around the house / # 3673-75 ~ slicing it thin

July 24, 2020

IT CAME TO MY ATTENTION A FEW DAYS ago that, if one were to be in a must-have-FF-sensor delirium state of mind, there is a FF sensor camera available for just under $1K (1 dollar under).

While I am not in a FF sensor huff, acquiring such a device has piqued my picture making fancy more than a few times. However, not for reasons one might expect ... I do not want more pixels, more resolution or more whatever. In fact, what I want is less of something, that being DOF.

That written, one of things I miss seeing in picutes made with digital picture making devices is what is known as selective focus. That is:

In photography the term 'selective focus' refers to a technique where the photographer selectively focuses on the subject of an image, essentially ignoring all other aspects of the scene. ... The contrast of the sharp subject against the soft image background creates powerful, contemplative images.

Avoiding dwelling on what most already know, simply put, small sensors (at any given aperture) = increased (apparently) DOF (relative to FF or larger sensors). It is baked into the nature of the magnification beast.

One of the only considerations preventing me from acquiring a FF sensor device- other than "the look" I get from the wife when I bring the subject up-is my use of the PORTRAIT picture making mode on my iPhone. Especially so now that that setting can be used with the iPhone's wide angle lens. It is also very intriquing / useful that, after the picture making fact, I can adjust the DOF-at any time cuz the adjustment is not permanent- to whatever DOF look I desire.

To be perfectly accurate, the PORTRAIT DOF is not perfect. It likes simple shapes rather than very fine details but, that written, 99.9% of the time it gets the job done to my satisfaction.

So, bottom line, I would opine that my current-nothing is forever-satisfaction with the iPhone's PORTRAIT mode is indicative of another hit on the the camera making industry cuz, at this time, I can write that "I don't need no stinkin' FF sensor.