Can't get shallow enough dof when taking close up pictures

Goldcoin79 · Jan 22, 2013

Hi all, hoping someone can explain why I can't get shallow enough dof when taking close up pictures.

I understand that the wider the apeture the shallower the dof and when I take pictures of people with trees in the distant background I get a great portrait picture with shallow dof and background nicely blurred. The problem I have is if I try to take a picture of say a flower and try to blur grass and close flowers in the backround I can't get a shallow enough dof to blur backround.

I put my camera in apeture priority and select lowest f number, get close to flower zoom in slightly but when I take picture I don't get shallow enough dof. I have an idea this may be down to the limitations of my camera as I have a canon sx30 is bridge camera and it has a 1/2.3 size sensor so if this is the case can someone confirm that as I am planning on buying a dslr soon so this may get rid of my problem.

your advice would be appreciated.

runnah · Jan 22, 2013

Sounds like the camera cannot do super short dof because of the lens aperture limitations. Most hover around the 3.5 for the lowest f-stop.

o hey tyler · Jan 22, 2013

It's mostly a limitation of your sensor size and optics on your P&S. If you plan to get a DSLR, and a macro lens to take close up photos of plants, you would have a much easier time creating a shallow depth of field.

BrianV · Jan 23, 2013

Small sensors means having lenses with short focal lengths, and DOF is related to focal length and aperture.

A camera with a bigger sensor allow use of lenses with longer focal lengths. A DSLR or large-Sensor interchangeable-lens mirrorless camera will do this for you.

Patriot · Jan 23, 2013

1. Use the longest focal length you have.
2. put some distance between your subject and the background, pick a background that not too busy or ugly for smoothness.
3. put distance between you and your subject up until the perfect in frame picture.

The further away the background the more out of focus it will be. This should help, but not so much with flower because they are so close to the ground.

12sndsgood · Jan 23, 2013

Id also suggest stepping back from the flowers and zooming in.

KmH · Jan 23, 2013

Digital Camera Sensor Sizes: How it Influences Your Photography

Goldcoin79 · Jan 23, 2013

Just read that link and it explains all, thanks.

Solarflare · Jan 24, 2013

Haha, I can get extremely small DOF with my 6mm lens and 1/1.7" sensor !

Thats because my compact can focus as close as 1cm ...

In fact when I use f/1.9, I kind of have trouble to see really *anything at all in focus*.

bluehouse · Jan 25, 2013

I usually shoot with a Graflex super D and a lovely old barrel lens F3.5, I've produced some portraits that have got some interest and a commission for an extensive portrait shoot but film is not an option because of cost and travel. So here's the question I'm trying to recreate the very shallow depth of field with a sinar f1 and a leaf aptus 33 mega pixel back but the 80mm lens is f4 and I can't seem to get a shallow enough depth of field.
Any ideas for a very fast lens that I could use on the sinar ideally around 80mm that might give me that beautiful fall off I get with the Graflex!
Thanks in advance.

TheFantasticG · Jan 25, 2013

Dang.. And here I am looking at the V2 for macro use.... With my Sigma 150mm for more
DoF at the same aps.

weepete · Jan 25, 2013

Tbh I may be mis-understanding this thread but I think it may be more down to dof and the distance of the background (at least forthe op), choose the correct angle and you can get blurred backgrounds with macro shots.

Ok it's not a flower but here's a quick pic i took with my phone showing the difference between getting some distance between your subject and the background in one shot

notice the text in the lower part of the image is in focus but the ad in the background is not. Choose the angle that seperates your subject from the background or pick the flower and set it up

This shot was taken on an htc one x with the camera on the phone, iso 800 and no flash but propped up with a book and indoor lighting. Seperation between subject and background was around 12 inches or 300mm for those who deal in metric

jake337 · Jan 25, 2013

bluehouse said:
I usually shoot with a Graflex super D and a lovely old barrel lens F3.5, I've produced some portraits that have got some interest and a commission for an extensive portrait shoot but film is not an option because of cost and travel. So here's the question I'm trying to recreate the very shallow depth of field with a sinar f1 and a leaf aptus 33 mega pixel back but the 80mm lens is f4 and I can't seem to get a shallow enough depth of field.
Any ideas for a very fast lens that I could use on the sinar ideally around 80mm that might give me that beautiful fall off I get with the Graflex!
Thanks in advance.

What mm lens did you have on the Graflex super D?