Learning DOF

[MLeeK]

By using a very wide aperture and/or being very close to the subject while the background objects are further away.
Apertures under 5.6. F/2.8 can give you a very narrow DOF. F/1.8 or faster even more so.

 

[crotonmark]

By using a very wide aperture and/or being very close to the subject while the background objects are further away.
Apertures under 5.6. F/2.8 can give you a very narrow DOF. F/1.8 or faster even more so.

I have a 50 mm 1.8. Let me try that

 

[invisible]

Use a longer focal length and shoot from further away.

Distance greatly affects the depth of field just as the aperture does. So if you want to frame a shot like the ones above and have reduced depth of field you've got to shoot from further away. And if you're further away you'll need a longer focal length to be able to frame the same content.

Try comparing the same aperture (say f4) at 35mm and at 105mm

Also note that its not just your distance but your subjects as well. If you want a more dramatic falloff of sharpness having a greater distance between your subject and the background areas helps a lot. In your photos there is a general soft gradient between the bottles and the background, so the depth of field falls off more slowly, if you want that sharper change you've got to have a background that is a lot further away.

I think that s/he wanted to see only the subject in focus and the rest of the frame blurred. What you're suggesting will produce the opposite result

Invisible. You are right. How o I get only the subject in focus?

Set your lens at 135mm. Then focus on the first bottle, getting as close to the bottle as your lens allows (I assume that your lens will allow you to get as close as 3-4 feet). Then set your lens at the smallest aperture and let 'er rip!

 

[dbvirago]

I think that s/he wanted to see only the subject in focus and the rest of the frame blurred. What you're suggesting will produce the opposite result

Invisible. You are right. How o I get only the subject in focus?

Set your lens at 135mm. Then focus on the first bottle, getting as close to the bottle as your lens allows (I assume that your lens will allow you to get as close as 3-4 feet). Then set your lens at the smallest aperture and let 'er rip!

This, or, with the lens at 135mm, back up until you have the same framing as above and focus on the 3rd bottle again with f22. You will see a big difference.

Also, I loaned out my copy of the book you were looking at, but see if he tells you the focal length he used. Probably 200mm or so.

 

[shefjr]

Adoroma on youtube has a good explanation of DOF and all the elements of DOF. I would put the link up here but I'm not sure how and also don't know if that is okay to do on the forum. It helped me out quite a bit.

 

[crotonmark]

Invisible. You are right. How o I get only the subject in focus?

Set your lens at 135mm. Then focus on the first bottle, getting as close to the bottle as your lens allows (I assume that your lens will allow you to get as close as 3-4 feet). Then set your lens at the smallest aperture and let 'er rip!

This, or, with the lens at 135mm, back up until you have the same framing as above and focus on the 3rd bottle again with f22. You will see a big difference.

Also, I loaned out my copy of the book you were looking at, but see if he tells you the focal length he used. Probably 200mm or so.

OK I took my 50mm prime out and tried again
The attached shots are more what I was hoping for - tho I will try everyone's suggestions!! Thanks - Mark

View attachment 25994View attachment 25995

 

[Frequency]

Yeahhhhh!!!!!! That is it

Regards

 

[crotonmark]

Yeahhhhh!!!!!! That is it

Regards

FREQUENCY - thanks

Mark

 

[ph0enix]

Play with distances. You shot these at 105mm which means you were pretty far away from the bottles. Now try decreasing the focal length (get close) and also pick a spot with more distance between the bottles and the background. The further away the background the more blurred it will be. It's hard to see a difference if the subject and the background are on almost the same focal plane.
Use a DOF calculator:
Online Depth of Field Calculator

 

[crotonmark]

Thanks ph0enix
now what is hyper focal distance??

 

[unpopular]

hyperfocal distance is an exotic and overly-complicated way of saying that the far end of the field extends to infinity, but not beyond infinity.

 

[Frequency]

Understanding Your Camera’s Hyperfocal Distance

Regards

 

[crotonmark]

hyperfocal distance is an exotic and overly-complicated way of saying that the far end of the field extends to infinity, but not beyond infinity.

Unpopular. Thanks.
Not much reaches beyond infinity. .

Mark

PS I can barely understand DOF. I'll leave hyperfocal for the future.


PPS I am a total newbie. I have decided to use aperture as my first field of study.

 

[crotonmark]

Thanks Frequency.

 

[Big Mike]

OK I took my 50mm prime out and tried again

This was your problem to start with. The maximum on your zoom lens (3.5-5.6) , just isn't large enough to get the dramatically shallow DOF that you wanted. To get the type of shots you wanted, in that scenario, you pretty much need to be using apertures in the range of F1.4 to F2.8.