Managing depth of field for a low end camera

[Danny Grizzle]

There is an excellent set of 6 short videos discussing interrelationship of focal length, aperture, format, depth of field, and perspective on the Letus website:

https://www.letusdirect.com/depth-of-field-tutorial-videos.html

This is worthwhile viewing for anybody interested in cinematography. Straight, lucid, and well illustrated.

[Bill Moede]

Interesting discussion.

My view on shallow DOF; It’s just another tool. I shoot with Canon XL2 cameras. I found that I can get quite shallow DOF by getting farther any from the subject, shooting wide open (smallest F stop number) sometimes using the ND filter to cut light so I can open up the lens. But, most often I prefer to use the focal length that best suits the mood, or emotions of the scene and not worry about the DOF unless that effect is needed to create the mood or tell the story.

Seems like the latest “buzz” is super shallow DOF, but I think if that’s your main goal when shooting, then your missing the point. I am much more concerned lighting, framing, sharp focus and above all performance, whether the actor is person, train, storm clouds or a car.

Bill Moede
CESA 7 ILS
Green Bay, WI