Camera Labs

Hi,

I have been always shooting with a lumix lx3, which has really good IQ, but after shooting for a week with a GF2 I realized how shallow DOFs you can get with a larger sensor. Even using the kit lens provided with the GF2 (14-42mm) you can get a realy nice shallow DOF at 42mm. Which is great for portraits. Was never interested in bokeh of macro pics but now I am for portraits and a more wide stuff.

So I decided to buy new camera that allows me more creativity with the DOF. But I don't want to spend to much money, so I was thinking in spending max 800 euros (living in germany) in a new gear.

Okay, I came up (based on costs given buy amazon.de) with the olympus PM1 (with 12-42mm lens) + VF-3 (view finder) + Olympus 45mm 1.8 for 659 euros total. The only problem is that I am afraid that at 1.8 (to create a shallow DOF) the 1/4000 secs shutter of the PM1 would overexpose.

The other alternative is the Nikon V1 + 10-30mm + 30-110mm for 560 euros. Using the lens with bigger zoom to create the shallow DOF.


If anybody has any idea what would be the best I really appreciate. Or if you can suggest a better gear feel free. I don't care about the camera being small or large etc... But I do care about the price, I can't spend a lot o money.

Cheers and Thanks!

The general concept is that the larger the sensor, the shallower the depth of field potential. As you also noted, more zoom or larger aperture can also help to narrow the depth of field, with the three together yielding the maximum ability to control depth of field as needed through sensor size, larger aperture, or more focal.

Your best bet would probably be to move up to a mirrorless camera, which can give you that larger sensor. M4:3 will give you shallower depth of field compared to a small sensor P&S. Move to Samsung NX or Sony NEX, and the larger APS-C sensor can give you even shallower DOF. With the kit lens, you've got a chance when using max zoom, but longer telephoto or faster apertures would be advantageous, even with APS-C sensors. If you're worried about F1.8 being too big an aperture in bright light conditions, you can always use an ND filter to allow you to use the larger aperture.

Some last-year models of Oympus Pens, Sony NEX, and Panasonic GH are on sale in the $350-500 range, and would probably be the ones to look at. The Nikon V1 sensor is quite a bit smaller than the M4:3 sensors, so will be more difficult to produce that shallow depth of field effect without much more telephoto or background distance. The Sony NEX would yield the best shallow DOF effect of the mirrorless set (along with the Samsung NX), and paired with either a fast 50mm prime or a telephoto zoom would be the best bet - the 5n and F3 models are on sale, and even the older C3 might still be around for even less. Any of the M4:3 or APS-C mirrorless would work better than what you've got.

_________________
Justin Miller
Sony DSLR-A580 / Sony 18-250mm / Minolta 50mm F1.7 / Sigma 30mm F1.4 / Tamron 10-24mm / Tamron 200-500mm / Tamron 90mm F2.8 macro / Minolta 300mm F4 APO
Sony NEX5N / 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 / 55-210mm F4-6.3 / Pentax K adapter / Konica K/AR adapter / bunches o' Konica & Pentax lenses!

Galleries:
http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg

Thanks for the answer.

I was not even considering Samsung Cameras.

I found one nx 1000 with kit lens and 30mm f2 lens for €700. This 30mm will give me the DOF flexibility I think. And it has dslr size sensor.

I believe that this is the right combo for shallow DOF.

Thanks

You're welcome. And for future expansion within that system, you might look for a decent 60-90mm fast prime - that'll be a very good portrait type lens, allowing a little more distance and very shallow DOF. The Samsung 85mm F1.4 is a nice lens, but not cheap. Rokinon makes a manual focus lens in the same focal and aperture for a lot less money - might be worth looking into if you don't mind manual focus. plus, with cheap adapters, you can use a whole bunch of older manual lenses in various mounts (I use Konica, Chinon, Pentax, Canon, Minolta, Soligor, and Vivitar lenses from the 1980s and 1970s on my NEX via adapters) - you can pick up some of these lenses for $5-20.

_________________
Justin Miller
Sony DSLR-A580 / Sony 18-250mm / Minolta 50mm F1.7 / Sigma 30mm F1.4 / Tamron 10-24mm / Tamron 200-500mm / Tamron 90mm F2.8 macro / Minolta 300mm F4 APO
Sony NEX5N / 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 / 55-210mm F4-6.3 / Pentax K adapter / Konica K/AR adapter / bunches o' Konica & Pentax lenses!

Galleries:
http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg

What about used cameras?
A Canon 450D with 50mm 1.8 doesnt cost you a lot, but the quality is definitely there! Or better, the Sigma 30 1,4 instead of the Canon.

_________________
Ruben

Panasonic DMC-FZ18, Panasonic DMC-FZ28, Canon G5, Canon 350D, Canon 50D + BG-E2N
Tamron 17-50 2.8, Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM,
Canon 18-55 II plus lots of Minolta MD/M42 lenses and bodies