Taking the background in an image and blurring it is currently the big thing in mobile photography. HTC touted the feature when raving about the M8's duo camera. Google added a similar lens blur effect in the camera app it recently uploaded to the Play Store. Samsung, too, unsurprisingly packed this feature in alongside the plethora of others it crams into the Galaxy S5. Now Sony has uploaded its pre-existing effort to the Play Store, where it can more easily roll out future updates.

Sony's background defocus app lets photographers bring an object into focus by blurring out the background, simulating a shallow depth of field. It does this by capturing two photos with different focus settings. The app remains exclusive to certain Xperia devices, but here are the instructions Sony's provided for those who are able to use the feature.

How to use Background defocus:

1. Start the Camera and select Background defocus as camera mode

2. Tap the object you want to focus on in the viewfinder

3. Tap the camera key to take a photo

4. Change the blur level and blur effect with the controls on the screen

5. Tap the save buttonTips for best photos:

Xperia owners can get their hands on the app via the widget below.