Impossible Depth of Field

Someone asked on Stack Exchange how to control the Depth of Field manually, and I had this idea that I’d like to share:
Using a color ramp to control a defocus node it’s possible to do fun (and impossible) things:






http://www.pasteall.org/blend/28021

Nahhh, just a field sobriety test. :wink:

Yes also use this technique for fake depth maps on real photos when making miniature world style. I use circle blends to create a sharp spot.

Btw the effect seems to be failing with foreground occlusions, you might want to multiply by the z depth.

Yeah, breaking the laws of physics!

Interesting effect. But yes, that ‘5’ looks odd. The fuzziness should overlap the ‘6’. And the ‘3’ and ‘8’ maybe, although behind, should show some fuzzy overlap.

Reminds me of debunking a UFO photograph back in grad school. The out of focus ‘saucer’ was behind a TV antenna on a roof. A fellow physics PhD student and I were discussing how the fuzziness should look, if that were a real flying saucer. We weren’t sure. But the debunking came when the exact same fuzzy oval appeared in the next photograph, of a kitchen floor. Keep your camera lenses clean, everyone!