Bokeh effect - how?

[Gary Lockhart]

Hello all,

I just got two of the NX5U cameras and was testing them out. I'd like to know the settings to use to achieve the bokeh effect.

Thanks

Gary Lockhart

[Edward Carlson]

Three things affect your depth of field: focal length, aperture, and distance to subject.

Increasing the focal length decreases DOF. Eg: a 24mm lens will have more DOF than an 80mm lens, all other things being equal.
Opening the aperture (lower F stop) decreases DOF. Eg: F2 has less DOF than F5.6.
Moving closer to your subject decreases DOF.

Hope that helps.

[Gary Lockhart]

Thanks for the reply. I have a basic working knowledge of how to achieve the effect, but I was looking for specific instruction for the NX5U. I have tried everything but cannot achieve the bokeh effect while looking through the viewfinder or the screen.

Gary Lockhart

[Edward Carlson]

Another thing that affects DOF: frame size, or in this case, sensor size. A 1/3" sensor will have more DOF than a 1/2" or 2/3" sensor.

[Kyle Root]

Bottom line - you're going to have a tough time getting good bokeh out of the NX5U.

This weekend, I was shooting a promo and brought along my Nikon 1 V1 camera. I used a 30-110 lens with it. At a quick glance on my computer last night, I'm finding that I much prefer the video I shot with that combo, over what I did with the NX5.

Anyways, you're going to need a larger sensor camera to get good background blur.

[Ron Evans]

The closest you can get is to set macro focus to ON in the menu, get within 2 feet of the object and focus with the background a long way behind the object. If you are looking to get the interview look with peoples faces in sharp focus and the background out of focus you will not do this with the NX5U.

Ron Evans

[Rob Cantwell]

yeah the sensor is too small for those kind of shots that you can get with the big sensor cams.

I had a test shot using my NX5, i've uploaded to show what you might achieve

bokeh NX5 on Vimeo

bokeh_NX5 - YouTube

Rob