History Main / DepthOfField

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': In [[Recap/TheSimpsonsS31E17HighwayToWell "Highway to Well"]], Marge consuming some cannabis causes her vision to get warped as if it were experimenting depth-of-field issues.

* ''Manga/StardustTelepath'': The mangaka uses FakeCameraEffects to blur the foreground or background to emulate depth of field warping. One example occurs in the 38th chapter, when Umika is comforting Yuu and her phone rings.

* ''WesternAnimation/Ratatouille'': Rémy gets in his own little world when preparing his first soup. He's so focused, that the depth-of-field closes up to focus only on him, blurring the background. His OhCrap realization about being watched (by Linguini) is highlighted by the depth-of-field opening up again and focusing on both human and rat, all the blur vanishing.

SuperTrope of RackFocus and BladeOfGrassCut (cutting from an emotionally intense {{scene|s}} to a still, small object). Related to FunnyBackgroundEvent. Contrast ForcedPerspective and MotionParallax, other CameraTricks meant to create the illusion of depth.

SuperTrope of RackFocus and BladeOfGrassCut (cutting from an emotionally intense {{scene|s}} to a still object). Related to FunnyBackgroundEvent. Contrast ForcedPerspective and MotionParallax, other CameraTricks meant to create the illusion of depth.

SuperTrope of RackFocus. Related to FunnyBackgroundEvent. Contrast ForcedPerspective and MotionParallax, other CameraTricks meant to create the illusion of depth.

Modern video games attempt to emulate the depth-of-field effect of a real camera via a number of PostProcessingVideoEffects. More traditional {{art}} forms can play about with it using UsefulNotes/GraphicalPerspective. {{Manga}}, however, relies on the so-called [[MangaEffects screen tones]] to equate but not mimic what would be close-up shots and shifts in the depth of field.

Modern video games attempt to emulate the depth-of-field effect of a real camera via a number of PostProcessingVideoEffects. More traditional {{art}} forms can play about with it using UsefulNotes/GraphicalPerspective.

* ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'': In [[Recap/SouthParkS11E2CartmanSucks "Cartman Sucks"]], Cartman makes a slideshow comprising a pic of him and Butters in a compromising position. He gets onto detailing all the filters and CameraTricks he applied to it, with one of them being low depth of field so the background remains fuzzy.

* ''Film/TheBatman2022'': When obscured due to the camera's depth of field, Joker looks like he has Ledger's GlasgowGrin.

* ''Literature/VioletEvergarden'': In the anime, most of the scenes where Violet is reminiscing or being introspective are laden with blur effects and large depths of field. They are used to create a vibe of alienation either from other human beings or from her traumatic past.

* ''VideoGame/Uncharted4AThiefsEnd'': The PhotMode lets you tinker with the depth-of-field and field-of-view in order to capture the best of the game's very detailed visuals.

* In [[Recap/BatmanTheAnimatedSeriesE22JokersFavor "Joker's Favor"]], FalseCameraEffects are used to replicate the depth of field refocusing from Charlie's family on the outside and himself on the inside of the house during the course of his call with the Joker.

* ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'': The shallow depth-of-field in most close shots works against them with the advent of HD; seeing Dean's stubble or Bobby's whiskers slip in and out of focus through the course of a scene as the cameraman fails to hold it just right is a common occurrence.

* ''Film/Avatar'': This is the first film to exploit depth-of-field in the 3D effects, evolving them from a mere gimmick to a sure way to bump the visuals. Not only do the CGI-generated characters look more realistic (as they are better focused) but they also stand in sharp contrast against the non-3D background.

* ''Film/KingOfKings'': Several scenes of the film feature a shared shot of two characters --one in extreme close-up and one in the background-- with both of them being in clear focus.

* ''Film/StarTrekVTheFinalFrontier'': The scene where Kirk clings to the ''El Capitán's'' face is shot with large depth-of-field to give the illusion of height.

The span of distance along the shot axis in which objects will be in focus. Determined by focal length and iris aperture. Basically, the smaller the aperture, the deeper the [[TitleDrop depth-of-field]]; pinhole cameras can often produce a razor-sharp picture at the expense of longer, darker exposures. A more open aperture lets in more light, but since it's less directed, as the hole gets wider, the picture overall gets fuzzier (warped, actually). Also note that the closer the subject is, the smaller the depth-of-field will be (especially important in [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macro_photography Macro photography]]) and that the depth-of-field decreases as one increases the focal length.

The span of distance along the shot axis in which objects will be in focus. Determined by focal length and iris aperture. Basically, the smaller the aperture, the deeper the [[TitleDrop depth-of-field]]; pinhole cameras can often produce a razor-sharp picture at the expense of longer, darker exposures. A more open aperture lets in more light, but since it's less directed, as the hole gets wider, the picture overall gets fuzzier. Also note that the closer the subject is the smaller the depth-of-field will be (especially important in [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macro_photography Macro photography]]), and that the depth-of-field decreases as one increases the focal length.

Skillful management of this property is a requirement for RackFocus.

A shallow depth-of-field might be used for scenes set in restaurants and other public settings to keep the background blurry, and thus de-emphasize it for intimacy's sake (or to blur out people in the background who might oppose having their picture taken).

''Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey'', ''[[Film/ANewHope Star Wars]]'', and the 1978 version of ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica|1978}}'' were innovative in that the models of the spaceships looked like large ships which were far away. This was accomplished by, among other things, small lens apertures to ''lengthen'' the depth-of-field, therefore strengthening the illusion.

Long depth-of-field is sometimes ''faked'' by ForcedPerspective --having an object in the foreground be an oversized prop. An example would be the One Ring lying in the snow in ''Film/TheFellowshipOfTheRing.'' The prop ring for that shot was the size of a plate.

* ''Film/EnemyMine'': The crash landing on Fyrine IV is accomplished by filming miniatures with a very shallow depth-of-field.

* ''VideoGame/{{Black}}'': Reloading causes the screen to blur, mimicking an extremely large depth-of-field.

The span of distance along the shot axis in which objects will be in focus. Determined by focal length and iris aperture.[[note]]Basically, the smaller the aperture, the deeper the depth of field; pinhole cameras can often produce a razor-sharp picture at the expense of longer, darker exposures. A more open aperture lets in more light, but since it's less directed, as the hole gets wider, the picture overall gets fuzzier. Also note that the closer the subject is the smaller the depth of field will be (especially important in [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macro_photography Macro photography]]), and that the depth of field decreases as one increases the focal length.[[/note]]

A shallow Depth of Field might be used for scenes set in restaurants and other public settings to keep the background blurry, and thus de-emphasize it for intimacy's sake (or to blur out people in the background who might oppose having their picture taken).

''Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey'', ''[[Film/ANewHope Star Wars]]'', and the 1978 version of ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica|1978}}'' were innovative in that the models of the spaceships looked like large ships which were far away. This was accomplished by, among other things, small lens apertures to ''lengthen'' the Depth of Field, therefore strengthening the illusion.

Long depth of field is sometimes ''faked'' by ForcedPerspective --having an object in the foreground be an oversized prop. An example would be the One Ring lying in the snow in ''Film/TheFellowshipOfTheRing.'' The prop ring for that shot was the size of a plate.

Modern video games attempt to emulate the depth of field effect of a real camera via a number of PostProcessingVideoEffects. More traditional {{art}} forms can play about with it using UsefulNotes/GraphicalPerspective.

* ''Film/EnemyMine'': The crash landing on Fyrine IV is accomplished by filming miniatures with a very shallow depth of field.

* ''Film/PrincessNicotine'': A camera with a large depth of field is used to record a table and the dancing fairies' reflection in the mirror at once in such a way that it seems the fairies are on top of the table.

* ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'': The shallow depth of field in most close shots works against them with the advent of HD; seeing Dean's stubble or Bobby's whiskers slip in and out of focus through the course of a scene as the cameraman fails to hold it just right is a common occurrence.

* ''WesternAnimation/Ratatouille'': Rémy gets in his own little world when preparing his first soup. He's so focused, that the depth of field closes up to focus only on him, blurring the background. His OhCrap realization about being watched (by Linguini) is highlighted by the depth of field opening up again and focusing on both human and rat, all the blur vanishing.
* ''WesternAnimation/VerwitterteMelodie'': The film simulates depth of field in a way that is very innovative for [[TheForties its era]]. I.e., producing it with a multiplane camera.

* ''VideoGame/ChaosLegion'': The PC port doesn't render the graphics very well, which lead to poor quality of the depth of field effects.

* ''VideoGame/GRiD'': The Graphics mode prioritizes donning both characters and scenery with more detailed visuals, so they get shadows and depth of field.

* ''VideoGame/TheOrder1886'': The visuals evoke a cinematic vibe that is accomplished by various PostProcessingVideoEffects, such as depth of field blurs over the backgrounds and when aiming. It also has the nice benefit of reducing the processing power needed to render the game.

* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': From the fourth season onward, the animation gets enhanced by emulating depth of field applied to the background whenever there's a close-up shot of a character. Previously, this technique was reserved for some RackFocus tricks.
* ''WesternAnimation/VeggieTales'': In [[Recap/VeggieTalesEpisode12LarryBoyAndTheRumorWeed "Larry-Boy and the Rumor Weed"]], several CameraTricks, such as playing with the depth of focus, are used extensively when hitherto they were not.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Velma}}'': The simulated depth of field is very inconsistent, with the blurring effect being applied apparently randomly. Stuff is focused when it should be blurred and vice versa.

A shallow Depth of Field might be used for scenes set in restaurants and other public settings to keep the background blurry, and thus de-emphasize it for intimacy's sake (or to blur out people in the background that might oppose to having their picture taken, especially common on shows like ''Law and Order'' which frequently film in crowded areas full of non-acting people.)

Modern video games attempt to emulate the depth of field effect of a real camera via a number of post-production effects, some of which are quite adept while others are decidedly less so. More traditional forms of art can play about with it using UsefulNotes/GraphicalPerspective.