Help me with my kit lens and bokeh

[exilarch]

Hello! I am just starting seriously with photography and I am teaching myself using the manual of my camera and some youtube videos. I want to start applying the "bokeh" effect with my kit lens ( 14-42mm M.Zuiko 1:3.5-5.6 on a Olympus E-PL1).
Using manual mode I have setted up the lowest possible aperture and adjusted the shutter speed, so that I don't overexpose the photo. I have used manual focus on this particular example using the ring on the front of the lens.
At the focal length of 18mm the camera allows me to use f4.0 aperture, however I don't get the "bokeh" effect. The lowest possible aperture is at 3.5, as far as I can tell at the focal length of 14mm.
So I shot another photo at the focal length of 14mm and f 3.5, however I still don't get the shallow depth of field.
Correct me if I am wrong on the details, but is there a way to do this right?
I understand that the focus is not perfect, I am still working on that without a viewfinder (they are very-expensive for me)
What am I missing ? I am attaching the photo
Here are the properties:

Exposure Time: 1/40 sec.
ISO Speed Rating: 200
Metering Mode: Pattern
Exposure Program: Manual
Focal Length: 14.0 mm

 

[o hey tyler]

What area of the photo are you trying to blur? Everything's pretty much on an even focal plane. You'll have more luck at the longer end of your lens at f/5.6 @ 42mm.

 

[exilarch]

Hello o hey tyler! I am trying to have the mask as the subject and everything else blurred.Here are my results at a focal length of 42mm and f 5.6

 

[KmH]

It's called depth-of-field for a reason, and by the way, bokeh is something quite different.

The mask is essentially at the same distance as the wall it's hanging on.Assuming you have a APS-C size image sensor in your camera a DoF calculator Online Depth of Field Calculator shows that at a focal length of 42 mm, an aperture of f/5.6 and assuming a focus point that is 7 feet away, what will be in focus, the depth-of-field, starts 6 feet in front of the camera and extends to 1 foot behind the point of focus, a total of just under 2 feet. Anything in the scene that is in that 2 foot deep corridor that is approximately parallel to the plane of the image sensor will be in focus.

 

[AaronLLockhart]

It doesn't look like there is enough distance between your object of focus and it's surroundings to get the results from bokeh that you are looking for at that focal length. In other words, the door is too close to your mask.

From a longer focal length, the objects close to your subject are all going to be in focus. To get a shallow DoF, you need the shot at a close range, wide angle and a large aperture, with a fast shutter.

Nikon D5000 | 18-55mm AF-S VR | 50mm 1.8G | HB-47 Hood

 

[exilarch]

Thank you for the answers. As far as I understand the problem that I am having is related to the placement of the subject and distance of the camera.

 

[AaronLLockhart]

Thank you for the answers. As far as I understand the problem that I am having is related to the placement of the subject and distance of the camera.

As well as the distance of the objects behind your subject.

Nikon D5000 | 18-55mm AF-S VR | 50mm 1.8G | HB-47 Hood

 

[bobandcar]

More so the distance from your subject to your background

 

[exilarch]

I will try and experiment with shooting subjects outdoors. That would also teach me about exposure, since light changes every few hours.

 

[BXPhoto]

I will try and experiment with shooting subjects outdoors. That would also teach me about exposure, since light changes every few hours.

To learn Depth of Field it's best to use static test subjects. So grab a teddy bear and sit him on the kitchen table. Now DOF and Bokeh is a mixture of variables. But the three most important things to consider are aperture, distance to your subject and the distance of the back ground to the subject. So rather than getting into the math take a photo of the teddy bear in these settings.

Set your camera lens to its longest length and largest aperture. (Ie 14-42 @ 42mm and f/5.6) then take a photo of the bear from like 8-10 feet away. Next get up close basically creating a headshot of the bear. Take a shot again and your back ground should show some separation/blur.

 

[exilarch]

I managed to do that with the shortest focal length. The results were good, thank you.
However I am thinking of getting some older adapted lens for better results. I am looking at some great m42 manual focus lens.

 

[KmH]

Be aware that older lense's image quality usually isn't as good as what modern lenses can deliver.

 

[AaronLLockhart]

I managed to do that with the shortest focal length. The results were good, thank you.
However I am thinking of getting some older adapted lens for better results. I am looking at some great m42 manual focus lens.

An easier solution would be simply adding blur during PP.

Nikon D5000 | 18-55mm AF-S VR | 50mm 1.8G | HB-47 Hood

 

[exilarch]

@ KmH - At this stage I am not thinking of delivering the best quality possible. I like to play around with things. Manual focus lens are affordable for me and they can teach me a lot about using the manual mode, which is currently my main objective.
@AaronLLockhart - I deliberately don't want to use PP, since I want to master the basics of the camera

 

[o hey tyler]

I managed to do that with the shortest focal length. The results were good, thank you.
However I am thinking of getting some older adapted lens for better results. I am looking at some great m42 manual focus lens.

An easier solution would be simply adding blur during PP.

Nikon D5000 | 18-55mm AF-S VR | 50mm 1.8G | HB-47 Hood

It's actually not easier, really. Producing natural OOF blur in camera is technically easier (but likely more costly due to the high price of fast lenses).

PP blur will undoubtedly look worse than what the lens can render.