BATTLE OF THE BLUR : Camera technique Vs Lightroom YOU DECIDE THE WINNER !

Technology will take out the fun of photography…..

When you can actually use masking its gonna be usefull.

I prefer learning camera techniques well vs. overdoing with AI. But your example was a perfect reason to use the light room technique at 50%.

It’s over done.

I do not think it is simply a matter of laziness.
Some people simply can't afford high apertures at certain focal lengths.
Although, many people can't afford Lightroom subscriptions either.

I didn’t know about this feature. I’m going to check it out on some of my photos

It was hard to tell on some of those images. I am not a fan of huge idits but this feature was very helpful this past weekend. I was taking family portraits so I was using a wider lens and a deeper depth of field when I saw a touching family moment. I quickly took the shot but later in processing noticed it was way too busy with the background in focus. I blurred the background and made it a bit darker in photoshop and now the photo shows the moment I wanted to capture.

Although i don't use Lightroom and i tend to do background blue in camera sometimes it would be useful

Got it right on the AI blur.

I've been doing photography for just over 2 years, and I'm really enjoying the leg work, the learning process, I find this really sad, it's getting to the point where anyone can just take a photo and have AI do it for them, yes I know you can't stop technology, but it's taking away our ability to think for ourselves.

I don't use LightRoom, so I won't be using this feature. However, the app I do use, Affinity Photo, while not having a specific lens blur feature, can use layer blurs and subject masking, to replicate the effect. It's a lot of editing work though, and I'd probably just rather set it it up in camera.

I got a hoot out of you saying, "...clearly, out of focus..." :)

Thanks for this LR update Paul! I'm always going to do the best I can in-camera. That said, if LR improves an image I've done my best on, I'll heavily consider the blur. To me the photo of the Pelican was interesting: when too much of the foreground stayed in focus it almost looked fake, like maybe a miniature that is used in old movies and too much foreground (like water splashing) looked out-of-place.

Hi Paul. Thanks for your informative videos. I have learned so much already. I have a Panasonic Lumix 100 MKII point and shoot camera. (similar to that Fuji camera you had on one of your latest videos. Mine has a shutter speed dial, aperture dial, and exposure compensation dial. It can do Auto mode, Program mode, Aperture priority mode and shutter priority mode.
Can you perhaps make a few tutorial videos on how to use these cameras?
Landscape, Portrait, Fast Action (freezing images with fast shutter speeds), blur back and foregrounds (shallow depth of field and blurring subjects on purpose like waterfalls etc), and night photography?

Regards Johannes in Cape Town South Africa.

Great video as always! I have the Nikon Z50 with the 2 kit lenses, then later added the 40mm f2. Would appreciate your input if I should invest on another lens that is good for the budget, especially for a non-professional like me. Also, are step up rings any good? Just seeing that some are having issues removing them. Thanks a lot Paul!

As an experienced hobbyist, I got 50/50 correct. AI is formidable, but I don't use it.

Nice video Paul-Got two wrong in that-I think using it is a great option to have if you like -Thanks for the video I enjoyed it a lot 👍

Yes I can!! Been using it for the last few weeks...needs some work, but have been giving feedback!

Hi Paul, i got two of them wrong, i like good old photography technique but this is good if you have a distracting background like a rubbish bin. Also i believe you can still have fun with Lens blur and experiment to see the different results. I agree with what you said Paul that we are living in a digital world and you can have a lot of fun with AI. Thanks for this video i really enjoyed it. 😃

I guessed right, the picture on right had AI blur

I got it wrong.

To be honest, I got the first two wrong but after that, it was a little easier to figure out because the artificial background blur does not have the nice texture that the in camera blur has. I have a 50/1.8 and love the separation it creates. Very entertaining video! Thank you!

I probably wouldn't use that particular feature, I enjoy the creativity of the in camera skill use. I feel that takes away from the photographers creativity when using such a tool.

I prefer to blur my background with the lens.

I was right 1/2 the time

Hi Paul, another interesting video, thanks for sharing. With regard to the lens blur feature, I'll try and stick to getting depth of flield right in camera if I can, but if used sparingly, I'm sure the AI version will be perfectly acceptable. For me, its like "do you drive a manual car or an auto" .. both work, its all really about preference. Early auto gearboxes were proper clunky, but more modern ones are so much better. I dare say the AI lens blur feature will be very similar in terms of how it performs.

Will this be available on the mobile version of Lightroom

Good tips again Paul.

Thanks for sharing this excellent video. Can we use the lens black blurr feature of light room to apply lens blurr and to print large size prints out like banners without pixilation of image?

I guessed right, but for the average person I doubt it will matter much. Quick and easy is the new norm. I do try to control blur in camera when I can, but will definitely consider this feature should the situation arise. Sometimes I go to gaussian blur in PS, but this looks easier.

Yeah, done it right :) there so much more in lens than onky bokeh, the swirly lights, some barrel distortion, shapes od blurr changing while they reach to the edges, but I shoot with cheap vintage lens that's why I put huge attention to those details. Moreover as always- ai cannot render hair or fur properly

I like to do bokeh in camera. Snapseed has lens blur feature for changing photos on your phone. Sometimes you can't bring your 75-300mm lens with you LOL.

Thank you!!

I got it wrong

here in blighty i will continue to use aperture to control blur. Even though there is a free trial of lightroom i will not be using it. i feel it's better to get to know one editor rather than keep changing, and with having to pay for lightroom if youre going to continue i think i will stick to free editors

HI thanks for the tutorial, and yes i really do love the new feature in Lr.

I tried to use the background blur in light room on my car photography but I didn’t like it and I got it right

You really don’t red an expensive camera and lens anymore. It is truly amazing what you can do at a fraction of the price.

My philosophy is to 'get it right in the can' as much as possible. Thus I would probably not use this feature very much.

Nice video, Paul, but I want to get it right in-camera so I dont have to rely on software to fix a photo.

I got them all correct but I think it’s because to my eye the AI background blur “lightened” the background. I watched it twice and I am convinced it’s lighter. I will certainly give it a try.

Got all correct although the sign with boat image was more a guess but it's a not for me type of thing, I'm definitely a do every thing i can with camera and lens combo kinda person who still only edits in Canon DPP4 since starting photography in Jan 2019.

This is an option in the editing software in my phone. Google Pixel pro.
For a phone, the editing software is quite impressive

I got it wrong.