How should I set a Canon EOS 50 and 35–80mm lens for black-and-white candid portraits indoors?
Asked 2/13/2011
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I’m shooting black-and-white film on a Canon EOS 50 with a 35–80mm zoom. Most of my portraits are candid shots of friends and family in places like restaurants, fast-food stores, and malls, where the light can vary a lot.
I want the subject in focus with a blurred background, and I’m still learning how aperture and depth of field relate. I’ve heard advice to use very small apertures like f/19 or f/22, but when I do that I run into shutter-speed problems and exposure issues.
With this camera and lens, what settings or approach make the most sense for shallow depth of field and usable exposures in mixed indoor lighting on black-and-white film?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
15y ago
2 Answers
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There are no "correct" settings. The settings you need will depend entirely on the lighting on the day, the subject you're photographing and what kind of photograph you are trying to produce. Therefore this answer can't be responded to with anything more concrete than general advice.
It sounds like what you need is to expand on your base knowledge of photography and exposure. I would recommend that you buy a copy of Bryan Peterson's excellent "Understanding Exposure" which excellently explains the relationship between shutter speed, aperture and ISO and caters for both film and digital photographers.
I shoot my Canon AT-1 with ISO400 all the time, you don't need heavy filters to achieve well exposed photos - you need to understand how to read your camera's built in light meter and how best to configure the settings to achieve the desired result.
Originally by user3664. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user3664
15y ago
0
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For blurred backgrounds, don’t use f/19 or f/22. Those are very small apertures and give more depth of field, not less. You want a small f-number: use the lens as wide open as possible, around f/4–5.6 on your 35–80mm zoom.
To increase background blur with that lens, also:
- get close to your subject
- keep the background farther away
- use the longer end of the zoom when possible
Your exact shutter speed and aperture will always depend on the light and the film speed, so there is no single “best” setting. In dim indoor locations, wider apertures are especially helpful because they let in more light and avoid overly slow shutter speeds.
If you’re using slower film such as ISO 100/125, bright light usually won’t cause shutter-speed limits. With ISO 400 in very bright light, you may need an ND or strong color filter to cut light if you still want to shoot wide open.
Overall, the main issue is exposure basics: aperture, shutter speed, and film speed all work together. For your goal, start wide open rather than stopped down.
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