Which lens gives more background blur on a Sony a6500: 30mm f/1.4, 50mm f/1.8, or 56mm f/1.4?
Asked 1/9/2020
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I use a Sony a6500 (APS-C, 1.5x crop) and want the strongest possible background blur for detail shots. I’m comparing these lenses used wide open:
- Sigma 30mm f/1.4 (APS-C native)
- Minolta 50mm f/1.8 adapted to Sony E
- Sigma 56mm f/1.4 (APS-C native)
Ignoring mount type and “full-frame vs APS-C lens” labeling, which of these will produce the most background blur on APS-C? Also, how does the answer change if I compare lenses at the same camera position versus adjusted for the same framing?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
6y ago
2 Answers
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The Sigma 56mm f/1.4 would have the most background blur of the three, but the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 is very close because you need to move much closer for the same framing. The Minolta 50mm f/1.8 will have more depth of field, and not as much background blur as the other two.
The type of lens or "native" mount does not matter. All that matters is the camera format used, the aperture used, the actual focal length of the lens, and the shooting distance. Find yourself an online Magnification calculator, and Depth of Field calculator, and you can run some numbers yourself.
In general "Faster" lenses have less depth of field than slower lenses provided you are shooting them wide open.
Longer lenses tend to have less depth of field, but in order to get the same framing for each photo, you will have to move closer with the shorter lenses. Because you need to move closer with shorter lenses, the differences tend to be cancelled out.
Originally by user39427. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user39427
6y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
The lens being “full-frame” or “APS-C” doesn’t matter for blur by itself. What matters is focal length, aperture, focus distance, and framing.
For the three lenses wide open on your a6500:
- Most blur at the same camera position: Sigma 56mm f/1.4
- Then: Minolta 50mm f/1.8
- Then: Sigma 30mm f/1.4
That’s because the 56mm f/1.4 has the largest entrance pupil and strongest subject/background separation.
If you change your distance to keep the same framing, the comparison gets closer. In that case:
- 56mm f/1.4 still gives the most background blur
- 30mm f/1.4 is quite close because you must move closer with it
- 50mm f/1.8 gives more depth of field / less blur than the two f/1.4 lenses
So for maximum blur on APS-C, the 56mm f/1.4 is the best of these options. The 30mm f/1.4 can still produce very strong blur, especially in close detail shots. The adapted 50mm f/1.8 won’t outperform the faster 56mm f/1.4 for background blur.
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