I'm trying to take some shots using f/2.8 to blur the background and enhance my main subject but it's not working.

Very familiar with this with a 20D digital camera starting to get frustrated with the poor results. Everything is okay, except for the bokeh.

Can you help me?

Unfortunately you still camera has a larger CCD which gives it shallower depth of field than a 1/3" camcorder. Pretty much the only solution is moving further away and zooming in.

Have a look at Jeff's "ultimate depth of field skinny" for all the details:

http://dvinfo.net/articles/optics/dofskinny.php

You can find a handy DOF guide here (http://www.panavision.co.nz/main/kbase/reference/calcFOVform.asp) courtesy of Panavision, NZ. You enter focal length of your lens, your f/stop, distance to subject, and select your format, and the guide will calculate your DOF. You can compare DOF for 35mm still cameras vs 1/3" video, and see the actual difference between formats.

Wayne Orr, SOC

Thank You Boyd and Wayne.

I wasn't aware of the 1/3" CCD issue. Seems like I'll have to buy some sort of tele lens for the VX-2100...

Kindest Regards,
Gustavo

You can get some spectacular differential focus effects using the VX Gustavo. Just follow these simple rules.

1) Use the ND filters and up the shutter speed so that the aperture says 'open' in the v'finder.

2) Shoot at 72 mm focal length.

3) move as close to your subject as possibel

4) Have the background as far away as possible.

tom.