how far is too far??

dbaker1221

This is probably more of a tech. question, but I wondered what everyone else does. How much (or little) of the subject is in your frame before you decide it is too far???
I tend to be a "if I can see it a little, I can shoot & crop the heck out of it..:D ..I'm starting to think that's wrong & perhaps I should just not even try those :dunno or maybe I just need to work on my shooting???
examples: (I tried to pick some that are not too bad.)





bufflehead

Ristyz

You would keep a much higher quality to those images if you zoomed with the glass instead of cropping in to get them. The sparrow? doesn't look too bad but the water fowl is so oversharpened it's not good anymore.

I try not to crop in too much but occasionally I can't help it either!

Bigger hammer! (big axx lens)

dbaker1221

Ristyz wrote:

You would keep a much higher quality to those images if you zoomed with the glass instead of cropping in to get them. The sparrow? doesn't look too bad but the water fowl is so oversharpened it's not good anymore.

I try not to crop in too much but occasionally I can't help it either!

Bigger hammer! (big axx lense)

agreed...which is why I ask...the bufflehead was zoomed to the max for sure & I'm pretty sure the american tree sparrow was also.

Osprey Whisperer

If you lose detail it's too much. Then again....also important, is the purpose of the image. If you are going to print the image rather larger sized ..say 11" x 14" or bigger...then you might run into problems that are not noticed here on the internet. Distance of viewing the image is also a factor. ?? You really need to make the call. The image can be cropped much more if it is just going to be used for online showing or a small sized book or print for instance. Then again...it's ALWAYS better to have the largest sized file / image you can..and then reduce to fit your need.

I suppose ...a rough gestimate of the size of the subject to frame size should be close to 50% of the frame. 25% is definitely pushing it for large sized printing.

dbaker1221

Bird Man Photographer wrote:

If you lose detail it's too much. Then again....also important, is the purpose of the image. If you are going to print the image rather larger sized ..say 11" x 14" or bigger...then you might run into problems that are not noticed here on the internet. Distance of viewing the image is also a factor. ?? You really need to make the call. The image can be cropped much more if it is just going to be used for online showing or a small sized book or print for instance. Then again...it's ALWAYS better to have the largest sized / file imae you can..and then reduce to fit your need.

I suppose ...a rough gestimate of the size of the subject to frame size should be close to 50% of the frame. 25% is definitely pushing it for large sized printing.

Hmmm......thanks , that's kinda what I was wondering about...( subject to frame size)

Harryb

I agree with Mike mostly. How much you can effectively crop depends on how many MP you are shooting with. I can crop a heck of a lot more with my 12 MP D2X than I could with my 4MP D2H. Then you have to consider what you are going to use the shot for. Also if you are going to heavily crop a shot you really need to nail the focus and exposure.

dbaker1221

Harryb wrote:

I agree with Mike mostly. How much you can effectively crop depends on how many MP you are shooting with. I can crop a heck of a lot more with my 12 MP D2X than I could with my 4MP D2H. Then you have to consider what you are going to use the shot for. Also if you are going to heavily crop a shot you really need to nail the focus and exposure.

thank you for the feedback Harry.