big aperture and small aperture lens difference

Likely your lens will do a good job at all provided apertures. All lenses are not created equal and lenses of the highest quality are expensive. Lens makers are attuned to all this and likely the lens won’t allow the user to go into the truly tiny apertures (f/32 – f/45 – f/64). Rays that transverse the edges are thus more likely to be misdirected whereas central rays are least likely to be misdirected. Thus the curve (figure) of the lens is greatest at the edges. Since the camera lens works by bending light rays inward, rays that hit at the periphery of the lens must be bent the most. Thus if the aperture is made too small, the image becomes less sharp.Īs a rule of thumb, the sharpest setting is about 2 f/stops down from maximum. Diffraction occurs at all aperture settings however when tiny apertures are employed a higher percentage of the rays are forced to skim by the edges of the restriction. This scatter light is said to be diffracted. Light rays that closely encounter the edges of the aperture restriction scatter and become misdirected. When light rays are restricted by a small aperture they no longer strictly obey the laws of geometrical optics. How worried should i be about diffraction? I have Nikon lenses (film photography) and Canon lenses (DSLR photography), maybe it's my inexperience but i don't think i've noticed much diffraction in my images? I do resort to stopping right down frequently, should i avoid doing this? Are small apertures bad technique? Or is this kinda defect very lens specific are some lenses fine while others are badly affected? Recently i have been reading a landscape special publication and i have been finding out about how using very small apertures to maximize depth of field actually degrades the quality of the image by increasing the amount of diffraction. Before i go much further i should say that i am aware of the hyperfocal method and i do as much as i can try to manually focus one third in to my scene. I'm based in the UK and much of my background reading, magazine publications mostly, often advises 'me' to stop my lens right down so as to ensure maximum depth of field, especially if i'm taking my photo in bright sunshine. I have been an enthusiastic and serious photographer for a couple of years, using film and digital SLR, and my biggest passion is the landscape photograph. I'd be very grateful for some advice and even greater understanding.

Big aperture and small aperture lens difference