focusing with a miniDV

[uberLC]

Using manual focus, I'm trying to focus on an object while making the background blurry. Thing is however, the camera blurs or unblurs the whole picture, not just the background.
Is there a way to do this? Do I need to fix it durig post?
:?:

 

[desktopmunchies]

Move the camera as far away from the subject as possible and then zoom in. This gives you a very tight depth of field.

 

[Digigenic]

Remember, image stabilization is very difficult to maintain when utilizing the telephoto to its' greatest length to crush the depth of field. So, you'll have to keep most of the shots on a pod, or on a steadicam with an operator who drinks decaf.

There are other tricks, like using a "softscreen", which essentially is nothing more than a slightly distorted piece of plastic that is placed directly behind a subject and framed accordingly by camera to simulate a shallow depth of field, but the people who sell it charge too much, I'm not sure where they get the material or if they make it themselves. It's worth looking into though, I believe Michel Gondry used it in Eternal Sunshine...

I'm not aware of an economical and realistic post process that allows you simulate a shallow depth of field, Discreet probably has something, but again, it's not economical. 8)

 

[Hamco]

yea, easiest option is to zoom it right in.

 

[ppgpilot]

Couldn't one alternatively go for maximum aperture, opening the iris as wide as possible, like f/1.4 for a shallow/narrow depth of field?

If you have controlled lighting and can prevent too much light in the scene, wouldn't this be an effective way to narrow one's depth of field and still shoot steady-cam or handheld (off the tripod)?

PPGPILOT

 

[ralck]

Another thing to look into, would be a 35mm adapter. It allows you to get the shallow DoF of a 35mm lens very easy. Yes, you can change aperature or zoom in, but you can't always do that in the lighting you have to work in or the location you are shooting in (not to mention the fact that DV cameras still can't give you as good a DoF as 35mm film can because the film is recording on a much bigger surface).

There are professional ones out there anywhere from $300-1500. Of course, there are a ton of DIY tutorials out there for adapters. I'm working on one myself and I'll let you know how it goes.