How to get shallow depth-of-field effects with any camera

Many photographers turn to full-frame cameras and fast lenses to get shallow depth of field, but what if you only have a smartphone or a basic compact? 

While it certainly helps to have a camera with a large sensor and a wide-aperture lens when trying to achieve shallow depth of field, it’s still possible to achieve these same kinds of effects to some degree on cheaper compacts and cameraphones, without resorting to digital manipulation. 

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Matt Golowczynski

The former editor of Digital Camera World, "Matt G" has spent the bulk of his career working in or reporting on the photographic industry. For two and a half years he worked in the trade side of the business with Jessops and Wex, serving as content marketing manager for the latter. 


Switching streams he also spent five years as a journalist, where he served as technical writer and technical editor for What Digital Camera before joining DCW, taking on assignments as a freelance writer and photographer in his own right. He currently works for SmartFrame, a specialist in image-streaming technology and protection.