DOFschalen

DOFschalen refers to a method of classifying or measuring the depth of field in photography. Depth of field is the range of distance within a photograph that appears acceptably sharp. DOFschalen, often translated as "depth of field scales," are typically found on older manual focus lenses. These scales are marked directly on the lens barrel and provide a visual indication of the depth of field at a given aperture setting.

The DOF scale usually consists of a series of numbers or lines corresponding to the f-stop. These numbers are often mirrored on either side of the focus mark. When the lens is focused on a particular distance, the markings on the DOF scale indicate which parts of the image will be in focus at that aperture. For instance, if a lens is set to f/8 and focused at 3 meters, the DOF scale would show that everything from, say, 1.5 meters to infinity would appear sharp.

Modern autofocus lenses typically do not feature these physical DOF scales, as the camera's exposure system and autofocus handles depth of field calculation. However, understanding DOFschalen can be beneficial for photographers who use vintage lenses or wish to gain a deeper manual control over their depth of field. It allows for a more intuitive and immediate understanding of how aperture and focus distance will affect the sharpness of the final image, aiding in creative decisions about subject isolation and overall scene clarity.