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Hyperfocal mess with zooms

Hello.

I am having difficulties with hyperfocal distances and zoom lenses.

I am trying to achieve max depth of field focus for landscape/background plates
for VFX composites.

I'm being very careful with the calculations, and walking the distance from subject to camera
with a measuring tape. I'm not getting good focus from near to infinity.

For example;
Lens: Nikon 17-55mm
Subject distance 15 ft
Near limit 3.23 ft
Far limit Infinity
Total Infinite
In front of subject 11.8 ft
Behind subject Infinite
Hyperfocal distance 4.17 ft
Circle of confusion 0.02 mm

Questions;
1. Is is possible the dof calculations do not work on zoom lenses, only prime ?
2. Would the technique of focus stacking be better, to guarantee the deepest focus dof ?

Thank you.
 
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