How can I get a shallow depth of field with a Canon 550D and 18-55mm kit lens?
Asked 10/26/2012
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I'm new to using manual camera settings and have a Canon 550D with the 18-55mm kit lens. I want to create photos with a blurred background and shallow depth of field, but I'm not sure which settings and shooting techniques will help most with this lens. What should I do, and are there limits to what the kit lens can achieve?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
13y ago
2 Answers
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The aperture of that lens is 3.5 - 5.6. That means that that lens will not give you a very shallow depth of field, but in most cases it will be enough.
If you shoot manually or in aperture priority mode, remember to always have the f-stop (apeture) number as low as possible. Shutter-speed and iso will not effect depth of field.
A tip if you want a shallow depth of field is to take photos quite close up to the subject. If you take a photo far away from the subject you wont get that blurry bokeh we all love.
Originally by user10132. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user10132
13y ago
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Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes, you can get some background blur with the 18-55mm kit lens, but it has limits because its maximum aperture is only f/3.5-5.6. That means it won’t produce as shallow a depth of field as a faster lens.
To get the most blur:
- Use Aperture Priority mode (Av) or Manual.
- Set the aperture to the lowest f-number available.
- Get close to your subject.
- Keep the background farther away from the subject.
- Zoom in if it helps your composition.
Shutter speed and ISO don’t directly change depth of field, but ISO may need to be raised in low light so you can keep using the widest aperture.
If you want much stronger background blur, a lens with a wider maximum aperture will help a lot. A 50mm f/1.8 is a commonly recommended option, and constant f/2.8 zooms are another step up.
So: with your kit lens, use the widest aperture, shoot close, and separate your subject from the background. For more dramatic shallow depth of field, consider a faster lens.
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