Moutainscape using D80

[dimitrz]

Hi require guidance on these

1) where to focus while taking mountain landscape photography
2) which metering is best for landscape / mountains scape
3) while taking sunset photos over mountains should we focus on the sun or somewhere else
4) If there is a foreground again should the focus be on the foreground or 3 / 4 of the scene to get a good DOF
5) I am using Nikon D80 with 18-55mm VR lens – what should be the ideal focal point and minimum aperture to get the best possible landscape shots ( relatively speaking of course) with good DOF
6) any tips for night landscape shots


Thanks for answering these stupid questions

[dcclark]

Much of these are going to be artistic choices. I think that one of the biggest things you should learn about is hyperfocal distance -- this will help you get the huge depth of field that is often what you want for landscapes. If you are really serious about sharpness and depth of field, don't go much past f/20, though.

As far as metering, I usually stick with matrix metering, and use exposure compensation to tweak it. This depends on if you have tricky lighting, though.

Your biggest concern should really be composition, however -- finding a good composition which has some interesting subject in it, and not just a big empty sky with a setting sun. Landscapes can look great in person, and awful on camera, if you don't consider things like finding objects to give you a sense of scale.

Good luck!

[dimitrz]

Thanks dcclark

few doubts

1) what do you mean by tweaking using exposure compensation can you explain using example , if you have the time that is.

2) In my Nikon D80 I can go upto a minimum of AV 32 I think ( dont have my camera with me right now) even then do you still advise me not to go beyond AV 20 ?

[dcclark]

1. Exposure compensation is a easy-to-access setting (there's a button on the top of the camera -- looks like a box, divided in half diagonally, with a + in one side and a - in the other) which lets you adjust the camera's metered exposure. For example, say that you've set your exposure compensation to -1/3. Then whatever your camera's meter chooses, the actual photo will be taken at an exposure which is 1/3 stop darker. In my experience, the D80 tends to overexpose slightly in many lighting situations, so I keep mine at -1/3 or -2/3. But as always, you need to learn about your own camera and how it responds, and what you want it to do.

2) I recommended staying above f/20 because below that point, diffraction (the spreading of light as it comes through a small hole -- like a very narrow aperture) can cause softness. It is not always noticeable, but for landscape work you may run into this problem.

Incidentally, f/32 is a feature of your lens, not your camera. Different lenses will stop down to different minimum apertures, and even your 18-55 will stop down to different minimum apertures depending on its focal length. I think that the minimum aperture is f/22 at 18mm, f/32 at 55mm.

[dimitrz]

Thank You dcclark

So ideally what you are saying is I should stop 1 stop shorter than the maximum possible.

example if my lens allows F/32 then I should be happy at F/24 (22 or 20 - still learining the current sequence )

Lot of peopl have been telling this over exposure problem with Nikon D 80 and they blame it on the Firmware. My Firmware is 1.11 so i guess that the latest and hopefully this has been fixed in this version - else i'll underexpose so you mentioned .


also

What should be the ideal focal length ? is 18mm too optimistic or is 20mm range safer

[PhotoNewt]

Originally Posted by dimitrz

Thank You dcclark

So ideally what you are saying is I should stop 1 stop shorter than the maximum possible.

example if my lens allows F/32 then I should be happy at F/24 (22 or 20 - still learining the current sequence )

Lot of peopl have been telling this over exposure problem with Nikon D 80 and they blame it on the Firmware. My Firmware is 1.11 so i guess that the latest and hopefully this has been fixed in this version - else i'll underexpose so you mentioned .


also

What should be the ideal focal length ? is 18mm too optimistic or is 20mm range safer

What he meant to say is not to stop the lens down beyond f/20 - regardless of what the lens minimum aperture happens to be. I would say that with a cropped sensor there is little need to close the lens more than f/16 - for most landscapes you should get plenty of DoF with a wideangle lens.