Why would I use very small apertures like f/11 on a compact camera such as the Sony RX100 III?
Asked 4/4/2020
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I usually shoot my Sony RX100 III in aperture priority around f/5.6 for more depth of field. The lens can stop down to f/11, but on a 1-inch sensor that seems very small, and I know diffraction can reduce sharpness at tiny apertures.
So what are apertures like f/8 or f/11 actually useful for on a compact camera? In what situations would it make sense to use them despite the diffraction tradeoff?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
6y ago
2 Answers
1
Put on a closeup lens, zoom to max, and depth of field will be a problem even for the smallest aperture. I do a number of closeups with a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ200 which has a 1/2.3" sensor with a crop factor of 5.6 (namely about twice that of your camera) and F8, corresponding to F45 on a full-frame, often ends up limiting. Yes, there is diffraction. However, it does yield (at the cost of additional noise; but with a flash there usually is no lack of light so the base noise level at base ISO is moderate) to sharpening, and as opposed to defocusing, the effect of diffraction is uniform across the image.
Originally by user91351. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user91351
6y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Small apertures on a compact camera are mainly useful when you need even more depth of field or less light.
A few key points:
- f-number is a real optical property of the lens; it does not change because of crop factor. “Equivalent aperture” is only useful for comparing depth of field and noise across formats, not for saying the lens somehow stops being f/11.
- Stopping down increases depth of field, which can still matter on compact cameras, especially for close-up or macro-style shooting and when zoomed in.
- A very small aperture also reduces the amount of light, which can help if you want a slower shutter speed or need to avoid overexposure.
- Yes, diffraction softening increases at small apertures, but that softness is often preferable to parts of the subject being out of focus. In some close-up situations, f/8 or f/11 may still be the better compromise.
So the answer is: use f/8–f/11 when depth of field or light reduction is more important than maximum sharpness, particularly for close subjects or telephoto/close-up work.
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