Bokeh Shots on Canon SX10

[stylomilo818]

hi, been trying to take bokeh shots on my sx10... only been successful on plants and flowers... but cant get it while shooting people... recently tried my friend's Canon 30D with kit lens, getting the background blur is so easy...

is there any settings on my sx10 i am missing out? or is it impossible?

 

[Diavonex]

This is the negative side of prosumer camera.

You can only try and zoom in and keep your aperture wide open for your subject; it's not too practical at time because you'll have to position yourself some distant from the subject.

Macro is not a problem.

 

[Shen siung]

It is almost impossible to get bokeh for portrait by using prosumer, due to the small sensor size (compare to any entry dslr)

So, to get back ground blur, you need to get very close to the subject, and let the back ground very far from your subject. Macro shoot just match this requirement.

Of course there is other better and more accurate explanation on why cannot get back ground blur, but this is just my little own experienced sharing.

 

[Diavonex]

For user of prosumer digital camera, DOF is a subject of special interest because DOF is more difficult to control with prosumer digital camera than with DSLR.

The small imaging sensors of compact camera require the use of short focal lengths and this in turn gives these cameras an unusually long DOF when compared to DSLR camera. Thus intentionally getting a shallow DPF is more difficult.

 

[stylomilo818]

ok, since its impossible, than i shall not try anymore... i thought it was my problem... hoho...

thanks all for the advice...

 

[miaoteh]

u can do the following to get maximum background blur:
1. get as close to ur subject as possible.
2. zoom in as much as possible (optical zoom)
3. keep your aperture wide open.
4. choose a background as far as possible from your subject.

 

[wakokokoyz]

zoom out as much as possible to attain f2.8
get close to the subject then manual focus

 

[stylomilo818]

but once i zoom, my aperture settings will increase... only when no zoom is used, i can get f2.8, once i zoom a little, it jumps to f3.5... so i have not much control over aperture...

using manual focus can get bokeh? will try that later...

thanks for the advices!

 

[Diavonex]

It's the long focal length and large aperture that generate the bokeh; not the manual focusing.