ignacio izquierdo Posted October 25, 2004 Share Posted October 25, 2004 Hi, I have a Canon Power Shot S50. It works great and it would be a step before I get a Reflex camera. I can work with a Av from 2.8 to 8, but when working with 2.8 I have more space focused as I used to have with my old Reflex Analogic camera? Anyone has any idea why does this happend? Am I doing something wrong? I mean I would like to get some parts of the foto not so focused to get more sense of depth and to give interest to some parts... Any Clue? Thanks... lots of thanks. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill c. Posted October 25, 2004 Share Posted October 25, 2004 Ignacio-- The sensors on the digital cameras are smaller--in your case, far smaller--than a 35mm frame. Depth of focus is a factor of focal length and aperture. (YES, for all you technically-oriented eggheads out there I know that technically the fuzziness of an object will be the same for objects the same distance away from the camera position for any given aperture no matter what focal length of lens is used, etc. etc., but in the real world, my description is the way it works.) Since your sensor is smaller, your lens is proportionally shorter, as well. At any given angle of view and aperture, medium format will have an apparently smaller DOF than 35mm, which will have a smaller DOF than a digital sensor (excluding those that are full-frame 35mm and larger, of course). Basically, my rule about using selective focus with sensors smaller than APS-sized is that you can't really do it effectively--and as far as I'm concerned, it doesn't work that well with APS-sized sensors, either. Unfortunately, the only way to get what you are used to is to spring for a digital camera with a full-frame sensor. -BC- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ignacio izquierdo Posted October 25, 2004 Author Share Posted October 25, 2004 Wow!!! Thanks!! I though I wasn't working properly... Thank you for your explanation. All is much clearer now... I will have to get a new 35 mm Reflex camera!!! :) Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
godfrey Posted October 25, 2004 Share Posted October 25, 2004 With a small-sensor digicam, you can achieve a soft background by moving to a more telephoto setting and wide open aperture, stepping back from your subject a bit. <br><br> This flower photo, taken with a Konica Minolta A2, has the kind of softened background that I like for subject separation. Note that I didn't use a fully open aperture nor did I go to the full tele setting, so I could have achieved somewhat greater background blur if I'd wanted to. <br><br> <center> <img src="http://homepage.mac.com/ramarren/photo/PAW4/large/tiger-lily -0111.jpg"><br> Tiger Lily<br> <i>Konica Minolta A2<br> ISO 64 @ f/6.3 @ 1/400 sec, f=32.2mm (3.6x, 127mm equiv 135)</i><br> </center><br> If you want to know more about what DoF you'll find at various focal length and lens opening settings, you can use the DoFMaster On-Line calculator (see <a href="http://www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html" target=new>http:// www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html</a>) to generate a table for both your SLR film camera and for the S50 to use as comparison. <br><br> Godfrey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ignacio izquierdo Posted October 26, 2004 Author Share Posted October 26, 2004 Hi Godfrey, thank you very much!!!! I will start playing with my camara and the advises you have given me. Thank you very much. :) i will tell you if I get any advance in my photos. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ignacio izquierdo Posted October 26, 2004 Author Share Posted October 26, 2004 By the way, Do you think I could get a photo like that with my powerShot S50? http://www.photo.net/photo/2704097 Maybe is too much, isn't it? That's one of my obsessions with my camera ;) Thanks for your time!!! Really thanks!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arjen van de merwe Posted October 26, 2004 Share Posted October 26, 2004 With a digital reflex camera you can get selective focus. But you need a wider aperture to get the same effect. If you want to use fast (prime) lenses you can get very strong selective focus. But even with a 2.8 zoom it is achievable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ignacio izquierdo Posted October 26, 2004 Author Share Posted October 26, 2004 Arjen -- Thanks!! i didn't know anything about fast lenses!! I have search the Internet and it sounds quite interesting. I have to try that in my old Reflex camera, becouse I think the Powershot s50 doesn't let me change the lenses, do it? Thank you very much!!! Thanks for your time!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
godfrey Posted October 26, 2004 Share Posted October 26, 2004 Ignacio, <br><br> You wanted to know if the S50 could achieve a DoF like <a href="http://www.photo.net/photo/2704097" target=new> http://www.photo.net/photo/2704097</a>...<br> I suspect the S50 hasn't quite enough zoom nor a wide enough lens opening to restrict the focus to quite that degree, but it might if it allows you close enough focusing on the tele setting. Only way you can say for sure is to experiment. Of course, to do this by focusing in very close will change the perspective somewhat too. <br><br> Godfrey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ignacio izquierdo Posted October 26, 2004 Author Share Posted October 26, 2004 Hi Godfrey!!! I have already try what you have told me but the effect is much softer. I have an apperture of 2.8, but as Bill told me it's not the same effect if I don't have a 35mm frame camera. Anyway your technic seems to have the best results I can achieve with the powershot :) Once again, thank you very much. I hope I can get a nice picture from that. :D If I do I will place it in my place... It will be your merit!!! Thank you!!! Thanks a lot for the tips!!! Ignacio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bokeh man1 Posted October 26, 2004 Share Posted October 26, 2004 Because your camera is a point and shoot and just like film point and shoot cameras they allow little or no creative control! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spearhead Posted October 26, 2004 Share Posted October 26, 2004 <i>Because your camera is a point and shoot and just like film point and shoot cameras they allow little or no creative control!</i><p> Have you actually used the camera?<p> Based on your response here, I seriously doubt it. The S50 offers full manual control. It's always better to speak when you have some knowledge rather than randomly barfing up replies. Music and Portraits Blog: Life in Portugal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ignacio izquierdo Posted October 27, 2004 Author Share Posted October 27, 2004 Right Jeff. The S50 has a total manual control. That's what I got it. Becouse I wanted to play around as I did with my Reflex camera but I didn't have money enough to get a Reflex Digital Camera. I consider it a intermediate step. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msitaraman Posted October 27, 2004 Share Posted October 27, 2004 Uh, sorry to nitpick, but the term "depth of focus" refers to the distance the film or sensor can be moved back or forward while keeping it focused (for any given circle of confusion). The term "depth of field" refers to the phenomenon you are talking about- the distance, behind and in front of the subject focus plane, that also appears to be in focus (again, for a given circle of confusion). So 'depth of field' is to subject focus plane as 'depth of focus' is to sensor image plane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ignacio izquierdo Posted October 27, 2004 Author Share Posted October 27, 2004 Mani - You're right. I tried to refer to "Depth of field" but my english is not very good and I didn't know how to tell it in English *^__^* Fortunately I think people have undestand my question. Thanks for the explanation. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awindsor Posted October 27, 2004 Share Posted October 27, 2004 This "You cannot get selective focus with digicams" spiel that crops up regularly annoys me. You can but you need to know how. The things which decrease depth of field are longer focal length (wide angles have more DOF for a given distance to the subject and f stop), larger aperture (i.e. smaller f number), and shorter distance to the subject. Finally to ensure the background is blurred you need only ensure that the background is far enough behind the subject to be outside the DOF. This is certainly achievable. I have achieve nice portraits with my G2. It is much easier with larger formats (I have a 20D, and EOS 5, and a 6x6 SQ-Ai). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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