Just got myself as prosumer camera (more like a gift from my uncle, his old Olympus C5060).
Have always been wondering how to take photo like the photo above. (where the subject are clearly focused, while the background are blurred)

Read around abit, seems like it has something to do with focal length la, aperture (f/number) la ... distance between subject and camera..

Anyone wiling to explain in layman terms?

Personally i tried to capture something like this, but i used manual focus, have not got the chance to view the picture from my computer yet (lol.. no card reader, gonna buy 1 later). So while i am still lepaking at home... would like u know how the correct way to capture this kind of photo

On a digital system, DOF is a combination of distance (camera to subject), aperture, and sensor size.

Compact digicam, PnS or some low end prosumer is hard to get the bokeh (or out of focus effect) due to its tiny sensor size, unless you turn on your macro mode which enable you to shoot closer.

Shallow DOF = more OOF effect.

Some rough ideas to set in mind:

1. The closer you shoot, given the aperture is fixed, DOF will be more shallow.
2. The bigger the aperture (small f-number), given the distance is fixed, DOF will be more shallow.
3. At the same distance, bigger image sensor will give more shallow DOF compare to smaller image sensor.

Right...

In layman term, it is very hard for compact/prosumer tiny sensor to have proper background blur in potrait photography...

So in lagi layman term, i can only dream to get such effect eh...

No need to dream la... buy used stuff;

(1) Canon EOS 10D (comparable image to Nikon D200) now only RM1000 can get
(2) Canon EOS 5D (the most background blur, amazing image quality) around RM5000 only.

And lenses wise soft based on quality

(1) EF85 f1.2 L (RM7400 only)
(2) EF135 f2 L (RM3300 only)
(3) EF85 f1.8 (RM1350 only)

Either any of the camera with the mention lense will give you real background blur....

that is a good lens for bokeh.

you guys are evil...based on the replies...poison..

Lao. L lens poison

Yeah... Those are really practical lenses....!


You yet to met with real poison. There is someone from Canon very poison one... I met him in a exhibition before tha launch of 40D. Talk talk talk... then I dunno why I write my name to book the camera in advance even though my 30D is functioning perfectly fine.... I dun have any plan to buy the camera that time. And my hard earn RM4k just gone like that... That guy is dangerous... Maybe he has some soft of mind control...


85 f1.8 is not L lense. But your pictures will turn out pretty Lansi as well..

TS,
For ur C5060, u can use:
- Macro mode
- Portrait
- Aperture priority (adjust accordingly)
- Manual (adjust shutter, aperture accordingly)

Most prosumer cams oso got PASM mar. Cannot use A mode to do it? Hmmmmmmmmm....... I go get my Olympus SP350 n see if it can be done using A mode.

P - Playboy mode
A - Adult Effect
S - Sexy
M - Man Enought

Right... for background blur, always use the A - Adult mode....

No la. You can get it with prosumer camera. But the blur effect won't that good compare to those by DSLR

Turn on your Macro Focus (if there's any) and set the F to biggest value.

Set the BIG F (focal length) to highest number, and small f (aperture) to smallest value

my camera only got 1 big F (highest number is 8.0)... didn't see any small f around ...

i can actually do that a bit using my Nikon 5200 (and i stress a bit heh) using Macro shot and adjusting my focus area...i can move the focus box on my camera so just set it to the object close to you ...but then again only in macro mode!

photoshop it.

for olympus prosumer...dunno what model is my school punya but i know its olympus prosumer...so should be similar to the settings you have... yes...if its a prosumer you will get to change the aperture.. for the olympus that i tried, my steps were:
-turn it to A mode
- push up (makes the aperture bigger) and push down (make the aperture smaller). My school's olympus had an aperture of i think 5.6-16 if i did not recall wrongly...

i guess what is DOF edi explained in the most laymaned way by those sifu in previous posts +the poison also

In that case, zoom your camera to the maximum tele...

And set your F to smallest value...

Try them and update us about the result..

Oh... Yeah... because you zoom to the tele... you need some distance to the subject...

it is very hard to get the bokeh with compact even at the largest aperture

solution : get a dslr

Wah... You also talking like my style liao...

Ok ok... Agreed...

Just get some nice camera like EOS 5D + EF85 f1.2 L. You should be able to get sufficient background blur..., Agree or not Shinchan?

85mm potrait lens

creamy bokeh

no...cheap solution... film SLR, enough background blur

Semua setan trying to poison..... (well, poor bloke here.. so impossible to invest in those kind of stuffs)

Well, tried very hard to get something decent... still canot..

Give up

Ok ok... Here is the cheapest solution...

EOS 400D + EF85 f1.8 USM (RM1350) only....

bro.. whats the big difference between 85mm and 50mm?

more focal lenght more bokeh

50mm -> No Power -> Picture not siok enought

85mm -> Minimum Power -> Picture pretty pretty... tengok put steam...

Do you have photos from both of those lense?

Got... At home... If you want, I bring and upload tomorror la...

50mm -> People say nice background

85mm -> WOW...

Understand?

LOL. I can't say that yet. My 50mm still serves me well..

show la sample to ppl to see the wow factor

Now using laptop at office la... all photos at home...

this photos got a nice bokeh?

Highlight gone... in the harsh way. It is not typical CMOS sensor result... What are you waiting? Upgrade la...

poison

asal macam photoshop jer .....

voip taikor... RM1850 i pun tarak duit.. want korek RM185 from bank acc also hard...

Maybe go curi from my uncle.. wonder what camera he changed

how obut using a 105mm micro lens to take portrait ar? wont the bokeh be better than a shorter focal length?

no photoshop done to that picture

how bout this one?



still need to upgrade?

what lens...i seee edi wanna pengsan

Fuuyoo, another poisonous thread. Looks like another victim will come from here soon.

u selling off all ur gears?

more bokeh poison

smooth creamy bokeh with clean circular highlights

Sorry coming back to the above post.

So thats how you got yourself the 40D lar. Haha! Trying to justify something is it? Kekekekeke.... You should have got the 5D lar. I thought FF was your way to go all along. Forget about those xD's lar... get something practical and within reach. Hehehehe! Let me poison you this round.

David also dangerous poisoner...

Actually there is only 2 things I like about 40D compare to other camera including 5D;

(1) Built-in flash -> travel light, shoot light

(2) EFS17-55 f2.8 IS -> This lense is too good to be truth... dam fine lense, f2.8 with IS some more...

And because of the 17-55, I am very hesitate to get another 24-105 just for FF... maybe might skip this range 24-70/105. Unless I kena 4D, then will proceed with 24-105 also la....

Sigma 105mm f2.8 Macro Sample

wah , nice one ...

One fine shot!

I never has shots like these... Always think to take one like this...

"bokeh" is the term used for this kind of picture eh?


Really poisonous leh this part of LYN .....

no.