Think You Know Depth Of Field? Online Quiz Will Make Your Brain Hurt

Think You Know Depth Of Field? Online Quiz Will Make Your Brain Hurt

With so many photographers entering the movie-making scene with DSLRs that shoot HD video, understanding depth of field has become crucial for keeping moving subjects in critical focus. In this online test from blackandblue.com, your knowledge is put to the test with 10 basic concept questions, and then 10 scenario questions. Post your score in the comments and tell us what you thought of it.

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Mike Wilkinson is an award-winning video director with his company Wilkinson Visual, currently based out of Lexington, Kentucky. Mike has been working in production for over 10 years as a shooter, editor, and producer. His passion lies in outdoor adventures, documentary filmmaking, photography, and locally-sourced food and beer.

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62 Comments

I scored an F with 50%. Epic fail.

Got all right on the first section and then stunk on the second section.

same here, all correct on first section and not so flash on the second
 

65%. That second part was, um, confusing!

75%, mixed up super/hyperfocal, and got educated guesses on the second half, which I guess weren't so educated!

I do sometimes do a preview of the DoF with the aperture button on the camera, but it's tough when not well lit

55%!  Tragic...got all right in the first part and pretty much none on the second one...

i got C 75%
nailed the 1st part, 2nd part 135 format wasn't a problem. but stuck on other formats

70%, got all right in the first part, but had to guess on the second one. How do you even calculate it? anyone?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depth_of_field#DOF_formulas        although they are hardly ever used in practice, you really just had to know the sensor size of each camera and make an educated guess based on experience. 

70%... But question 19 confused me... answer a.) was:   4 in. (Six inches)

65%, hard to guess in inches and feet, if you're used to using the metric system...

 I wondered about that.

yeah, because the distance of the subjet was in meters and the focal distance was in feet, inches, and foot

I say the same as the people above, the first part was quite easy but failed at the second part.
Still got 70%

I live in the Netherlands so inches don't make any sense to me. So the second part was pretty much bull

Inches don't make sens, period. 

You can work out the DoF for the second section if you know the dimensions of the sensor and/or the CoC. But I couldn't be arsed to research it and guessed, so only got 60%.

Got the first section right, at least. :)

Yikes. 60%. That test is HARD.
Got the first section right at least lol

What is T-stop?

it is a practical version of an F-stop (which is mathematical) T-stops account for the lenses Efficiency to transmit light through the glass. all glass reflects some light rather than transmitting it. thus the more glass and cheeper glass in your lens the larger the difference between your t stop and f stop.

Part 1 100% right
Part 2 0% right

since i don't use feet or inches but meters it was pretty hard... F

I got 70% (C-) 

I'm from Denmark, so I'm pretty much screwed without the metric system.. Got the first part right, but I just guessed on the second part. Didn't have a clue about the sensor sizes on the most of the cameras, except for the 7D..

70%. Would be nice if it showed me which ones I got wrong.

B- not too bad, second part is hard tho

You Scored: 80% (B-)

70% - first part easy, second part.... well for a lot of them i didn't know the film/sensor size.....

65 for me. 

50%: i failed some from the first part for misreading the question! The second part is for professionals used to all kinds of format-for the amateur you have to use trial and error formula. (And converting inches and feet to the metric system is a pain!)

100% here :) My HS Math teacher would be proud.

60% (D-)

75% the first part 100% in the second part do my best guest work (that wasn't the best)

60%! No bad! The second part ... WOW!

got a C, 75% :)

C-, 70%. I could have whipped out my DoF calculator app on my phone for the second part, but just guessed based on what I estimated the film/sensor size would be.

60%...phew that second part was difficult.  haven't used any of those cameras

B- (80%)

Ok....85%(B) even thou i just guessed answer after the 12th question in part two..... hehehe :D

I got 85% (B), pretty straightforward, I'm not a professional nor a professor of physics. 

80%.  I got all of the first ten questions right but the practical section was a series of guesswork based on what I perceived the sensor sizes might be.  

ouch 65% not used to anything but regular 35mm film and to be honest not much video just photography so lot of guesing on the second part.. LOL.. 

Hey Mike -- I'm Evan Luzi the editor/author of The Black and Blue and just wanted to stop by to say thanks for posting about the quiz and to thank all F Stoppers who went over and gave it their best shot.

By no means is the test easy, so if you're scoring above 50% you're doing fairly well! Especially since most of you aren't video/film guys.

That said -- I'm gonna work on adding metric measurements to the second half later today based on the feedback here.

70% (C-) , as with others guess work in part 2.

I feel bad commenting here seeing all ur scores..30% epic fail :(

Yeah, really not a test for photographers who don't know about the sensor size of these fancy movie cameras. Hard to know if its cropped or full-frame so we are pretty much guessing. Also - that man, are we trying to get his full body in focus? with how much negative space above and below him? BLEH!

Got 100%...up until I quit on question 14.  Hard to stay interested in scenarios with no personal relevance.

B- 80% not too shabby

I scored 70% C-, well I don´t undertand all expresions in english... jijiji

90. Maybe it helps I do this every day anyways.

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