Steve'sDigicams

pjblevin · Jul 20, 2005, 5:38 PM

What are the smallest digital cameras that have manual depth-of-field settings? I want to be able to blur the background, and I also want to be able to see what I'm going to get before I shoot. I'd appreciate any help in this matter. Also, I'd like to see a list of all the cameras that would fit into this category. Thanks.

pjblevin

PhilR. · Jul 20, 2005, 6:42 PM

Only a dslr will allow you to stop down the lens, thereby allowing you to "preview" the DOF.

DOF is not a setting per se -- it is the aperture that affects DOF, so you want something that allows you to manually set the aperture. I find it preferable to have a camera that has aperture priority setting, so you can let the camera decide what shutter speed is appropriate for the aperture you just selected. See the reviews for cameras with manual exposure modes.

No small digicam will give you much in the way of DOF. DOF decreases along with a decrease in focal length, and small digicams use lenses of very short focal length.

PhilR.

pjblevin · Jul 20, 2005, 8:33 PM

PhilR: Yeah, I remember from my old Nikon. Aperture priority........speed would automatically adjust........I could see what I was gonna get. I was just hoping that there would be SOMETHINGout there smaller than my Nikon. But I guess not. Oh, well.......I'll just have to live with the realities of digital cameras. But I'm so spoiled with the small size that I know I'm never gonna go back to a full-size SLR. I just wish that there was something in between.......in size. Thanks.

style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000"pjblevin

amicah22 · Jul 20, 2005, 9:22 PM

as far as I know it is the istds, you get dof preview using the same switch you use to power on, I believe the 350d has it as well but the pentax is smaller (although the canon is lighter

BillDrew · Jul 20, 2005, 9:57 PM

If you have enough time to preview the depth of field, you likely have enough time to shoot a test shot and look at the results on the LCD. Magnification on playback would seem a real good idea.

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Jul 20, 2005, 5:38 PM	#1
pjblevin Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 3	What are the smallest digital cameras that have manual depth-of-field settings? I want to be able to blur the background, and I also want to be able to see what I'm going to get before I shoot. I'd appreciate any help in this matter. Also, I'd like to see a list of all the cameras that would fit into this category. Thanks. pjblevin

Jul 20, 2005, 6:42 PM	#2
PhilR. Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 440	Only a dslr will allow you to stop down the lens, thereby allowing you to "preview" the DOF. DOF is not a setting per se -- it is the aperture that affects DOF, so you want something that allows you to manually set the aperture. I find it preferable to have a camera that has aperture priority setting, so you can let the camera decide what shutter speed is appropriate for the aperture you just selected. See the reviews for cameras with manual exposure modes. No small digicam will give you much in the way of DOF. DOF decreases along with a decrease in focal length, and small digicams use lenses of very short focal length. PhilR.

Jul 20, 2005, 8:33 PM	#3
pjblevin Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 3	PhilR: Yeah, I remember from my old Nikon. Aperture priority........speed would automatically adjust........I could see what I was gonna get. I was just hoping that there would be SOMETHINGout there smaller than my Nikon. But I guess not. Oh, well.......I'll just have to live with the realities of digital cameras. But I'm so spoiled with the small size that I know I'm never gonna go back to a full-size SLR. I just wish that there was something in between.......in size. Thanks. style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000"pjblevin

Jul 20, 2005, 9:22 PM	#4
amicah22 Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 76	as far as I know it is the istds, you get dof preview using the same switch you use to power on, I believe the 350d has it as well but the pentax is smaller (although the canon is lighter

Jul 20, 2005, 9:57 PM	#5
BillDrew Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Hay River Township, WI Posts: 2,512	If you have enough time to preview the depth of field, you likely have enough time to shoot a test shot and look at the results on the LCD. Magnification on playback would seem a real good idea.