Seems that dSLR's are becoming favored. I use a D90 instead of a gg adapter that I tried out with my HV20 (consumer camcorder with 24p). Not enough light, the lights I would have needed would have cost what the D90 did, even if I ran diy guerilla lighting... I would have needed lights on 3 different residential circuits to light a wide shot of a medium sized room to f2.4 on the 35mm lens without using camcorder gain- ACK!
Cinematographers use a variety of tools to manipulate their audiences emotions. One of these is dof, of course, and shallow DOF is more often used due to a desire for it than the lack of suitable lighting and emulsions. Hollywood DOPs get all the lighting they want, lenses that in many cases can't be owned, and a staff of dozens just for the photography. Sometimes less is more, shallow dof increases their "production value" by better conveying the intended story and better suspending disbelief.
Suspension of disbelief- In a portrait you have only the model there... not the room behind her. With a vase of flowers you might have only them, setting a romantic mood. Images are emotional tools, not intellectual ones- sometimes a dreamy blurry background best conveys the intended emotion, so use it if it works for your style and the shot.
