Bokeh from a compact?

CSB

CSB

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Sam
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I'm looking for a compact camera, would love it if I can get some sort of bokeh from it for portrait pictures. First thing that came to mind is the S95 but as I wont be using it that much I dont really want to spend £300 on something that I'll only use a few times a year. The Lumix TZ8 also appeals with its cheaper price and good zoom range but I'm not sure about its slow lens as I will be using the camera for nights out.

I'm trying to keep the cost down and the camera should fit in my pocket.

Anything else I should consider or any recommendations/thoughts?
 
The sensors in compacts are way too small to provide the thin depth of field you are probably looking for except at macro range.

Best options are:

1. Leica M9 ;) (Edit - not in price range, sorry!)
2. Leica M8 ;) (Again!)
3. Sony NEX (because they have a DSLR size sensor)
4. Panasonic / Olympus micro 4/3rds system (smaller sensor again, but with a very fast lens you will get some nice bokeh, I'm sure)
 
Yep, basically you can't.

Depth of field is highly dependent on sensor size and given the size of sensors in compacts you're on a hiding to nothing really.

On my S90, even @ f/2.0 you don't get a very narrow DoF. Handy for low light though...
 
Nawty said:
Yep, basically you can't.
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Well, you can but you'd probably get the best effect at max zoom and when bringing your subject forward of the background. The problem then is that your subject may not fit in the frame.

Here's an example I've just this minute shot with a LX5... (at ISO 3200 so not great quality...)

P1000394c.jpg


Dunno how it would work with a portrait as that's not what I use it for.
 
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You need to be close to your subject, maximum zoom of the lens and have the background a good distance from the subject. As said much tougher with small sensor cameras.

www.dofmaster.com is the place to look to see what you can achieve.
 
To compare depth of field, multiply the f/number by the crop factor, which is roughly 5x with most compacts relative to full frame. So f/2 on a compact will deliver the same DoF as f/10 on FF (subject framed the same, from the same distance). So that's the problem in a nutshell :eek:

It's all on DoFmaster, as Jim posted above.
 
manualfocus-g said:
Woof woof, my experience is that you can only get bokeh like that at very close range. This will only work in a portrait scenario if your subject is a mini Cartman ;)
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No, you can do it. In this example the laptop is a 17", so it's bigger than a head. Cartman is maybe 6 feet behind.

P1000396c.jpg


P1000396c1.jpg


I'm sure that with care and thought it can be done. With more zoom than the LX5 has the OOF background should be brought more forward and therefore be more obvious. It might not be the answer for the op but I just wanted to show that it can be done, at least to a degree.
 
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Just what was said above. Close subject and far away background.
 
manualfocus-g said:
Woof woof, you've proved you can make bokeh, but the depth of field is still too great for a portrait and the background is distracting in my opinion. The subject would need to be way in front of the background for it to work.
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It's not the depth of field as such (IMHO) as when you zoom in it does give quite good OOF background. I think that the issue here is lack of zoom. The LX3 was slightly better in this respect as it had a longer zoom and therefore rendered the OOF background larger and made it more obvious.

I suppose to really make it work you need...

1. A wide aperture.
2. A longish zoom to bring the background forward.
3. Time and room enough to make it all work.

There might be a small sensor camera out there with a largish aperture and a longish zoom but this would be a lot easier with a MFT camera.

P1020170cb.jpg
 
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Would a MFT camera fit in my pocket?

Which is the smallest available?
 
Any GF from Panasonic or any Pen from Olympus, with the 20mm f1.7 Panasonic lens and you're laughing. It'll be stabilised on a Pen body too.

I can carry 2 Olympus OM Film SLRs in my Coat pockets with ease, a GF should be no problem!
 
CSB said:
Would a MFT camera fit in my pocket?

Which is the smallest available?
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One of those 4/3rds options with the 1.7 lens, or new Fuji X100 has a larger than 4/3rds APS-C sized sensor, plus 23mm f/2 lens.

To get really 'big' bokeh you need a big sensor, and low f/number, and also a longer lens to narrow the field of view and 'enlarge' the background - as WW said above. 135mm f/2 on full frame does it :D The further away from that you go, the harder it gets.
 
Looking at the GF1 now, I'll have a look at them in Jessops and see what they are like. I know how to get bokeh from my 550D, just looking for a solution that will fit in my pocket and give me nice pictures on nights out without breaking the bank.

Full frame would be nice, but its never going to fit in my pocket!
 
CSB said:
just looking for a solution that will fit in my pocket and give me nice pictures on nights out .
Click to expand...

To get the same image on a compact using a lens woh the same field of view and magnificatio on the sensor, as compared to a dslr, you can't get the same dof unless you stand well back and use the longest of lenses from a compact. But then it loses the beuty of a compact which is to just snap what you see. On nights out are you going to be lpacing people, stepping back a few paces to get the composition right? Or are you just gouing to be snapping?

You can create dof with a compact but the settings need to be right and this will mean if you want a head and shoulder's shot you need to reduce the magnification so the dof becomes greater.
 
Here's an example from today using a GF1 and 14mm f/2.5 lens at f/2.5. Super little combo. I've also been very impressed with the 20mm f/1.7 lens which gives very nice bokeh as well.


Cherry by Tobers, on Flickr
 
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