Regarding shallow focus, I'd usually like as much depth of focus as possible. I mainly do sports events and wildlife video. Not only do I want to sharply show all parts of the scene, but when key subjects rapidly change their distances from me, good depth of focus is essential for following them. There's a lot more uses for video than the artistic moviemaking that seems to be the main area of interest on these forums.

Steve McDonald

Use a relatively long lens setting with a ND filter if you need to open the lens. You can get a very shallow depth of field.

What can I use on a PD150 to get a god shallow focus?

Exctly what I said. Try it and you will see that at longer focal lengths and an open aperature, the DOF is fairly small. Certainly enough to do some rack focusing although that is a bit tough with the 150.

For example, I just switched on in auto, ND2 in place and manual focus. I was able to focus on the top near corner of a kitchen chair and then shift the focus to the top far corner. This was apparent even in the viewfinder. On a monitor, it would be more apparent.

Understand we aren't talking about a massive amount of focus change but enough for the audience to understand the shift in attention such a change makes.

Add more ND filtering to taste.

Ok, Mike

I'm using the ND2 and a Scneider ND.9 in the mattebox and I can't get any god shollow dof. It's more than nothing but not what I want.

Watch the end of this movie :
http://www.arri.com/infodown/other/movies/What_is_ARRICAM.mov

They are using a shuttersped/iris combination to make the effect. I know the media is something else but it's not just the objectiv and ND.

back up and zoom in on your subject, that should help you get more shallow focus as well