Hi, i tried to shoot a full body portrait with my canon EF 50mm f1.8 lens but could not achieve a shallow DOF. I hope to isolate the person fr the background. Can anyone advise me how to do it? Do i need a long lens (eg. 70-300mm)?
Just stand further from the model lor.
Hi, i tried to shoot a full body portrait with my canon EF 50mm f1.8 lens but could not achieve a shallow DOF. I hope to isolate the person fr the background. Can anyone advise me how to do it? Do i need a long lens (eg. 70-300mm)?
The further you stand away from the subject, all other things such as aperture and focal length etc. equal, the wider the DOF ........ meaning that you can't get the shallow DOF you want with human portraits.
The further you stand away from the subject, all other things such as aperture and focal length etc. equal, the wider the DOF ........ meaning that you can't get the shallow DOF you want with human portraits.
Maybe try a different background such that the background is "infinitely far" from the subject? :think:
Hi,Will setting to Center Metering and setting the focus point to center help?
yes i agree.. i was abt 2 meters away from my subject n i set my aperture to f/1.8 but cant get the bokeh i want
I do not have any experience using a DSLR taking portraits. I just know that around 85mm on 35mm format equivalent is ideal for taking full body portraits standing abut 5m away. If F/1.8 is used, then the DOF is about 0.36m (0.18m infront and 0.18m behind) and you get a very shallow DOF to have a blur background and the subject appears almost completely isolated.
Apparently, if you are using an APS-sized DSLR and want to maintain a similar shallow DOF, you would need to use a longer focal length and/or go closer and/or use a bigger aperture according to DOF. But then in order to maintain the same composition, you need to go further away instead of nearer. However, the longer focal length used to get a shallower DOF is negated by the further distance. (Use a DOF calculator to see what I mean).
For e.g. APS sized DSLR with a crop factor of 1.6x.
Focal length = 50mm
Distance necessary to mainain composition as 85mm on full frame= 5m
Aperture = F/1.8
DOF = 0.67m (0.31m infront, 0.36 behind)
Focal length = 85mm
Distance necessary to mainain composition= 8m
Aperture = F/1.8
DOF = 0.59m (0.29m infront, 0.30 behind)
Focal length = 120mm
Distance necessary to mainain composition= 11m
Aperture = F/1.8
DOF = 0.56m (0.27m infront, 0.29 behind)
So unless you can use a bigger aperture, you won't be able to get any shallower DOF.
But then, I don't think you can find any very long telephoto lens with aperture bigger than F/2.8. Moreover, even a F/2.8 for long telephoto lens is very very heavy and expensive. That is why some serious portrait photographers still prefer full frame in order to get the shallow DOF which they can get with a relatively short focal length lens and a very large aperture.
So in the end, the practical way out for APS-sized sensor DSLRs is to have the subject stand further away from the background nad have a cleaner (i.e. not too cluttered background.
Now, this is unbelievable. First of all, all these years shooting portrait, I have absolutely no idea that the DOF of my favourite focal length (85mm) at 8m at f/1.8 is 0.59m (0.29m infront, 0.30 behind) WOW. Wonder how you figured it out, since you have absolutely no expereience in taking portrait?
Clockunder do have experience in using DSLR maybe because he uses SLR camera ? :dunno:
Anyway, check HERE,this will help you figure out more easily.
no need experience also can get it.
No. I have no experience at all. In fact, I don't like shooting portraits. :sweatsm:
I used a DOF calculator.
Thanks for the link!Clockunder do have experience in using DSLR maybe because he uses SLR camera ? :dunno:
Anyway, check HERE,this will help you figure out more easily.
no need experience also can get it.
Clockunder do have experience in using DSLR maybe because he uses SLR camera ? :dunno:
Anyway, check HERE,this will help you figure out more easily.
no need experience also can get it.
I do not have any experience using a DSLR taking portraits. I just know that around 85mm on 35mm format equivalent is ideal for taking full body portraits standing abut 5m away. If F/1.8 is used, then the DOF is about 0.36m (0.18m infront and 0.18m behind) and you get a very shallow DOF to have a blur background and the subject appears almost completely isolated.
Apparently, if you are using an APS-sized DSLR and want to maintain a similar shallow DOF, you would need to use a longer focal length and/or go closer and/or use a bigger aperture according to DOF. But then in order to maintain the same composition, you need to go further away instead of nearer. However, the longer focal length used to get a shallower DOF is negated by the further distance. (Use a DOF calculator to see what I mean).
For e.g. APS sized DSLR with a crop factor of 1.6x.
Focal length = 50mm
Distance necessary to mainain composition as 85mm on full frame= about 5m (about same as full frame because 50mm x 1.6 = 80mm on 35mm equivalent format)
Aperture = F/1.8
DOF = 0.67m (0.31m infront, 0.36 behind)
Focal length = 85mm
Distance necessary to mainain composition= 8m
Aperture = F/1.8
DOF = 0.59m (0.29m infront, 0.30 behind)
Focal length = 120mm
Distance necessary to mainain composition= 11m
Aperture = F/1.8
DOF = 0.56m (0.27m infront, 0.29 behind)
The decrease in DOF is very marginal because the shallower DOF of using a long focal length is offset by a need to move further away from the subject to maintain composition. So unless you can use a much bigger aperture, you won't be able to get a DOF as shallow as can be achieved on a full frame.
But then, I don't think you can find any very long telephoto lens with aperture bigger than F/2.8. Moreover, even a F/2.8 for long telephoto lens is very very heavy and expensive. That is why some serious portrait photographers still prefer full frame in order to get the shallow DOF which they can get with a relatively short focal length lens and a very large aperture.
So in the end, the practical way out for APS-sized sensor DSLRs is to have the subject stand further away from the background nad have a cleaner (i.e. not too cluttered background.