Digital camera with shallow DOF

Is there a list anywhere of the physical size of sensors used by

compact digital cameras? I want to get one that will give me the

ability to use a shallow depth of field (for portraits [not

professional style, just of friends etc.])- anyone have any

suggestions in the non-DSLR ranges of cameras? As far as I can see

they mostly have a 'long' focal length of around 20mm, but maybe there

are some makes/models out there which have a longer lens/larger

sensor(/larger aperture)?

 

Thanks.

Have a look at the Sony P10, I have this and it is a fantastic little camera, Lens, Sony 3x Zoom, 7.9 to 23.7mm (38 to 114mm equivalent)Maximum aperture: F2.8 - 5.2 .

 

A review is here :- http://www.steves-digicams.com/2003_reviews/p10.html

<a href="http://www.dpreview.com">dpreview.com</a> lists the sensor size with all the cameras they review. I don't think there is a big difference between compact cameras. The jump from a compact to a DSLR is very big in terms of sensor size. Big sensors have another advantage: they have bigger pixels, which means less noise. Have a look at the Canon EOS 300D (Digital Rebel).

Ain't gonna happen. As noted above, the "7.9 to 23.7mm (38 to 114mm equivalent)" lens is still a 7.9 to 23.7. The equivalency factor is due to the size of the sensor.

 

If you want a dP&S, best worry about the sensor and lens quality and then plan your shots better by taking the background into account (make sure there's nothing close).

can't remember where I saw the article but there is a new software out there that blurs the back ground in a realistic shallow dof sort of way. Hexagon shaped highlights and all.

<i> can't remember where I saw the article but there is a new software out there that

blurs the back ground in a realistic shallow dof sort of wa </i><p>

 

It is integrated in the new Photoshop CS

If you go to my web site I have an easy tutorial on how to do this in PS. It will get you going. All your non-DSLR cameras have small sensors. You want full frame - which is VERY expensive (Canon 1Ds).

It's under Photoshop Tips and Tricks. http://www.dustylens.com/selective_focus_gradient_tool.htm

'Have a look at the Sony P10, I have this and it is a fantastic little camera, Lens, Sony 3x Zoom, 7.9 to 23.7mm'

 

LOL, can you imagine what the DOF of a 7.9mm lens is, from here to next week, and back again! Jonathan, they don't exist. You can only give a digicam mock narrow DOF in Photoshop, and thats plug ugly.

Well...you sure mention you wanted choices in non DSLR but after the 2/3 CCD type sensor(Sony F-828,F-707,F-717,Nikon Coolpix 8700,Coolpix 5700,Coolpix 5000,Olympus E-10,E-20,C-2500L,the Minolta A1,7,7i,7Hi and alike)(which are about 1/4 of the full size 24mmX36mm)the next step is about 1/2 of the full size 24mm X 36 mm and there you got a few choices like the older Kodak DCS 760,the Kodak DCS 660,the Nikon D1,the Canon EOS 1D,the Canon EOS D30,D60.In the newer models,with that same size sensor you have the Canon EOS 1D mark II,the Canon EOS 10D,the Canon EOS 300D(Digital Rebel),the Nikon D1H,D1X,D2H,D70,D100,the Pentax *istD and the Sigma SD9,SD10.Hope this helpful.

There's also the older Fuji S1 Pro and in the digicam,the Olympus E-1 that have a sensor with a size that fall in between the 1/4-1/2 full-size 24mm X 36mm.

<blockquote>can't remember where I saw the article but there is a new software out there that blurs the back ground in a realistic shallow dof sort of way. Hexagon shaped highlights and all.</blockquote>

I actually prefer <a href="http://www.frischluft.com/Lenscare/Border/index.html">Frischluft Lenscare</a>, but had memory problems with large files (i.e., anything printable.) Photoshop's <i>Lens Blur</i> filter is agonizingly slow (on my 1.9GHz P4 with 1GB RAM) ... and the bokeh leaves something to be desired. I am sure they will improve upon it in the next release.

I use my compact digicam (currently a Panasonic Lumix FZ10) in situations where getting shallow DOF isn't important. Although at full zoom (72mm) and f/2.8 it's possible to get some blur under the right conditions. But for proper control over DOF you need a D-SLR and a fast lens. The sensors, and thus the focal lengths, used in compact cameras are just too small for this.

 

I haven't been too impressed with the "fake blur" tools, like the one in Photoshop CS, I've tried. The blur doesn't have the same characteristics as out-of-focus effects from a lens. Too uniform for my taste. So I continue to get my shallow DOF the old fashioned way. :-)

 

-Dave-

I use the 300d with a pentax 50mm 1.4 screwmount adapted supertakumar lens talk about great reduction in dof. Here look