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Depth of Field

Discussion in 'Photography' started by kris77, Jun 15, 2010.

  1. Jun 15, 2010 at 5:57 AM
    #1
    kris77

    kris77 [OP] Born in the Backwoods

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    [​IMG]

    I want to take a picture like this. I have the D5000 with 15-55 lens.

    If i set my Apeture as low as it will go and focus on the first or second footprint, you think it will have this same effect?
     
  2. Jun 15, 2010 at 6:25 AM
    #2
    Zombie Runner

    Zombie Runner Are these black helicopters for me?

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  3. Jun 15, 2010 at 7:27 AM
    #3
    EMR

    EMR Well-Known Member

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    Exif info says this shot was taken with f/4. If your lens stops down to there, then yes!

    Keason: 1.8 is incredibly shallow. The person will most likely just be a solid blur.
     
  4. Jun 15, 2010 at 7:37 AM
    #4
    Zombie Runner

    Zombie Runner Are these black helicopters for me?

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    well shit...:notsure:

    I shot some stuff last weekend at like 3.5 and it didnt turn out like that..

    Edit: well maybe it did...idk

    [​IMG]
     
  5. Jun 15, 2010 at 7:40 AM
    #5
    JDMcompliant

    JDMcompliant Professional Amateur

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    yeah, the distance from the focal point to the lens is quite large, and the amount of blur in the picture is really not that much. you could take this shot with a kit lens quite easily.

    i used to have a 1.4, and it was insane. if you took this same shot at 1.4, you probably wouldn't be able to see past the 3rd print :p
     
  6. Jun 15, 2010 at 7:47 AM
    #6
    Zombie Runner

    Zombie Runner Are these black helicopters for me?

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    :eek: im a newb
     
  7. Jun 15, 2010 at 7:48 AM
    #7
    ocabj

    ocabj Well-Known Member

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  8. Jun 15, 2010 at 7:52 AM
    #8
    Zombie Runner

    Zombie Runner Are these black helicopters for me?

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    Ive watched it once before, I think I need to watch it a few more times
     
  9. Jun 15, 2010 at 7:53 AM
    #9
    EMR

    EMR Well-Known Member

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    I think the DOF is actually comparable to the first post. I gotta agree with JDM. The original doesn't have all that much blur to the person. It looks like you've got around the same amount somewhere between that tree and fence in the background.
     
  10. Jun 15, 2010 at 8:09 AM
    #10
    ocabj

    ocabj Well-Known Member

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    Here's a sample shot with a 200mm prime on a Canon 7D (APS-C sensor) at f/2.8:

    [​IMG]

    Basically a bunch of people side by side along a railing at the zoo. I believe my distance to the subject in focus in the above frame was approximately 10 yards.

    Based on a depth of field calculator (try: http://www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html) with the above information, it says I have .72 ft of depth that will be in focus, which isn't very much at all.

    Here's another sample, shot with a Canon XTi (APS-C sensor) at 159mm lens focal length a f/8:

    [​IMG]

    Note how even with f/8, I get some nice soft bokeh / background separation. But that's because the background objects are a bit far away from the subject that's in focus.

    If I were going to shoot something like the photo posted in the OP, where you have a constant subject (the ground) and want it to go out of focus dramatically, then it's a question of experimenting with the aperture on the lens. You definitely want to shoot at a longer effective focal length, like 85mm and up, and use f/4 as a starting point.

    Note that APS-C sensors don't have the same depth of field as the full frame sensors. If you took the same lens, like a 70-200 f/4 and put it on a Canon 7D and a Canon 5D, and shot at the same effective focal lengths, the depth of field will be different (shallower on the full frame). That's not to say you can't get very shallow DoF with crop, because you can. But it's something you should also be aware of.
     
  11. Jun 15, 2010 at 8:11 AM
    #11
    Zombie Runner

    Zombie Runner Are these black helicopters for me?

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    yea I think your right, the vignette was throwing me off on the first picture.
     
  12. Jul 1, 2010 at 2:29 PM
    #12
    korslite

    korslite Well-Known Member

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    Along with ocabj's post, which was very well stated, i believe the compression (background looks closer to subject) you get from a telephoto focal length such as 159mm like the second shot dramatizes the bokeh nicely because the background is magnified. This makes the "bluriness" more noticeable. I'm certainly no expert by any means. Nice shots by the way!
     
  13. Jul 7, 2010 at 12:50 PM
    #13
    Ace83

    Ace83 Well-Known Member

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    here my canon 70-200mm @175 focal length

    [​IMG]
     
  14. Jul 7, 2010 at 11:31 PM
    #14
    SiRMarlon

    SiRMarlon The Photo Ninja!

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    It's all about focal length and aperture...if you want to learn just go out and shoot, you can watch material and read books all you want! Grab your camera and get out and shoot! It's really the only way to learn this stuff guys...:)
     
  15. Jul 8, 2010 at 12:26 AM
    #15
    Ace83

    Ace83 Well-Known Member

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    ^^ agreed, or you can do both.. but i would do the actual stuff more.. then later on you will discover what you were doing after doing some readings
     
  16. Jul 8, 2010 at 9:24 AM
    #16
    ocabj

    ocabj Well-Known Member

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    I agree people should go out and shoot, but it's important to have an understanding of the concepts before pressing the shutter button. I have some friends with entry level dSLRs that use their cameras a lot, but still don't understand what the f-stop value means and how it affects their photos.
     
  17. Jul 8, 2010 at 10:39 AM
    #17
    EMR

    EMR Well-Known Member

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    I agree 100%. But I personally tend to think you teach Photography 401 level stuff to 100 level students. Tell them the jist of things then get them to practice.
     
  18. Jul 8, 2010 at 8:20 PM
    #18
    SiRMarlon

    SiRMarlon The Photo Ninja!

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    All 3 of you guys are right...:)
     
  19. Jul 10, 2010 at 11:34 PM
    #19
    Ace83

    Ace83 Well-Known Member

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  20. Jul 13, 2010 at 11:35 AM
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    korslite

    korslite Well-Known Member

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    Under exposed a bit perhaps but shows the narrow depth of field...[​IMG]
     

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