DOF in bright light is it possible?

[Dennismc]

I have a what may be a dumb question.

In shooting outdoors in very bright sunlight, is it possible to get any dof at all?

I was shooting some snowmobiles on the lake today for practice, and realized rather quickly that a f1.8 is way to open for it. Had to go to 5.6 and was ok, but then there was no bokeh at all.

So is there something I have not realized that I need to do to get a small DOF with very bright light?

[outamyway]

ND filter.

Faster shutter speed.

the 2 I'd try first.

[wannabephotographer]

Filters and shooting at really high shutter speeds might help. But very bright sunshine is very tough to work with.

[LoveDSLR]

Assuming you want to shoot at Exposure Value (EV) 16 (bright daylight on sand or snow) with your D40x at ISO 100, f/2 & 1/4000s (EV 14) then you need ND filter(s) to reduce the intensity of light by EV 2.

[CapnJack]

Maybe a polarizer filter, if you already have one. It's not the same as a neutral density filter and it adds another bit to potentially adjust (polarizer angle).

[inkista]

As everyone's saying, fast lens, low ISO, fast shutter speed, ND filter:


Canon XT. OM-mount Olympus Zuiko 50mm f/1.2+adapter ring. ND4 filter (two-stops).
iso 100, f/1.2, 1/2000s.

Or. Use a longer lens. Or better, long Zeiss glass. The 3-d "pop" is characteristic of Zeiss glass.


Canon 50D. Contax/Yashica Zeiss Planar T* 100 f/2 +adapter ring.
iso 100. f/4. 1/1000s.

[Windwalker]

Depth of Field is controlled in 3 ways.

1.The smaller the aperture the greater the DOF.
2.The further away from your subject you are the greater the DOF.
3.The wider the angle of the lens the greater the DOF

Since you were shooting snowmobiles I don't think your problem is with the bright sunlight as much as #2 and #3 above.

[Athas_orm]

I think a neutral density filter may help you can cut out 80% of light if thats the type of thing your going for.

[LeeR]

Look, part of learning photography is learning which techniques to use in which situations. Bokeh is fine, but it works best under a specific set of conditions. If you are shooting in different conditions, rather than try to force an effect that doesn't really work, why not pursue other effects that do? My experience is that when I try to force a technique I rarely get anything I am happy with.

[OsmosisStudios]

Originally Posted by LeeR

Look, part of learning photography is learning which techniques to use in which situations. Bokeh is fine, but it works best under a specific set of conditions. If you are shooting in different conditions, rather than try to force an effect that doesn't really work, why not pursue other effects that do? My experience is that when I try to force a technique I rarely get anything I am happy with.

I think this is a terrible way of looking at it. Shallow DoF is a technique that can and should be used whenever appropriate. Just because the camera can't achieve a shutter speed fast enough to get the desired aperture doesn't mean one shouldnt do it.

That's why when in Alaska this summer, my 50mm f/1.8D had a 3 stop ND filter over it most of the time. I was shooting 400iso film and wanted shallow DoF. My FE only goes to 1/1000s, so there are many times where even with a 3 stop ND I was pushing up against the top speed. Does that make my photos from that trip "wrong"?