How do I make a blurry background with a compact digital camera?

[Sergyhunt]

Hi,

As the title says really! I know it's to do with the arperture and the shutter speed, but I just can't figure it out!

Thanks

 

[SCraig]

Compact digital cameras generally aren't capable of doing that very well, if at all, because of the size of the sensor. It's too small.

 

[Lowrider]

I would have thought it had more to do with the lack of appeture controls. The closest you can get is to set it for portrait and snap away.

 

[rexbobcat]

I would have thought it had more to do with the lack of appeture controls. The closest you can get is to set it for portrait and snap away.

Not really. Video cameras have lenses that go down to f/1.4 or f/1.6 and their DoF is comparable to that of compact cameras.

That's because of sensor size. My compact would go down to f/2.8 but it seemed to have the DoF of a lens of the same focal length stopped down to f/16 lol.

I could only blur backgrounds when I was within 2 feet of the subject

 

[Sergyhunt]

Well I can adjust my arperture from 3.3 to 6.6 & shutterspeed from 1/4000 to 60. =s

 

[Sergyhunt]

It's a Panasonic TZ20 if that helps!

 

[SCraig]

Well I can adjust my arperture from 3.3 to 6.6 & shutterspeed from 1/4000 to 60. =s

It does not matter because you cannot change the size of the sensor. Here Is A Link to a tutorial on the subject however I just tried it and it says it is dead. It is not, their server is down for maintenance. It won't work now but it should later.

 

[MTVision]

It's a Panasonic TZ20 if that helps!

Get close to subject - put A LOT of distance between The subject and the background. Choose the largest aperture you have which would be 3 or whatever you mentioned above (largest aperture = smallest #)

 

[1000_Islander]

It depends. As others have noted your camera is not ideal for getting 'burred' backgrounds.
Your Lumix TZ20 is a very good camera with a 16x Leica lens. You can achieve some effect by shooting at the long end (near 384mm) and close to a subject, as in a portrait of someone, while using aperture priority with the widest aperture (f3.3) selected.
Beyond that you can simulate the 'effect' in the image editing stage.

 

[Sergyhunt]

It's a Panasonic TZ20 if that helps!

Get close to subject - put A LOT of distance between The subject and the background. Choose the largest aperture you have which would be 3 or whatever you mentioned above (largest aperture = smallest #)

Which pretty much gave me the picture below. So is this the only way i can achieve it?
I thought there might be a better way without poking my lens in the subject!

View attachment 6329

 

[Vtec44]

Macro mode!

 

[Dao]

It is going to be a little hard. But you can at least try.
- Subject to camera distance: Shorter the better.
- Subject to background distance: Longer the better.
- Aperture: Wider the better (smaller the f number).
- Focal length: Longer the better.

So base on the above, try your best and see. In certain situation, you maybe able to do it. i.e. Photo of a coffee mug with background hundred feet away.

 

[paigew]

Yes, use macro mode It has a little flower symbol.

 

[Kolander]

With Photoshop

 

[TCampbell]

You want a camera with a larger sensor and preferably a long lens -- especially with low focal ratio. Laws of physics come into play here.The three things that contribute to this are: (1) larger physical sensor sizes. (2) lower focal ratio (f-stop), and (3) longer focal lengths.If you really want this, think about getting a large camera -- such as an entry level DSLR -- as your next camera.