DP2 M does Brenizer

[peterb]

There's a really cool photomerge technique called the Brenizer method (so named for it's inventor, wedding photographer Ryan Brenizer). The technique creates an image with an eerily shallow depth of field (read Noctilux) but....as if it were taken with a wide angle lens. The technique basically stitches a number of shots (all taken with a locked focus at the widest aperture) around a central subject and using either photoshop's own panorama algorithm or one of several really excellent specific photo-merge/stitching software out there stitches them into montage into one amazing image. The thing is TYPICALLY the best results are had with a fast medium telephoto lens (like an f1.4 85mm) and that provides enough shallow DOF. But with the unique optics of the DP2 M which seems to be capable of creating really shallow DOF at f2.8 I wondered if it would be possible to pull it off. Well...I think the results speak for themselves. A central image with DP2 M sharpness standing out from a nicely blurred background. Enjoy!

 

[Millsart]

There is nothing unique about the 30mm f2.8 lens on the DP2M other than its very good optically across the frame. Aside from a slightly different formula, its quite similar to the also very good Sigma 30mm f2.8 lens for the Sony NEX.

They also have the same DoF (I've owned them both) as they are both 30mm f2.8's on a 1.5x crop APS-C sensor.

Again, I'm not saying the 30mm DP2m lens isn't great, but simply that there is nothing magical about it. Its not able to ignore the rules of optical physics and produce a shallower DoF than its focal length/aperture would suggest at a given camera to subject distance

 

[peterb]

You're right. I was just pleased that the DP2 M could be used for this.