Canon S2 lens advice - shallower DOF with sports shots?

[cat]

Hi I'm just beginning to think about buying extra lenses for my Canon S2 and was wondering if there is anything out there that will improve my DOF with sports shots? I've posted a couple of examples of what I'm currently achieving with the camera but long for a blurred background rather than everything appearing in focus. I've been working in fully manual mode as I have to have a fastish shutter speed but despite yesterday's glorious sunshine camera wouldn't let me drop the fstop below 3.2 - maybe this was because I was using the extreme end of the zoom? I don't know... certainly had nothing to do with available light as it happily let me up the shutter speed to 1/1000 and more... regardless of this the camera only drops to 2.7 and I don't find this to be a true reflection of 2.7 in anything but macro. If anyone uses their camera for this type of photography and could advise I would be very grateful :)

http://www.snappycat.co.uk/alfreton7_small.jpg

http://www.snappycat.co.uk/alfreton9_small.jpg

http://www.snappycat.co.uk/alfreton31_small.jpg

http://www.snappycat.co.uk/alfreton28_small.jpg


more here http://www.snappycat.co.uk/alfretonthumbs1.html

[ktixx]

The problem you are having is that P&S cameras have much smaller sensor sizes than DSLR's (See Image Below) (Canon S3 - 1/2.5"). This smaller sensor increases the DOF that your camera has. Getting good Bokeh (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=define%3A+bokeh) is very difficult with a point and shoot. In addition, the incredible images you usually see from professional sporting events are taken with 300-400mm prime lenses allowing the photographer to use f/2.8 and still have the subject completely in focus. This is very difficult to do without the correct equipment.

Overall - Nice photos - if you want to get that bokeh look you could always photoshop the images.



http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/graphics/tut_digital_sensor-sizes.png

Take a look at this link as well - http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/depth-of-field.htm

[BowerR64]

Your settings look right, i thought you had the apature wrong but looking at the info of your shots you have everything right.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y191/BowerR64/Camera/DOFdidnttake.jpg

The only other thing you can do is edit it a little, i hope yo dont mind i ruined your shot. They all look really good IMO.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y191/BowerR64/Camera/fakedof.jpg

This is a poor edit job, im not really good at editing but its just an example.

[cat]

no I really like that! could you tell me how you do it? I have photoshop but generally just clone the ruddy fixed pixels out and crop and correct colour etc! Am I right in thinking that buying a lens won't help then? I've been quite impressed with samples I've seen of macro photos with the raynox lenses but sports shots seem to be less common so its difficult to find out whether adding a different lens might help? Thanks for the help so far - greatly appreciated.

[BowerR64]

I think if you google how to blur an image there are tutorials on each step, there maybe better ways then mine to create a neat dof effect that looks more realistic.

What i did was use the smudge/sharpen/blur tool on the left side tool bar. I then adjust the brush size for larger areas and then fine for close around the subject. Then i just kinda guess how much blur there needs to be. I havnt done this alot so i think if you study some pictures that have a real DOF effect you can get a better idea how to do it.

When you took these shots did you focus on the players cloeser to you? The one i edited looks like the players are to the right so did you focus on them then move the camera to the left so they were composed that way?

I thought there was a "spot focus" you could set so that the camera focuses more on the spot?

[XaiLo]

This was taken with a Canon TC-DC58B about 9-10' away. If I get an opportunity I'll try and see how it works with people. hth

http://www.designsbyxailo.com/uploads/aug06/feeder.jpg

[cat]

I think if you google how to blur an image there are tutorials on each step, there maybe better ways then mine to create a neat dof effect that looks more realistic.

What i did was use the smudge/sharpen/blur tool on the left side tool bar. I then adjust the brush size for larger areas and then fine for close around the subject. Then i just kinda guess how much blur there needs to be. I havnt done this alot so i think if you study some pictures that have a real DOF effect you can get a better idea how to do it.

When you took these shots did you focus on the players cloeser to you? The one i edited looks like the players are to the right so did you focus on them then move the camera to the left so they were composed that way?

I thought there was a "spot focus" you could set so that the camera focuses more on the spot?

You can shift the focal point on the S2 but I find it too time consuming with fast moving sports like football... so the answer is yes - I focus on the action then frame how I like it by moving the camera!

Xailo - that looks fab! would be interested to see how that performed with sport shots.

[BowerR64]

But the auto focus tries to focus on straight lines. If you look at some of your pictures i wonder what it has chosen to focus on? I need to try some action shots.