The prefect model Railroad camera?

[Maletrain]

When I look at a real scene with my real eyes, I do focus on specific features a few at a time, but am aware of the whole scene, and can choose to focus on any particular object in it as I want.  So, when I look at a picture of a real scene, I also look at small parts containing specific features, but I notice when I cannot focus on some of those features like I could if I were looking at the real scene.

So, I want my photos to convey the entire experience of viewing the actual scene, as best as I can accomplish that.

That said, if I want to mimic a photo of a real scene taken "back in the day", I would try to get the depth of field in the modern photo to be approximately the same as the historical one I am mimicking.  So, yes, back ground might be slightly soft focus for shots of subjects close to the camera.  But, blurry images of posts and people's hats in front of a train I am photographing are not the types of historical photos I would choose to mimic.

[peteski]

John,
I challenge you to stand maybe like 10-20 feet away from some large 1:1 vehicle (like a bus) at the same location as in the photo of my GG1 and honestly tell me that when you focus your gaze on the front of the vehicle the rear of it is really blurry.  Or if you focus your gaze on the rear that the front of the vehicle is blurred out.  From my own experience I know that this is not the case.

Even a camera taking a photo of that 1:1 large vehicle will have its entire length in acceptable focus. Especially if using wider angle lens which naturally has a greater depth of field that lenses with longer focal distances.  It is the macro-type of photography we used for small models which requires using special tricks (like focus stacking) to result in photos equivalent to what is seen in 1:1 world.