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No shallow DoF on the 'tiny' GH2 sensor?

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    No shallow DoF on the 'tiny' GH2 sensor?

    From my blog:

    I've read so many posts on different forums saying that the GH2 sensor is too small to get nice, shallow Depth of Field (DoF).

    I don't know how thin you need it but the shot below (from a recent interview piece) is as thin as I would want to go... focusing can get extremely difficult at these shallow DoF's. You can clearly see his hair is blurred out while his eye/nose area is sharp. This was shot on a GH2 with an older Nikon 50mm f1.4 at f1.4.

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    #2
    You can get great shots with the Gh2, it's fine.

    However, one thing to worry about is...

    Full Frame - SO out of focus it looks artfull and on purpose
    GH1/GH2 - "bokeh" can be ENOUGH in focus that it makes the image look soft.

    In that vidcap, sure his nose is sharp, but not really a DOF effect people want. It just looks like the lens isn't sharp on the rest of his face.
    https://www.Psynema.com Visit Psynema.com to see a few of my video productions, especially if you're from Philadelphia and need a hand on your next production. I use Adobe CC Premiere and After Effects, Glidecam, and I have a screenplay pilot in I'm trying to produce as well.

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      #3
      But once you slap a V. 0.95 lens on the Pana then there's nothing else to discuss.

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        #4
        Or a Zeiss 100mm 2.0
        Attached Files

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          #5
          With respect to your seniority on this forum I do not see how the m4/3 sensor has anything to do with bokeh.
          It is a property of the lens. Crop factor has nothing to do with the amount of bokeh you get on the lens.
          For example my 50mm canon F1.2L has exactly the same amount of bokeh on the gh2 and the 5dII.
          Lenses work the same regardless of the crop factor.
          You can get better bokeh if you background is far away from the DOF and you are shooting wide open.

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            #6
            Right you are hazna. The only noticable difference though would be the framing.

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              #7
              jeez - what ? dof is fundamentally affected by the size of the imager

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                #8
                Originally posted by kurth View Post
                jeez - what ? dof is fundamentally affected by the size of the imager
                But the quality of the bokeh isn't.
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                  #9
                  Originally posted by kurth View Post
                  jeez - what ? dof is fundamentally affected by the size of the imager
                  nope. just aperture and focal length, but you do have to use a wider focal length to get the same field of view as you would on a larger sensor. DOF with a 50 1.4 would be the same on a GH2 as it would on a 5D mark II, but in order to get the same field of view, the GH2 would need a 25mm, which has much deeper DOF. so i guess sensor size indirectly affects DOF, due to entirely differences in lens choice.

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                    #10
                    The size of the imager affects the field of view, but not the DOF. As dust'n said, the lens sets the FOV, and sensor size influences which lens you'll choose for any specific purpose, so sensor size is related to DOF but is not an actual factor in changing the DOF. DOF is set by the lens.
                    ..
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                      #11
                      If anything I am very unhappy with how much DOF my 20mm 1.7 lens have.
                      I tested it yesterday an it has A LOT of DOF at wide open.
                      pretty annoying and hard to follow focus somebody indoors.

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                        #12
                        It's a wide lens on the 4/3 sensor. That's to be expected. It'll see great in the dark....but if you want Shallow DOF then get the V. 0.95 / 25mm.

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                          #13
                          Originally posted by hazna View Post
                          If anything I am very unhappy with how much DOF my 20mm 1.7 lens have.
                          I tested it yesterday an it has A LOT of DOF at wide open.
                          pretty annoying and hard to follow focus somebody indoors.
                          I like the shallow dof of the 20mm f1.7, but for scenes where I would need a shallow dof look I would use a proper follow focus setup with a friction follow focus setup. if not, I would just shoot at a deeper dof like f2.8 or 4.

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                            #14
                            Sure Barry, so expressing it yet another way, shooting a face like the original post photo with say a 50 f1.4 on both a 5D and a GH2 would give different dof, on account of the distance to subject to achieve the same framing.
                            Digital film-maker, Bristol, UK.

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                              #15
                              Originally posted by hazna View Post
                              If anything I am very unhappy with how much DOF my 20mm 1.7 lens have.
                              I tested it yesterday an it has A LOT of DOF at wide open.
                              pretty annoying and hard to follow focus somebody indoors.
                              If you're unhappy with it, you are experiencing exactly the kind of lens speed the greatest film-makers of all time have experienced, and still experience on most feature films, if that's any consolation. Your only options are to remember the rules of short dof:

                              longer lens (easy)
                              wider aperture (Voigtlander 0.95 25mm as already suggested, but v. pricey!)
                              bigger sensor (Canon 5d - I wouldn't!)
                              closer subject (free)

                              Take your pick!
                              Digital film-maker, Bristol, UK.

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