Beautiful blur is not the exclusive domain of big cameras and lenses
Depth of field is a technical term in photography that generates a great deal of interest and fascination, especially for those who are just discovering it for the first time. Don't get put off the technicalities as this topic can lead to some very effective enhancements to your pictures.
Depth of field is the distance in front of and behind the subject you are focused on that is in continuous sharp focus. By default, we assume that everything in the picture should be in sharp focus. You might ask, why should any blur be of benefit to a pictures? Have a look at the buttercup pictures below, which one appeals to you more?
Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1, 45mm (90mm equivalent) @f/22
Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1, 45mm (90mm equivalent) @f/5.6
I hope that, like me, you prefer the second shot, where the background has become very blurred. The focal point of the picture is the flower and it no longer has to compete with the background detail for your attention.
So what is so fascinating about depth of field? By limiting depth of field you can be very creative, blurring the background (and foreground) of your scene, isolating a particular subject and protecting it from otherwise distracting detail. The difference between the two pictures above is all down to the aperture setting of the lens.
The smaller the aperture, or the hole that lets the light through in the optical centre of your camera lens, the greater the depth of field. f/22 is a very small aperture (despite the bigger number) than f/5.6, so the picture taken at f/22 is sharper throughout than the one taken at f/5.6
It's easier with bigger cameras
Another reason for interest in depth of field is that it's much more difficult to creatively limit depth of field with a compact digital camera. Depth of field is an artistic potential that can be exploited much more easily once you move on from a compact camera to a camera with a larger sensor, like a DSLR.
Think of a pin hole camera. Its 'lens' aperture is a tiny pin prick.Virtually everything in a pin hole camera image is in focus. Without the benefit of glass lens elements, a pin hole camera only works with a tiny aperture. But the opposite extreme is a telescope or binoculars. These have a very wide aperture in their optics and you can sometimes measure the depth of field in fractions of a metre, or even a few centimetres.
With cameras, the aperture size is directly proportional to the size of the film frame or digital sensor. The bigger the area the lens projects the subject onto, the larger the relative aperture of the lens will be. Remember, bigger, wider, apertures reduce the depth of field. Have a look at these two images:
Olympus E-30, 141mm (282mm equivalent) @f/5
Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ7, 49mm (300mm equivalent) @f/4.9
The two pictures were taken with roughly the same aperture and lens 'magnification' and the same distance, but you can see that the Panasonic TZ7 compact camera exhibits much more depth of field than the Olympus E-30 DSLR shot. The image with less depth of field looks much more polished and professional.
Get closer!
If you only have a compact, don't despair. You can force your camera to blur the background to an exetent by simply getting closer to your subject and using the full extent of the camera's zoom.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ7, 49mm (300mm equivalent) @f/4.9
The picture above was taken with the same TZ7 camera that I used to demonstrate how compact cameras naturally exhibit more depth of field. But here, by getting fairly close to the subject, and using as much telephoto zoom as possible, the background has been successfully blurred.
Motorola Moto ZN5 camera phone @f/2.8
Camera phones have the smallest lenses and sensors of all. They really are the next thing up from pin hole cameras! Our shot above was taken with a Motorola camera phone and even though the camera is focused as close up to the foreground leaves as possible, the detail of the apartments in the distance behind is still not blurred that much. And the camera was set at f/2.8, which is a relatively wide aperture. However, at least there is some blur.
Canon EOS-50D, 400mm (640mm equivalent) @f/6.3
And so to round off, here is a shot where the background detail has been completely lost through the limitation of depth of field. Thanks go to our resident garden bird photography master, Pops, who took this marvelous shot.
So now you know - why not get out there and try it? Post your pictures with limited depth of field on our discussion forum now.
A final tip, don't confuse this with 'depth of focus' - that's a separate technical term relating to the distince either side of the focal or sensor plane, inside the camera, that is in sharp focus.
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Limit depth of field for creative blur
Ian Limit depth of field for creative blur
W/URL]
This is actually a bike resting on the top of a canal boat moored in the shade on the Grand... (more)
Mike Parr Re: Limit depth of field for creative blur
Here's a couple of shotsa to start
[img]http://dpnow.com/galleries//data//500/6026544_copy.jpg[/img... (more)
Ian Re: Limit depth of field for creative blur
Nice ones, Mike - is that an iris in the top one and is that the missus in the second? :) Were these... (more)
Mike Parr Re: Limit depth of field for creative blur
The iris was taken today Ian, one of the water versions, and yes that is the good lady with her oss:... (more)
Ian Re: Limit depth of field for creative blur
I've always liked irises - we had some big old fashioned ones in our garden when I was a child.
He... (more)
Horacio Re: Limit depth of field for creative blur
My contribution. Picture taken with E30, 50-200mmm, 200ASA, f3,5 - 1/500, handheld, raw. I focused o... (more)
Ian Re: Limit depth of field for creative blur
Hi Horacio - I like the luminous quality of the leaves and green is my favourite colour.
Ian... (more)
Ian Re: Limit depth of field for creative blur
H/URL]
Ian... (more)
veggiesosage Re: Limit depth of field for creative blur
Here's a couple
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/veggiesosage/3457855340/in/set-7215760794222201... (more)
Ian Re: Limit depth of field for creative blur
Thanks for those Veggie - macro is a fine example of photography with severely limited depth of fiel... (more)
Ian Re: Limit depth of field for creative blur
And another...
[url=http://dpnow.com/galleries/showphoto.php/photo/16812][img]http://dpnow.com/gall... (more)
Pol Re: Limit depth of field for creative blur
Here's one with a slightly different approach. Manual focus used to select out Augustus (aka Gus, G... (more)
Ian Re: Limit depth of field for creative blur
Nice one Pol and well pointed out that the creative blur need not always be behind the subject :)
... (more)
Mike Parr Re: Limit depth of field for creative blur
I tried to blur the leaves on this but got it wrong...................trust me............today in p... (more)
Mike Parr Re: Limit depth of field for creative blur
this was better
[img]http://dpnow.com/galleries//data//500/6036592.jpg[/img]... (more)
Julia Re: Limit depth of field for creative blur
Hi Mike,
I think I actually prefer the first one :-)
My daughter and I spent half term in Gran ... (more)
Gez Re: Limit depth of field for creative blur
Face in a crowd isolated by dof.
[img]http://dpnow.com/galleries/data//577/medium/DSC_3049_edit... (more)
Ian Re: Limit depth of field for creative blur
This was taken with an f/1.0 lens - the Canon EF 50mm f/1.0, now discontinued.
[url=http://dpnow.co... (more)
Martin Re: Limit depth of field for creative blur
Heres Rose catching the evening sunshine.
FZ30 at 3.7 420mm
[img]http://dpnow.com/galleries//data... (more)
Ian Re: Limit depth of field for creative blur
Ah, good, a 'compact' or bridge camera example - thanks Martin!
Ian... (more)
jojo Re: Limit depth of field for creative blur
H... (more)
Ian Re: Limit depth of field for creative blur
Hi Jo - wow - that is so sharp and yet combined with maximum blur in the background. The additional ... (more)
jojo Re: Limit depth of field for creative blur
Er, got this a bit wrong - just looked at the exif data. It was actually taken using shutter prior... (more)
Gina Re: Limit depth of field for creative blur
Here's a couple from me using a 50mm lens - my absolute favourite lens.
[url=http://dpnow.com/gal... (more)
coupekid Re: Limit depth of field for creative blur
Terrific thread!
I have my 50mm f1.8 which I have raved about before. For eighty quid, its a mus... (more)
Pops Re: Limit depth of field for creative blur
The Common Blue taken yesterday
.
[url=http://dpnow.com/galleries/showphoto.php/photo/16894][img... (more)
veggiesosage Re: Limit depth of field for creative blur
Here'sone using a compact, a Fujifilm f31fd
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/veggiesosage/344842... (more)
Ian Re: Limit depth of field for creative blur
I see some good limited dof examples have been posted overnight - thanks everyone and keep 'em comin... (more)
Horacio Re: Limit depth of field for creative blur
here is another example that is more confusing and, to me, one more striking!!!
Sole´s portrait
... (more)
rkhart Re: Limit depth of field for creative blur
Here's a photo taken in my aunt's flower garden using a Canon Rebel (f/5.6).
[img]http://dpnow.co... (more)
rkhart Re: Limit depth of field for creative blur
Here's a photo taken in my aunt's flower garden using a Canon Rebel (f/5.6).
[url=http://dpnow.co... (more)
rkhart Re: Limit depth of field for creative blur
Here's a photo taken in my aunt's flower garden using a Canon Rebel (f/5.6).
[img]http://dpnow.co... (more)
ekkl Re: Limit depth of field for creative blur
A few from my Gallery. I will have a look later for a few newer ones and upload them here.
[img]h... (more)
Mike Parr Re: Limit depth of field for creative blur
a couple from today
[img]http://dpnow.com/galleries//data//500/6076685_copy.jpg[/img]
[img]http://... (more)
Josh Bear Re: Limit depth of field for creative blur
H... (more)
ekkl Re: Limit depth of field for creative blur
Two from an amazing derelict building...
[img]http://dpnow.com/galleries//data//888/IMG_8317.jpg[... (more)
Mowgli Re: Limit depth of field for creative blur
Ian sugested this one should go in
[url=http://dpnow.com/galleries/showphoto.php/photo/16913][img]h... (more)
Gina Re: Limit depth of field for creative blur
[B]Charlie, our 12 year old Springer[/B]
[url=http://dpnow.com/galleries/showphoto.php/photo/1694... (more)
veggiesosage Re: Limit depth of field for creative blur
One more from me, those statues again
[url=http://dpnow.com/galleries/showphoto.php/photo/16976][... (more)
ekkl Re: Limit depth of field for creative blur
Josh, your images look great, the colours are so vivid, did you do anything to enhance them or are t... (more)
Josh Bear Re: Limit depth of field for creative blur
Hi
thanks for the comments. I love punchy colours. I always shoot in RAW then process in lightr... (more)
Ian Re: Limit depth of field for creative blur
Indeed - I can't stand pictures that have washed out blacks and the black level is very important ... (more)
devilgas Re: Limit depth of field for creative blur
b/URL]
got an acceptable degree of foreground and background blur and shows that it can be done wit... (more)
rkhart Re: Limit depth of field for creative blur
Holding a 1 month old baby's hand.
[img]http://dpnow.com/galleries//data//500/IMG_0483_2.jpg[/img... (more)
ash Re: Limit depth of field for creative blur
This is not with a compact but one of my fav dof shots.
[url=http://dpnow.com/galleries/showphoto... (more)
