[5-24] “Fixing an aperture”

For years, I used the same lens and aperture.

2008-2010: Nikon D50, w/ Quantaray 28mm (f2.8) @ f4:

At f4 there was decent bokeh (max aperture), but still decently sharp. In 2010 I adopted a Voigtlander 40mm f2.0.

At 2.8, images sharpened up, but also had ample focus bokeh. I did most w/ a Nikon FM (35mm).

My cycling pictures (2010/11) were at this setting (i.e. aperture-priority, manually).

I would read later that experts and MTF charts say the image sharpness maximizes at 1-3 stops under. I don't know why yet.

∆

f1.8 → f2.5 ("sharpest")

f1.4 → f2

In studio photography, I went from large to small:

f1.4–2 → f5.6 → f11-16

This was an incredible change; for years I avoided and detested small apertures; at times they seemed like obsolete methods for bygone technologies.

f8+ felt lackluster. Colors are straight; there are no aberrations, lens vignetting, or bokeh.

Instead, f8 produces sharp, true, and flat images, without background blur.

I had to forbid myself from using going larger than f8.

In 2016-17 I did most portraits at f5.6-8.

On occasion, I up'd to max flash power (1/1) and try f11; in 2019 I ventured f14-16 (for s+giggles), blasting subjects with light.

Images differences may look trivial, but going through the gamut [of apertures] was a practical exercise in learning light.

I am now comfortable with all apertures; I have a rough idea when one is preferable.

f1.4 (large) → f16 (smallest)

(i.e. 2^7 = 128x)