Sunday, October 23, 2011

f2.8 vs f11

I took those fly tying desk pictures on Thursday early in the morning in very low light without a flash. Wide aperture. 2.8. Shallow depth of field. I'm a bit of a 2.8 junky but I wondered what the pics would look like with more depth of field and lacking a Lytro and it's Light Field Engine I decided to take two more pics at 2.8 and f11 to see which I'd like better.

Results below. I still prefer the 2.8 (top photo) with it's shallow depth of field but the f11 has some appeal too. Some of those details, the Wooley Bugger, the Killer Caddis bead tins, get lost a 2.8. But I still like it. Trompe l'oeil it ain't.

Both images were focused on the front edge of the upright spool of Chartreuse wire.


  1. I'm with you on this one. Like the f2.8 with the narrow depth of field. The f11 is indeed interesting, but the detail in the background is distracting. It pulls your focus to the upper right - not where you want it.

    Good stuff Steve!

  2. That's exactly right, Mike. f2.8 allows you to put the focus of attention exactly where you want it. In this particular photo, at f11 that chartreuse rabbit fur does draw the eye in a way I would not have intended when I made the composition.