My silliest question yet

[Photofarmer]

DOF button on R6.

Cant quite figure out how to use it or what it does.

I know what is meant to do via manual and online info but can’t see much Use for it.

Some one explain it in begginres terms……..

 

[Kwazy]

Larger aperture value (smaller hole) gives you a deeper depth of field. The preview you're seeing on the screen of your camera/viewfinder is done using the smallest aperture value (largest opening) your lens is capable of. So if you set your aperture to a higher value (smaller hole), like f/11, for example, and then hit the DoF preview button on the front of your cam, you'll see the true depth of field on the screen, and that's what you can expect on the final image as well. The screen also gets a bit darker.

 

[Photofarmer]

Ah got it.
So various apertures same subject press depth of field button you will the difference in DOF.
I probably wasn’t going from one extreme to the other.
Couldnt pic difference

 

[Kwazy]

Yep. If you try it with f2.8 and f16 on a close-up shot, you should see a noticeable DoF difference.
The feature isn't all that useful it seems. You can always check the image on the digital cameras right away. This button made more sense back in the days of film.

 

[Normware]

What Krazy wrote is correct. The DOF button is more useful for film cameras, to check if the exposure (amount of light) was sufficient. Understanding DOF is more important than using the button. Wide open aperture means a shallower DOF. Shallower DOF means a blurred background. What some people call Bokeh. Some lenses create a nicer/better/dreamier background being blurred. Smaller aperture create a deeper DOF so more things are in focus.