What am I doing wrong?

[Happy Hour]

Ok i have a sony a-100
these are my lenses
sony18- 70/ 3.5-5.6
Minolta af 80-200/1:4.5(22)-5.6
Minolta af 28/1:2.8(22)
Minolta af 35-70/1:4(22)
Minolta af 50 1:2.8(32)
I can't figure out how to get the background out of focus on pics!
I've tryed every lens adjusting the app from low to high on every one. and getting as close to the subject as possible. now I did get it on a bottle with my 50 mm app at f/2.8, my iso at 800. But then when I did it on my daughter she was the one out of focus. Any help here?

 

[bango707]

longer focal lengths like your 80-200 along with a wider aperture (2.8) should get your background out of focus.
Why is your iso so high?

 

[Happy Hour]

bad lighting in my room, is why my iso is so high. I'm not taking any serious pics. I'm just trying to get a feel for the cam. so i'm just adjusting a shooting anything next to me. this cam is a huge difference between my 35mm so I want to get to know it better b4 I actually take anything serious.

 

[JIP]

If your daughter was the one out of focus why don't you try fousing on her??. Really this all seems simple, use an aperture of around 2.8-5.6 and whatever is the apprpriate shutter speed then focus on your subject and fire away. The problems you say you are having don't make alot of sense ith the settings you are using.

 

[kundalini]

Also, greater distance of subject to background will help. But at f/2.8 I can't imagine why there's no bokeh.

This was taken at f/4. Notice how it blurs towards the back of the subject.

Keep playing with it.

 

[JIP]

Also, greater distance of subject to background will help. But at f/2.8 I can't imagine why there's no bokeh.

This was taken at f/4. Notice how it blurs towards the back of the subject.
Keep playing with it.

Now you keep doing that and you will go blind and how will that help his photography.

 

[kundalini]

Now you keep doing that and you will go blind and how will that help his photography.

:cyclops:

 

[Happy Hour]

If your daughter was the one out of focus why don't you try fousing on her??. Really this all seems simple, use an aperture of around 2.8-5.6 and whatever is the apprpriate shutter speed then focus on your subject and fire away. The problems you say you are having don't make alot of sense ith the settings you are using.

Ok I've got it down with small objects. But when I shoot a person with there nose dead center on my screen no matter what aperture/shutter speed/lens I choose it wont do it. I've even gone as far as auto settings.<- thats how confused I am! I don't get it. It works great with small objects. and if I did this on my 35mm It would no problem. One person told me to use my 80-200 but I don't think they realized it's more like a 120-300 on my Slr and i think it only goes down to a 5 ap. Using that my camera wont even take the photo that close. I dont know why. I cant hold the button down adjust all i want it wont take the shot untill I back up

 

[bango707]

. One person told me to use my 80-200 but I don't think they realized it's more like a 120-300 on my Slr and i think it only goes down to a 5 ap.

The longer the lens the smaller the depth of field, the wider the lens the more depth of field. Again this depends on your aperture. Wide aperture (2.8) the less depth of field, the smaller the aperture (22) the more depth of field. Like everyone is saying it just doesn't make sense that everything is in focus using a long lens and a wide aperture
Try using your 18-70mm @ 70mm wide open and see if that helps.

 

[Sideburns]

of course you gotta back up. It's called closest focusing distace...and you're too close.

Get out your 200 and zoom in all the way..open the aperture all the way (A mode) and then take the pic. If you do it right, you'll get a decent background blur...

You might also try the 50mm at 2.8 (since it's your fastest) and then do the same...

It should work, man. Go outside if you have to get light...

 

[Happy Hour]

This is the 200 wide open

 

[kundalini]

Sorry if this seems self indulgent, that is not the intent. However, this was taken at f/3.5, focal length at 200mm, EXIF say the shutter speed = 10/8000, ISO100.

Don't Bogart that joint my friend.

 

[Happy Hour]

ok i got it, i think. I set my metering mode to spot, and it works great now. I don't know if that made the diff. but it's shooting right now. with any lens I have. thanks for all the input everyone. sorry if my stupidity waisted anyones time.

 

[Battou]

DOF is tough, Even when you understand it in theroy, Practice is an entirely diffrent matter.

 

[kundalini]

Not a waste of time if your questions are answered.

I often hit the reset button to get back to the defaults as I may have set something and it throws everything off. Domino effect.

Glad it's working for you now.