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View Poll Results: Ideal Pentax Lens Subject Distance
Marco only 15.88%
Three feet or less   00%
Three to five feet 211.76%
Five to 10 feet 529.41%
Ten to 20 feet 423.53%
20 to 40 feet 211.76%
Infinity only 15.88%
With 6mp sensor only (ist,K100,K100S) 15.88%
With 10mp sensor only (K10,K200) 15.88%
K20   00%
Voters: 17. You may not vote on this poll

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10-13-2008, 03:08 PM   #1
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Poll for ideal lens-subject distance

*** PLEASE SEE NEW POLL AT https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-slr-lens-discussion/39352-revised-...ance-poll.html ***

We're looking for that elusive, and subjective, data about what you feel is the ideal subject distance for Pentax lenses.

You can reply directly with written posted response(s) using the categories above. Or, insert another subject distance length if categories don't fit for you. Or, post with your your selected lens identified and use the poll ... but either way, one submission per lens per person, please.

Subject distance = the distance from the front of the lens to the primary focal point of any image.

Image quality = contrast + sharpness... and yes DOF and bokeah, distortion and build-quality matter, but this isn't a survey, it's a poll on subject distance only.

Thanks for participating. The results will be posted as soon as possible after the poll closes in 10 days,
Brian (FHPhotographer)


Last edited by FHPhotographer; 10-14-2008 at 03:17 PM. Reason: clarification
10-13-2008, 03:24 PM   #2
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That's a tough call for me to make. I know my subject is typically 5 to 10 feet away but that's not really fair since my most common subject is my 6mo old son.
10-13-2008, 03:49 PM   #3
Damn Brit
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Who's Marco?
I know it was a typo but maybe you could have a Mod correct it. It had me wondering for a while.

For me, I think I come at things from the opposite direction to you. Every picture is different and therefore I would have to say that the ideal lens to subject distance should be based on composition, lighting etc. whatever is needed for that shot. I think personal taste is also an important factor to consider.
Unless you want to take pictures for purely technical reasons to actually measure the lens performance for example, I think the question is somewhat anal (no offense).

It seems to me that the majority of those who delve too deeply into the technical minutae of this hobby seem to be the ones who take the least pictures. I am basing this on the evidence I have seen on this forum of course and my conclusion can only be considered as anecdotal.
10-13-2008, 04:17 PM   #4
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QuoteOriginally posted by Damn Brit Quote
Who's Marco?

Polo?


Where is the "All of the above" selection?

10-13-2008, 04:45 PM   #5
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I only have Pentax lenses.. each occasion is different , for me its impossible to state what is the best focal distance to the subject for all pentax lenses.

I also crop with Lightroom to suit my needs.


In looking at the results so far you have one person selecting "with 10 megapixel"

Can you explain what that has told you so far?


Neil
10-13-2008, 04:49 PM   #6
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The ideal lens to subject distance depends on the lens and on the subject ... ;-D
10-13-2008, 06:22 PM   #7
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I am sorry to say that this poll really does not make sense? Who cares what distance you shoot from? There are too many variables like composition etc. Obviously shooting a tight face portrait from two feet away with a wide lens will yield an ugly photo, but one shot from fifteen feet away showing the environment might be great.

But trying to create figures for a data sheet in this case will really not produce anything worthwhile in my opinion. Thats the great thing about photography: even the "rules" can be broken and still yield great results...

10-13-2008, 07:15 PM   #8
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This is really a daft thread and a meaningless poll.
Too many variables involved to provide any semblance of meaning.
10-13-2008, 08:40 PM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by creampuff Quote
This is really a daft thread and a meaningless poll.
Too many variables involved to provide any semblance of meaning.
Thank you for your thoughful and considerate response,
Brian
10-13-2008, 08:41 PM   #10
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[QUOTE=Photomaximum;366762]I am sorry to say that this poll really does not make sense? Who cares what distance you shoot from? There are too many variables like composition etc. Obviously shooting a tight face portrait from two feet away with a wide lens will yield an ugly photo, but one shot from fifteen feet away showing the environment might be great.

But trying to create figures for a data sheet in this case will really not produce anything worthwhile in my opinion. Thats the great thing about photography: even the "rules" can be broken and still yield great results...[/QUOTE

Thank you for your thoughful, considered and reasonable response,
Brian
10-13-2008, 08:42 PM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by Sean Nelson Quote
The ideal lens to subject distance depends on the lens and on the subject ... ;-D
Thank you for participating,
Brian
10-13-2008, 08:50 PM   #12
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is there a particular lens that you are interested in? maybe if you ask about the close focus / infinity focus performance of that particular lens it would help. like if you're worried a "portrait" lens won't do landscapes well ... or a general purpose lens has bad close up ability

if you're going to do a test like this objectively, you would have to do a poll for each lens
10-13-2008, 09:20 PM   #13
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Goodbye, good luck and thanks for all the fish...

QuoteOriginally posted by k100d Quote
is there a particular lens that you are interested in? maybe if you ask about the close focus / infinity focus performance of that particular lens it would help. like if you're worried a "portrait" lens won't do landscapes well ... or a general purpose lens has bad close up ability

if you're going to do a test like this objectively, you would have to do a poll for each lens
It is a poll for any, or all, lens(es). Pick a lens, pick a response about subject distance, and send it in. Or don't.

Look, folks, I carry no brief in this matter; I just assumed that I could help out, ask the question in a structured way and compile some data that have some use. However, the consensus seems to be the question isn't even worth asking, and that's ok... that tells me less, but tells me something.

But here's the oddity ... if some of you don't want to participate why not just ignore the thread? Why go to the trouble of posting just to criticize even asking the question? Now my flippers really are tired swimming upstream against all of this.
Brian
10-13-2008, 09:25 PM   #14
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Wendy?



.
10-13-2008, 10:14 PM   #15
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QuoteOriginally posted by jsherman999 Quote
Wendy?



.
be kind.
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