help with shallow depth of field

[emmabelle]

I just got a new camera that has manual settings, a Canon sx100. I've been trying to take some shallow DoF pictures and I was wondering if you guys have some tips.

I took this today and it was very gloomy out. The lowest aperture the camera would let me use manually was a f4.0 and the camera set the shutter speed at 1/60 and ISO at 200. I had to use the flash because of the time of day and the weather. Obviously not the best shallow DoF, is this the best I can hope for with the camera I have?

 

[Anewman]

Try getting closer to the subject and shoot wide(no zooming).

Camera settings are not the only thing that contribute to DOF, same settings at 2 feet away from the subject would give you much shallower DOF than at 20 feet.

And getting closer to the subject(using wide end of lens) also allows you to get away with slower shutter speeds, and on most cameras also allows wider aperture settings.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

Here are some things that make DOF shallower:

1) Wider aperture
2) Longer zoom
3) Shorter distance between camera and subject
4) Greater distance between subject and background

I'm not sure that zooming out (which increases DOF) and getting closer (which decreases DOF) would help. It might, but then again the two might counteract each other or it might even have the opposite effect. It'd probably be easier to test it than to do the math.

 

[emmabelle]

Thanks guys!

Just some further details. I was standing about two feet from the subject and I zoomed in so that I was still within the optical range of the zoom and not the digital range. (I read that somewhere, not sure if that's something that needs to be done) I also used the macro setting of the camera.

I wasn't sure if it could have something to do with the lens of the camera. I was wondering if a PnS camera just isn't capable of a very shallow DoF, that you would need to use a D SLR.

 

[Shutterbug]

Try the following 2 things:

I see on the back of your camera that it has a macro(flower) option. Using that will let you move in closer still.

Both photos below were taken with my Canon S2 superzoom PnS camera

The following photo was taken in the macro mode with the zoom full recessed back into the camera.

Now also the other way to create a shallow depth of field is to zoom ALL the way in (optically) then move back from the flower until it is back inside the frame and use a wide open aperture(lowest number).

Heres an example of that with the following photo I took:

 

[handicap18]

Shallow DOF with a PnS camera is Very had to get. Because of the size of the lens, the aperture's don't translate the same as slr camera's.

f/4 on a PnS is similar to f/8 on an slr.

Try the suggestions above. You should be able to have some success with the right techniques.

 

[Shutterbug]

Shallow DOF with a PnS camera is Very had to get. Because of the size of the lens, the aperture's don't translate the same as slr camera's.

f/4 on a PnS is similar to f/8 on an slr.

Try the suggestions above. You should be able to have some success with the right techniques.

It helps though that OP's camera is superzoom, giving her more focal length than a normal PnS camera.

 

[Shutterbug]

Thanks guys!

Just some further details. I was standing about two feet from the subject and I zoomed in so that I was still within the optical range of the zoom and not the digital range. (I read that somewhere, not sure if that's something that needs to be done) I also used the macro setting of the camera.

I wasn't sure if it could have something to do with the lens of the camera. I was wondering if a PnS camera just isn't capable of a very shallow DoF, that you would need to use a D SLR.

Your macro feature should be able to let you get almost to the point of touching the flower with the camera.

 

[ukcatfan]

Try this http://www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html

Kevin

 

[Anewman]

I'm not sure that zooming out (which increases DOF) and getting closer (which decreases DOF) would help. It might, but then again the two might counteract each other or it might even have the opposite effect.

Even if they counteract and cancel each other out, the camera has a max aperture of f/2.8 which would also help over the above f/4.0

 

[emmabelle]

Shutterbug,

I love that pic of the leaf, very nice.


Thanks for all the replies, the more I read, the more I understand it.

 

[Shutterbug]

Shutterbug,

I love that pic of the leaf, very nice.


Thanks for all the replies, the more I read, the more I understand it.

ty you are too kind.

 

[JR6ooo4]

Shutterbug,

I love that pic of the leaf, very nice.


Thanks for all the replies, the more I read, the more I understand it.

Aint that the truth? I can reread a photography book over and over and still understand it a little better each and every time.

Mikeeee