Blur background

[Seleneruiz155]

We just got T6i and I been messing around with it but can't figure out how to blur the background while recording

[TTMartin]

Digital Photography 1 on 1: Episode 12 Depth of Field

[Waddizzle]

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@Seleneruiz155 wrote:
We just got T6i and I been messing around with it but can't figure out how to blur the background while recording

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Recording?  Do you mean while recording video? 

How much the background blurs depends upon the focal length you're using, your aperture setting, and the relative distances between the camera, subject, and background.  Basically, you get more background blur with a long focal length, a wide aperture, and a relatively close object compared to a more distant background.

Perfect focus is achieved along a plane that is a constant distance from the camera.  As objects move away from that plane of perfect focus, either toward the camera or away from the camera, they will become more and more out of focus.  Depth-Of-Field describes a range of distances, with the plane of focus more or less at the center, that have what is described as "acceptable focus".

Here is a chart that helps me select lenses to use in different situations. 

http://www.dofmaster.com/doftable.html

Your camera is too new to appear on this chart.  Choose a Canon camera with a similar APS-C sensor size, like the 7D.

[ebiggs1]

If all you have is the normal T6i kit (18-55mil) lens it will be difficult to do at normal distances.  A lens with a large (f2.8 or bigger) aperture makes it easier to blur the background. The ef-s 17-55mil f2.8 for example.

[TCampbell]

The video that Mr. Martin posted is an excellent tutorial on the topic.  

But answering those questions might just generate even more questions such as... now that you know there are limits to what you can expect to achieve with your current lens... which lens might you get to allow for this shallow depth of field effect?

There is a website called Pixel Peeper that might be helpful.  They don't actually host images... they simply index the images already posted to Flickr which include all the exposure data and make it possible to see what a lens is capable of doing.

Here's the link to the page with Canon lenses:  https://pixelpeeper.com/lenses/canon/

Suppose you want to see sample images produced by any specific lens... let's just pick on the Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM.

You'd click that lens in the list and this will show lots of pictures (and members "vote up" what they believe to be the best examples.)  But this lens works on both "APS-C" sensor cameras (which is the sensor size of your camera) as well as "full frame" digital sensor cameras.  The look will be different based on sensor size.  So after you pick the lens, you'll notice there are some filters you can enable... you can set the camera sensor type to "Crop (APS-C or smaller)" to eliminate the samples from full-frame cameras.    You can even set the focal ratio range... so if I wanted to see only those images that were shot at f/2 or lower then I can set the upper limit to f/2 and the lower limit and click "show photos" to apply your new limits and show you examples of photos with that lens using a camera with the same sensor size as your camera and at the focal ratios you are interested in seeing.

If you click on any image, they always open the iamge at full size (100% size -- so 1 pixel in the image is 1 pixel on your monitor) and in most cases that will be much larger than your display.  This is so you can pan around the image and scrutinize the detail.  But you can get it to show you the images at other sizes as well.  

If you want to try out a lens without fear of "buyer's remorse", considering renting a lens.  There are lots of places that will rent a lens to you for just a few days.