Depth Of Field; What Controls Out-Of-Focus Effects - Samsung NX 1 User Manual

Concepts in Photography

Depth of field

The depth of field (DOF) is the focused area around the subject.
In general, the DOF can be shallow or deep. In photos with a shallow DOF,
the subject is sharply focused, the background is blurred and the subject
stands out. In contrast, photos with a deep DOF have all the elements of
the photo in sharp focus.
You can create a photo with a shallow DOF by using a telescopic lens or by
selecting a low aperture value. You can create a photo with a deep DOF by
using a wide angle lens or by selecting a high aperture value.
Shallow Depth of Field Deep Depth of Field

What controls out-of-focus effects?

DOF depends on the aperture value
A low aperture value indicates that the aperture has a wide opening. The
wider the aperture, the shallower the DOF becomes. Conversely, a high
aperture value indicates that the aperture has a narrow opening. The
narrower the aperture, the deeper the DOF becomes.
50 mm F5.7 (Wide aperture,
lower aperture value)
50 mm F22 (Narrow aperture,
high aperture value)
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