Samsung NX2000 user manual DOF depends on aperture value, What controls out-of-focus effects?

Concepts in Photography

Depth of field

Portraits or still-life photos mostly acclaimed by people are the ones on which the background is out of focus so the subject looks pronounced. Depending on the focused areas, a photo can be blurred or sharpened. This is called ‘a low DOF’ or ‘a high DOF’.

The depth of field is the focused area around the subject. Therefore, a small DOF signifies that the focused area is narrow and a large DOF means the focused area is wide.

A photo with a small DOF, which stresses the subject and makes the rest of it blurred, can be obtained by using a telescope lens or selecting a low aperture value. Conversely, a photo with a large DOF which shows all the elements on the photo sharply focused can be achieved by using a wide angle lens or selecting a high aperture value.

What controls out-of-focus effects?

DOF depends on aperture value

The wider the aperture is (namely the lower the aperture value), the lower the DOF becomes. Under the condition where the other values including shutter speed and ISO sensitivity are equal, a low aperture value leads to a photo with a low DOF.

50 mm F5.7 50 mm F22

Small Depth of Field Large Depth of Field

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