Does anyone use the FP mark these days

[JR1]

I never used the focal plane mark on film cameras, I am wondering, it is till shown on most DSLR's these days, does it ever get used, why....

Perhaps I am missing something in macro use

[Mark von Kanel]

Noooooooooo! not this debate again!! yes its still there and it can be used for DOF calcs... or some people say.... and others disagree strongly and say it should be measured from the nodal point.... BLAH BLAH BLAH i found it easier just to experiment, i did use it to work out focus distance but only by trial and error and only because it seemed a common sence referance point that was easy to find.... others will of course disagree

[DanK]

I've never used it.

[xpatUSA]

I've used it.

It was an essential datum needed during the development of a Table-Top DOF spreadsheet.

[William W]

I am wondering, is [the Film Plane Indicator] still shown on most DSLR's these days

Yes it is on all (I have seen) DSLRs. And on some other digital cameras too.

***

does it ever get used, why....

Yes I use it. Very occasionally, though.

I have had three uses on DSLR’s, none of them for Macro work:

1a. To use a tape measure to check distance for ACCEPTABLE DoF limits, mainly for Group Portraiture.
As DoF is end use dependent in any case, the phi mark is a constant which can be used, combined with experience to ascertain with reasonable accuracy if the shot will be acceptable or not when presented as the final product.

1b. To record the EXACT CAMERA VIEWPOINT (Distance) in my SHOT DIARY for reference only in the case that there might be need to be an exact / replica re-shoot.




2. To mark (modern) Lenses which have limited Distance markings on them, so I can later use that lens for Zone Focussing Technique.



*

Tit Bits:

Historically it is the “Film Plane Indicator”.

I think that the term “Focal Plane” adds too much confusion.

I think Sony got it correct . . .

Nikon F6 & D800:


Canon EOS 1 & EOS 1Dx


Konica/Minolta > Sony X700 & A7:


WW

[JR1]

"FOCAL PLAIN"

http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/F/focal_plane.html

[george013]

"FOCAL PLAIN"

http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/F/focal_plane.html

You have a subject plane at subject distance, a focal plane at focal distance and an image plane at image distance. Subject distance/plane and image distance/plan are dependend on each other. When focussing on infinity the focal distance/plane and image distance/plane are equal.

In some approaches the image distance is called the effective focal distance.

I don't know how to calculate DOF or angle of view from the filmplane sec. The opticale centre is an unknown thing.

George

[William W]

"FOCAL PLAIN"

http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/F/focal_plane.html

And the point is?

An unreferenced source as a response to a referenced opinion - "Tit-Bits"?

Funny! Very Funny! If humour was the point then that is understood.

WW

[JR1]

And the point is?

An unreferenced source as a response to a referenced opinion - "Tit-Bits"?

Funny! Very Funny! If humour was the point then that is understood.

WW

Perhaps you shoud practice less wit more reading

I posted this because there are two references the other is a shutter, perhaps this could be where the original meaning came from years ago,

[William W]

Perhaps you shoud practice less wit more reading

I posted this because there are two references the other is a shutter, perhaps this could be where the original meaning came from years ago,

Well I wasn't being sarcastic. And I wasn't attacking the writer but I was commenting on what was written

But it seems your comments are more personal in nature . . .

***

Ignoring that personal attack and commenting on what was written -

That is specifically why I stated originally that I think that the transition from the phi mark, which originally meant the "Film Plane" and is now referred to as "Focal Plane" adds to confusion.

Because a "Focal Plane Shutter" was in fact, situated IN FRONT OF the FILM PLANE.

WW

[JR1]

It read that way

"Funny! Very Funny! If humour was the point then that is understood."

[William W]

Well I am sure that it is clear now that it wasn't. Especially if Post#8 is read as a whole and not just the last para.

***

Please also consider that -

It occurs to me also, that you also misunderstood the meaning of "unreferenced" as it was written in Post #8 - that means that you did not reference the link (i.e. "explain why you placed the link in Post #6")

Clearly I would never have asked why you posted the link, if you had explained why in the first place.

And, obviously, if you had explained why you had posted the link, then I also would not have commented that I understood the humour, if you intended humour.

***

Also please consider this point:

Post #6 seemed to be intended humour, because you spelled "PLANE" ("PLAIN") incorrectly in Post #6 - and that misspelling would easily lead one to believe that you were making a PUN, as John did above.

Also please consider this point:

It would be very easy for one to think that your misspelling of "PLANE" ("PLAIN") was purposeful and intentional, because as is noted the action of correcting others' spelling mistakes seems very quick: for example the recent misspelling of "LENSE" in another thread.

All these things easily lead one to believe that you intended humour - that seemed pretty obvious considering all the facts.

***

But it is good that it is cleared up now and we are all aware that a question is simply that: a question. Because (I think) asking and answering questions, each simply interpreted "as a question" is the cornerstone of good forum conversation.

WW

[jcuknz]

Should it not be Focal Plain rather than Focal Plane?

A plane flies in the air some of the time, a plain is a stationary flat area ... still cameras move around when they are hand held

... and movie cameras for that matter too

URRRGH!

[William W]

^ haha
"Punny!"

[JR1]

Should it not be Focal Plain rather than Focal Plane?

A plane flies in the air some of the time, a plain is a stationary flat area ... still cameras move around when they are hand held

... and movie cameras for that matter too

URRRGH!

Considering at 58 I have suffered dyslexia all my life I think I do well on a forum,l there are many here who can not spell lens saying lense, perhaps you need to look at all the posts here and correct them also

[george013]

I just wanted to correct my post and then I thought let's look in the dictionary.
It says focal plane and aeroplane. A subject moving on a plane of air.
Maybe I'm missing something.
George

[JR1]

I just wanted to correct my post and then I thought let's look in the dictionary.
It says focal plane and aeroplane. A subject moving on a plane of air.
Maybe I'm missing something.
George

Again


Considering at 58 I have suffered dyslexia all my life I think I do well on a forum,l there are many here who can not spell lens saying lense, perhaps you need to look at all the posts here and correct them also

[xpatUSA]

Considering at 58 I have suffered dyslexia all my life I think I do well on a forum,l there are many here who can not spell lens saying lense, perhaps you need to look at all the posts here and correct them also

Indeed. Wiki says that "lense" is acceptable in some dictionaries - and even I (the resident pedant) find it quite acceptable.

In these days of everything being shortened down to the level of bare intelligibility, I'd say that "lense" is probably older and much more correct just like me

[xpatUSA]

I just wanted to correct my post and then I thought let's look in the dictionary.
It says focal plane and aeroplane. A subject moving on a plane of air.
Maybe I'm missing something.
George

In the context of "aeroplane" and "airplane", plane refers to the wing which was a curved plane, e.g. a surface, in the early days of aviation. It does not refer to the 3D volume of air through which the aircraft passes.

Later, the curved plane of the wing was given an envelope and became termed as an "aerofoil". But, by then, "aeroplane" was firmly embedded in the language and remains to this day.

Furthermore, to be seriously pedantic - a "plane" of air is infinitely thin and, having an infinitely small mass, can not support an aircraft.

[george013]

In the context of "aeroplane" and "airplane", plane refers to the wing which was a curved plane, e.g. a surface, in the early days of aviation. It does not refer to the 3D volume of air through which the aircraft passes.

Later, the curved plane of the wing was given an envelope and became termed as an "aerofoil". But, by then, "aeroplane" was firmly embedded in the language and remains to this day.

Furthermore, to be seriously pedantic - a "plane" of air is infinitely thin and, having an infinitely small mass, can not support an aircraft.

I'm only interested in plane from focal plane.I just didn't understand the meaning of some posts here.

From http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/de...lish/aeroplane

An aeroplane is literally an ‘air wanderer’. Coined in the late 19th century, the word is from French aéro- ‘air’ and Greek -planos ‘wandering’, and so the short form plane has the less-than-reassuring meaning of ‘wanderer’. See also plain, planet

George