Are there any PnS cameras that can do this?

[handicap18]

Code says to be, 'zoomed out,' Mark says, 'zoom in as much as you can.' Since all of you say to be as close to your subject as possible that you mean 'do not extend your lens,' or 'extend your lens as little as possible.'

Try it both ways. This is what makes this kind of shot a little more challenging with a PnS.

When you physically get closer to the subject and keep your lens as wide as possible you are able to also get the widest aperture which will help getting the blurred background.

When you zoom in you create a little more distance between your subject and the background, however your aperture can't go as wide when you zoom which also helps with getting the blurred background.

 

[elizke]

Just to fortify the "yes" people, here's another example.....

Taken with a Kodak Z7590. It really helps to have a zoom camera with aperture priority capability.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

OK. I took a whack at explaining the subject using the math here. In hindsight, I think that people who already understand it won't need to read it and people that don't are probably not going to understand any more after reading my attempt. Oh well, better luck next time.

 

[bob100]

OK. I took a whack at explaining the subject using the math here. In hindsight, I think that people who already understand it won't need to read it and people that don't are probably not going to understand any more after reading my attempt. Oh well, better luck next time.

your equations and example explain it,
For some reason this DOF or "Bokeh" question comes up a lot on the S5 boards, maybe because it's difficult to get at certain distances (as with all P&S cameras even those with manual controls) and people seem like it in certain shots to highlight the subject.

 

[Groucho]

I did some research and this is what I found.

My D50's sensor is 23.7x15.7 and a 1/2.5" PnS sensor is 5.76x4.29. So the dSLR is approx 3.5 times the size of that PnS sensor. So a PnS at f/2.8, 3.5 stops would be f/9 DOF equilivent compared to a dSLR (if I have my math correct).

FWIW, here's the numbers... your DSLR sensor is actually a lot more like 15x the size of the usual PnS sensor! ~369 mm vs ~25.

Really, as other have said, it's the focal length... a typical 12x zoom PnS like the Canon S3 has a focal length range of 6mm-72mm. That 6mm is equivalent to 36mm on a typical film camera, or equivalent to 24mm on your typical Nikon/Pentax/Sony 1.5x crop DSLR. Generally speaking, the wider you go, the less bokeh you get - obviously 6mm is way, way, way wider than 24mm. FWIW, that 72mm is equivalent to 432mm on a film or FF camera.

 

[thejollyfinn]

Talk to your husband and the 2 of you decide what's more important. Ease of carrying a small PnS camera around or functionality of a full-featured (albeit larger) DSLR.

"Wow! My head hurts!"

 

[bazzanoid]

Took these two with my P&S Panasonic Lumix DMC-LS2, both taken at f/2.8 and 35mm focal length, 80 ISO. First one was 1/100 exposure, second 1/60:

And a reverse of this, focussing in the background to better effect the foreground - in this case snow - i wanted to illustrate just how fast it was coming down, so spot focussed on the tree trunk (f/2.8, 35mm, ISO 100, 1/30):

 

[webshark3]

Without using Macro on those small sensor P&S cameras, it can be difficult. It's possible (but still difficult) with the Sigma DP1. The DP1 is a Large Sensor Compact, but uses a wide angle f4 lens. This means you have to get really close to your subject.

 

[zackiedawg]

Definitely possible with P&S cams, but distance becomes your ally. Long telephoto lens = much easier. Lots of distance between your subject and the background = much easier.

With my last camera, a Sony H5 ultrazoom, having that telephoto ability let me get the desired blurred backgrounds by using full zoom:

Or by getting much closer to the subject and using less zoom:

Or some combination of the two...such as using 240mm of zoom from 20 feet away, AND have the subject farther from the background:

As you get into small-lensed, 3x zoom or less, small-sensored P&S pocket cams though, it gets very very hard...Macro shots with deep backgrounds would be almost the only chance.

 

[william4192]

Over my head, but learning. Thx.