Does anyone know specifically how to accomplish "depth of field"?

If you want to have a deep depth of field where many things in the background are in focus you raise the aperture numerically.

Lowering it numerically makes the depth of field shallow.

 

This was shot at f/1.8
boring unrelated, unhelpful pic

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This is 5.6

boring unrelated, unhelpful pic

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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/57248092@N08/5269449155/" title="Capture by badman11123, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5049/5269449155_b0b098df1d.jpg" width="500" height="303" alt="Capture" /></a>

 

Along with a larger aperture, the longer the focal length the smaller the depth of field.

 

As well as the closer to your point of focus you are.

 

^^ right.

Learn the exposure triangle.

Depth of Field = Aperature
Shutter Speed
Film Sensitivity = ISO

All three help control the amount of light coming in, and apperature specifically further helps control depth of field.

Apperature is also described as an f-stop. It is the numerical representation of effectively how "open" your camera lens is. Your apperature number represents a fraction, with the # being the denominator. So an f-stop of 64 for example reflects a smaller aperature/opening than an f-stop of 4. Ansel Adams famously used very small aperatures (large f-stops - f64), which in turn create a depth of field where the entire field is in crystal clear focus. I'm not an expert, but have heard this described as a smaller opening lets less light in, and as a result, there is less "chaos" flying around in the exposure, whereas a large aperature let's a lot of light in, but in doing so let's in a lot of "chaos" / "information", and as such the exposure then can only focus on the one item, with everything else in the background blurred (this effect is also often described as bokeh).

Wiki is good - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aperture

Keep in mind, the high f-stops / small aperatures often require longer shutter speeds to compensate for the small amount of light, in order to properly expose. Alternatively, you can increase your ISO (old school = film speed), though doing so too much creates a grainy shot.

 

I just re read your question.

Better answer is: Set the focal length to smaller (if you have the kit lens set it to 24mm or so) set the aperature higher like 8 to 10, and then set the lens to MF for manual focus. Then when taking video manually focus what you want to take.

 

nevermind

 

T2i is a great camera, I bought one in April and love it.

Here's the first video I shot with it to test depth of field.

 

I think he is trying to accomplish the opposite. To get a small depth of field, you want a longer focal length(farther from subject) and larger aperature(smaller number).

 

Yeah he never said but when he said effect I guessed that also and deleted my post you quoted.

This is pretty tough to do on a T2i because you have to manually focus. Most people want the opposite so the focus will look decent. Good luck.

 

Do you want a deep or shallow depth of field?

 

Thanks. My video is an example of deep depth of field. I'm not certain, but I believe it was shot in Aperture-priority mode at around F22.

 

Then follow the advice I gave before and then deleted. Rockbox quoted it. Large (numerical) aperture, small focal number

for instance
f/16
24mm

Instant success.