Where does shallow end?

[Ryan Patrick OHara]

Ok, so I know DoF depends on three elements and this is a very open ended and non specific question... but I'm just curious if anyone else thinks the same as I.

 

But, if you had to shoot a film (S35mm) with 'normal' coverage (some ECU's, CU's, mediums and wides) and you had to pick and stick with one working T-stop... which stop would you consider the end of 'shallow' and where do you consider the stop being a 'deep' stop.

 

Again, I understand the focal length and subject distance matters... so I guess assuming we are using an assorted normal lens range (25mm-100mm) with assorted average coverage, what would you say.

 

Obviously no right or wrong answer... it's kinda like asking where you feel wide-angle lenses turn to 'normal' lenses and where 'normal' lenses turn to telephoto.

 

I would personally say that, on average, a stop of T/2.8 is the end of the shallow side, and T/4 would be the beginning of the middle area. I'd then venture to say T/8 and above becomes 'deep'.

[Adrian Sierkowski]

I'm just gonna go the easy way and say 5.6; right in the middle ;). I'll also add that for myself I' like to generally work around a 4 and sometimes, when I wanna go a little crazy, I'll wanna be no deeper than a 2.8. But this is all just academic.