Thanks for this great tip.

[@marchayes5896]

Thankyou Joe......really clear ......I love the way you explain things.......Ive spent many hours listening to your photo knowledge helping me to set up my studio in the UK.........nearly done!..Thank You so much..Marc.

[@_HMCB_]

Great stuff. As a beginner, knowing the whys is so helpful. In time, by assimilating this knowledge, I’m then able to focus more on the creative aspect of a shoot. Thanks Joel!

[@BrianAndersonPhotography]

This is a fantastic video Joel. I did get the sweet spot until a friend of mine showed it to me and then my photography began to open up. Please do more videos like these. They're great.

[@vivahabbitvanassen]

thank you so much for all your information. Your work is out of this world.

[@nickandtanya]

Thanks Joel! This is one of the best videos explaining this topic

[@joelelizabeth1]

seriously love all the info you put out. it has inspired me a great deal. thank you and keep them coming

[@ironian24]

Really well put Joel, and a good set up to explain too. love your work as a photographer I have learnt so much from your earlier videos explaining how you shoot and blend images together, also more importantly How you do such amazing work being colour blind too.

[@geniustheatre]

Great video! Really appreciate the clarity and images, not to mention the solid useable advice.

[@doriebailey1022]

Nikon Handbook Series "Lenses and Lens Systems" By Cooper and Abbott Proved in depth info of the older Nikon, Descriptions,. Lens Specifications and Depth of field Charts. So many shooters and blogs push the Bokeh but there is a cost when you tilt the subject a fraction one eye is now out of focus!! Knowing and using the sweet spot is crucial. You provide so many basic elementary concepts that are key to great imagery. Keep sharing great words of wisdom. Depth of field is very crucial when shooting wide open at 1.8 -2.8. I don't see the value of 1.4 for twice the cost.

[@jimpurcell]

Explained well. Thanks!

[@joelgrimes]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@4CardsMan]

I'm guessing, but I suspect that diffraction really gets going at actual apertures less then 4mm. For example, with a 120mm lens shooting at f/22, the actual aperture is 120/22, a little over 5mm, so no diffraction problem. But at f/32, its 120/32, a little less than 4mm, so diffraction starts to creep in.

[@user-tv5dt3nm9y]

Great info. Yup. Not much can be done (yet) w/out of focus/blurred image. We can work on noise and grain.

[@jacquelinejackson5191]

Thanks Joel, I try to tell my other photographers this and they swear I'm wrong.........Listen the Sweet spot works every time if you know where that badboy is located.........I love being repetitive

[@MrNYCman530]

Interesting info! As far as bridge cameras are concerned, what would the sweet spots be for 1 inch sensor bridge cameras such as Sony RX10 III with a 2.4-4.0 lens and a Canon G3X with a 2.8-5.6 lens, especially for zoo shots? Both max out at 600mm.

[@elusivelens1744]

I shoot all primes Canon FD lenses on Canon M6ii with a speed booster [near full-frame :)], and it's be nice to do a test like that on every lens. I don't think dpreview has that tool any longer.

[@joelgrimes]

great idea!

[@SalwanJBinni]

Thanks for this useful stuff

[@eduardolima3936]

Great! Now I get it, you are super !

[@liverpix]

What about landscapes ? Don't you need to step down to f.22 or more so that everything from a few feet to infinity is in focus ?

[@espenharaldsen7409]

Hi Joel. Great episode on the tech issues on lenses. However, when speaking on "sweet spots" on a lens I would want something about lens to motive. The techs is simple, advice on how to use one can save you a lot of money. S EVH

[@DrDenham]

If you could recommend 2 lights that every photographer should have, what would they be?

[@KevinAClassA]

Thank you for taking time to make this and explaining in detail. Oh , Love the detailed instruction guide ... HAHAHAHA,

[@theyellowgloves]

great lesson

[@doriebailey1022]

By The Way Awesome Work

[@Borakinyilmaz]

Thank you for this wonderful video. It helped me a lot understanding abberation and defraction. One question, is this fact also acceptable for old prime telephoto lenses?

[@emotown1]

+Bora Akın Yılmaz The old saying with the 35mm film crowd was "f/8 and be there!" . I don't recall any caveats about telephoto primes! f/8 is a _general_ rule for _any_ 35mm lens, where you can be sure that the lens is giving you the best blend of depth of field, sharpness and contrast. It's the AK47 of apertures! Just set it to f/8 and SHOOT!!!!

[@Borakinyilmaz]

+Keith Roberts Thank you for the tip!

[@emotown1]

Most welcome

[@emotown1]

not a zoom telephoto, but the distinction was unneccessary, since the f/8 rule covers zooms as well. (generally, as i already said)

[@pepeg.luthier566]

Who cuts your hair? He/she does a good job!

[@MegaYuzer]

I think ill stick to my kit lens

[@ocubex]

The principle still applies...

[@diannegralnick6460]

Hey Joel, is that tree at 13 seconds in Newbury Park? Random question, I know. ;-)

[@scotthullinger2894]

You never even bothered to define exactly what "sweet spot" means.

[@jonmar4683]

really? does it really need an explanation? You shouldn't even be in photography if you don't know.

[@stationshelter]

this guy's photos are fuckin WEIRD

[@johnchapman1231]

blah blah blah