A95 and telephoto lens for blurry background

[Monarque1972]

Hi guys! My first post here :)

As an amateur photographer, I'm extremely pleased with my new Canon A95. The only thing I'm looking for is being able to take pictures with a nice bokeh effect (blurry background) and I know it's not something easy to achieve with small digital cameras. So it's my understanding that with a telephoto lens, I will be able to get my bokeh effect! Am I correct???

If so, I'm scared that using such a lens will degrade the quality of my pictures. Once again, Am I correct ?

Thanks guys!!

[Caimin]

Try using the camera in apeture mode, with the aperture at something 2.8. The get in close on your subject. This should add a blurry background.

[Jon]

A shallow depth of field (what you're looking for) is easier to achieve at long focal lengths and wide-open apertures. As Caiman says, the closer you are to the subject (and the further the subject is from the background) the shallower your depth of field will be. The short focal lengths of most digital P/S cameras do make a good shallow depth of field hard to get. If you can't get what you want at f/4.9 and maximum telephoto (23.4 mm), you'll need to use a telephoto adapter lens. On the positive side, a good telephoto adapter is easier to make than a good wide-angle adapter, so you won't degrade the image as much with a telephoto as if you were trying to use a wide adapter. If you use maximum resolution and minimum compression, you should be able to get reasonably-sized prints without any apparent distortion under normal viewing conditions. Of course, the pixel-peepers will always be able to find a problem.

[Monarque1972]

Thanks Guys!


In fact, I did manage to blurr some of my backgrounds just a little with the proper settings, but that's just not good anough for me! As for the telephoto lens, I don't intend to print larger than 4'' x 6'' and I always take my pictures in full resolution...so maybe I could get away with nice blurry background without any apparent loss of quality!!!


Maybe I'll give photoshop a try to artificially blurr the backgound. I've seen pretty convincing examples, but it must be hard sometimes to separate the subject from the background without any noticable "side effects" ?


regards

[Bodryn]

You can get an adapter for the A95 - I have one for my A70 and I bought a 3x telephoto for it that seems to give very nice sharp photos. Might be worth a try if you don't want to get another camera yet. It will block your viewfinder though so you'll have to use the LCD screen to compose your picture. I do most of my telephotos using the S1 IS which has a built-in 10x optical zoom. It saves trouble but I don't know that it's any sharper than the A70 with telephoto attachment.

[Monarque1972]

That's good news!!


Thanks a lot!!

[2112]

Or you could take it back and get a Digital Rebel :p The A95 was what? $350-$400 then you are looking at another $150 or so for the adapter and conversion lens which puts you at $500. You can get a D-Reb with a lens for another $100 and get a MUCH better and more versatile camera with a lens that will allow you to do what you are looking to do :D What you are talking about is called "depth of field" and there is no way to accuaratley get it with a point and shoot camera that has a fixed lens and a tiny 7mm image sensor. You need a camera like a D-Reb with a good lens that has a nice focal range and a full size 22mm sensor. I am not knocking the A95, its great for snapshots but to create a photo like you are talking about, you need a more professional camera.

[Monarque1972]

Well here in Canada the a95 is worth 500 + taxes and that was pretty much the maximum amount I was willing to pay. Also there's a MAJOR drawback to the D-Rebel. It lacks a flash exposure compensation, which is IMHO a very important founction (that I have on my A95 by the way and that I'm using very often). So as I said, if I can simulate a good bokeh effect with photoshop or some other similar software, everything will be fine for me!! :)

regards

[Jon]

One of the exercises in Complete Digital Photography by Ben Long, Charles River Press, deals with blurring the background of a couple of pictures. The 3rd edition's just out; the exercise was in the 2nd which is still on the shelves some places so check before you buy. I'm sure other books include a similar exercise.