The Digital Camera Thread: Questions, discussions, etc.

[surajs]

Originally Posted by mobike008

Rjs, yes thats what i want to do. But, for that why do i have to set it to manual focus? Can't these results be achieved in auto focus?

Yes you can also achieve similar results using Auto Focus, but using manual focus puts you in the driver's seat..!!

[extreme_torque]

Originally Posted by surajs

Yes you can also achieve similar results using Auto Focus, but using manual focus puts you in the driver's seat..!!

I am not too sure what are you saying here... what makes you think using manual focus here would put you into driver's seat or in other words would be better than auto focus.

[gkrishn]

Originally Posted by mobike008

Distance= How far should be good enough?

It depends. On how much of the person you want in picture.

Aperture= I know that i need to keep a large aperture value to minimize the depth area( F3.5 is largest my DSLR offers)

Open up as much as possible in you lens.

Ideal Focal length? ( i am on the kit lens) = 18mm or 55mm or anything in between?

Use the longest focal length you have. ideally 85,100,135 and above is ideal for isolating the background.

Be careful with wide angle. W/A are used to take what they call "environment" portrait. For example if you want to include the person and also his work place. But i guess you are looking at bust/shoulder shot with b/g isolation. Longer focal length preferred. 55 on 1.5 crop sensor should be fine. But not sure how much isolation will be possible.

gurus

Yaay... dont use this word. It makes extremely difficult for us mortals to reply...

[surajs]

Originally Posted by extreme_torque

I am not too sure what are you saying here... what makes you think using manual focus here would put you into driver's seat or in other words would be better than auto focus.

Not always will AF help you lock focus on the object you want to, especially when you dont have a fast lens. Also helps you avoid hunting for focus in low light.

[Jomz]

Originally Posted by Jomz

Bought a Nikon D 40....
Now where to I press to get the pics??

Hmmm took one day to figure out where to press...
Pressed .. and here is a subaru...

P.S:- this is not the subaru in my signature

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by gkrishn

It depends. On how much of the person you want in picture.
Open up as much as possible in you lens.
Use the longest focal length you have. ideally 85,100,135 and above is ideal for isolating the background.

Be careful with wide angle. W/A are used to take what they call "environment" portrait. For example if you want to include the person and also his work place. But i guess you are looking at bust/shoulder shot with b/g isolation. Longer focal length preferred. 55 on 1.5 crop sensor should be fine. But not sure how much isolation will be possible.

Yaay... dont use this word. It makes extremely difficult for us mortals to reply...

Thanks. As you know potrait is i want bust shots with as much background as its possible but with it blurred out. So i will try with the highest aperture and keep the focal length to 55mm and hopefully at this zoom will get some background to make it look blurred

And, about the guru thing, I didn't refer you as a guru. Hehehe, just kidding

[rjstyles69]

Folks a humble request, kindly post your images on the Non-official Auto Image thread.

[extreme_torque]

Originally Posted by surajs

Not always will AF help you lock focus on the object you want to, especially when you dont have a fast lens. Also helps you avoid hunting for focus in low light.

Its context that I am talking about. I think we were discussing about potraits and background blurr here and as I see it, it has no relation whatsoever with either manual or automatic focus. The poster didnt even mention that focus or light was ever a problem with what he wanted to click.

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by extreme_torque

Its context that I am talking about. I think we were discussing about potraits and background blurr here and as I see it, it has no relation whatsoever with either manual or automatic focus. The poster didnt even mention that focus or light was ever a problem with what he wanted to click.

I am getting the hang of it now. I think i just need the biggest aperture ( F3.5) at the longest focal range ( 55mm) and use it in proper daylight with not too graphic background then i should be able to get this pic correctly. Will try over the weekend and post results.

[surajs]

Originally Posted by extreme_torque

Its context that I am talking about. I think we were discussing about potraits and background blurr here and as I see it, it has no relation whatsoever with either manual or automatic focus. The poster didnt even mention that focus or light was ever a problem with what he wanted to click.

Yes we are discussing about Portraits and backgroud blur.When shooting portraits focus needs to be precise.The majority of your shots of people will need to have their eyes in perfect focus and so switching to manual focus will give you complete control to enable this to save you from having to line up the focusing points on your camera on the eyes (the focus poits in your viewfinder), press halfway down and then frame your shot. Manual focusing in portrait work helps to ensure that the viewer of the image is drawn to the part of the face that you want them to notice.

[surajs]

Originally Posted by mobike008

I am getting the hang of it now. I think i just need the biggest aperture ( F3.5) at the longest focal range ( 55mm) and use it in proper daylight with not too graphic background then i should be able to get this pic correctly. Will try over the weekend and post results.

mobike008, i'm not sure if you'll be able to set your aperture to F3.5 at 55mm (correct me if i am wrong). Give it a try and post results.

Cheers!

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by surajs

mobike008, i'm not sure if you'll be able to set your aperture to F3.5 at 55mm (correct me if i am wrong). Give it a try and post results.

Cheers!

Even in Manual mode, it's not possible?. Let me check it out!

[deepakvrao]

Originally Posted by surajs

Yes we are discussing about Portraits and backgroud blur.When shooting portraits focus needs to be precise.The majority of your shots of people will need to have their eyes in perfect focus and so switching to manual focus will give you complete control to enable this to save you from having to line up the focusing points on your camera on the eyes (the focus poits in your viewfinder), press halfway down and then frame your shot. Manual focusing in portrait work helps to ensure that the viewer of the image is drawn to the part of the face that you want them to notice.

Suraj,

MF IMO is not a practical option with current APS-C sensor DSLRs. They have absolutely lousy VFs. I would any day rather rely on AF when light is decent and AF locks well. I use MF only for things like macro. Just my 2 bit.

For portraits I have been able to consistently get one eye in focus with the other out of the DOF [at angles of course], with lenses with apertures of 1.4/1.8 etc. This with AF - not sure I would get that consistency with MF with my 30D at least. Not sure how a Nikons VF is though.

[deepakvrao]

Distance= How far should be good enough?
Aperture= I know that i need to keep a large aperture value to minimize the depth area( F3.5 is largest my DSLR offers)
Mode= Should i use Macro or Aperture?
White Balance= Auto or Daylight?
Ideal Focal length? ( i am on the kit lens) = 18mm or 55mm or anything in between?

Mobike,

Aperture is not a function of your SLR but that of the lens that you put on it.

[deepakvrao]

Originally Posted by surajs

mobike008, i'm not sure if you'll be able to set your aperture to F3.5 at 55mm (correct me if i am wrong). Give it a try and post results.

Cheers!

Yup kit lens is not a fixed aperture.

IMO a nice way to get really shallow DOF is to shoot a portrait at about 100-200mm wide open. This would work for a head and shoulders but for a full body you would obviously need shorter focal lengths.

I would also not recommend the "portrait" mode as has been suggested here - much better to learn what different apertures will give you and use Av mode.