DSLRs have TOO shallow depth of field

K

kevinkt

Active member
So DSLRs provide really shallow depths of field, and I've heard some complain that the DOF is too shallow. At the same apertures, DSLRs provide shallower depths of field than other HD cameras, which is nice sometimes, but not great when there's a lot of movement in the shot and your subject is moving in and out of focus. Is there a way to achieve deeper depth of field at the same apertures or should one look for a different camera in these cases?
 
Yes, sometimes too much shallow depth of field can be a bad thing especially when you are running and gunning for an event or documentary. However, you have the choice of stopping down to F5.6 or F8 for more depth of field. HD cameras with their 2/3" sensors however, do not have that luxury.

I've worked with a GH1, 60D and D7000 before. I would have to agree that the GH cameras seems the most ideal DSLR for documentary and event works, i.e. wedding videos.

Choose the right camera for the right job. :)
 
phudsontx said:
Stop down to F16. Plenty of DOF.
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And then only shoot outdoors in direct sunlight. :P

Indoors, with decent studio lights, I try to keep it around F4-5, it should be enough for decent DOF without getting in the way. Which, btw, is about where most video cameras I work with end up being set at. The DOF only becomes an issue with low light situations, which is a trade off to handle something a video camera can't naturally do in the first place!
 
Depending on what you're shooting, you can use a wider lens for a wider DOF. This is a good solution for action sports such as skating or BMX, as well as some styles of documentary, but not so good for narrative stuff where you want the look of portrait lenses. In narrative though, you have the luxery of being able to light properly and stop the lens down, as well as rehearse, block and set focus points in advance so you can deal with the shallow DOF.
 
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Its just people who dont know much about framing and proper composition overuse shallow dof and shooting f1.4 50mm wide open making ugly distracting bokeh.
 
You only need a shallow dof when your directing the audience to something specific in the frame. If you shoot shallow always it looks horrible and very amatuerish. But with f-stp, shutter speed, iso, and lighting, it's fairly easy to achieve the proper look .
 
don't buy it. With the crazy high iso these larger sensors allow you can just use smaller apertures.

Don't have the opposite option with smaller sensors (cept with f 0.95 lenses I guess)
 
bgundu said:
Aperture is the only way to adjust DOF. Many feel m4/3 is the ideal sensor size.
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Not to be overly pedantic, but DOF is actually affected by 3 things.

Focal length
Aperture
Distance to subject

Larger sensor only makes you THINK you get less DOF because you have to increase focal length to get the same field of view. To get the same FOV as a 40mm on an M4/3, you have to use 50mm on a 7D, you have to use 80mm on a 5D, but what's really affecting your DOF between all these is the focal length of the lens. A 50mm LENS produces the same DOF no matter what size sensor you put it on.
 
No argument that the absurd-shallow DoF gimmick is over-used.

Just don't like when I see that used as an argument against giving people the OPTION.

With great power comes great responsibility, Peter.
 
crazyhendrix said:
I've worked with a GH1, 60D and D7000 before. I would have to agree that the GH cameras seems the most ideal DSLR for documentary and event works, i.e. wedding videos.
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Thats interesting as I've just switched to my GH13 for wedding videos but I'm considering a 5D mkii as performance at higher ISO's is massively improved. At weddings low light is all too common which is why I'm thinking about making the switch. I suppose with a full frame sensor DOF is narrowed even further though if I've got that right?

edit... note to self, always read entire thread before posting! Post #10 explains that DOF is not affected by full frame unless you take into account required focal length.
 
^ but it is field of view that you want to keep constant...

the low-light king right now is the gh2 with a voigtlander 25mm f/0.95, which delivers the same field of view and depth of field of a 5D with a 50mm f/1.9, but with 4 times more light hitting the sensor, pluse nearly another stop of low light ability due to the reduced noise from the sensor itself

the 5D will give you extremely shallow depth of field with wide apertures; a 50mm f/1.4 at 1.5m will give your a head-and-shoulders shot... with only 6cm of depth of field!!
 
the GH2 is not something I've ever considered until I heard recently that it is much better at high ISO's than the GH13. Perhaps its worth researching, thanks
 
Yeah let's all go back to 1/3 inch ccd cameras!

I really like the 5d shallow look personally. Especially for wide shots, it can be stunning. They look something like an anamorphicly shot 35mm film would look without all the artifacts of anamorphic lenses.
 
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