Strange bokeh - Canon 85 f/1.8

[keith204]

I've noticed that theblurred dots with my 85 f/1.8 look more like footballs than dots. Is this normal? I don't like it.

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[usayit]

strange... never saw that in my copy.

Is it in more of your photos? Perhaps the lights in the background are not point lights? Aperture diaphragm ok?

[ANDS!]

I've noticed that theblurred dots with my 85 f/1.8 look more like footballs than dots. Is this normal? I don't like it.

What shape are those lights. Do you have anything else with the similar shape?

[Munky]

i Love Bokeh!!!!!!!!!!!!
Although they DO look as Footballs hahaha

[O|||||||O]

I haven't noticed this with mine either.

What aperture was this shot at?

Maybe you have sticky aperture blades...? Seems unlikely, but who knows.

[keith204]

Here are two more, from a few months ago. Christmas lights, yet again. Then, I look at my EXIF and I took these with my 70-200 f/2.8L IS

I know Christmas lights aren't circular, but I didn't figure they'd all be pointing in such a pattern

[keith204]

I haven't noticed this with mine either.

What aperture was this shot at?

Maybe you have sticky aperture blades...? Seems unlikely, but who knows.

f/1.8 on the 85mm (band one) and f/2.8 on the 70-200 (bride)

I looked through some pBase photos of the 85 f/1.2L II and only saw *one* with Christmas lights blurred in the back, and it did the same thing.

[O|||||||O]

...hmmm.


I guess it's normal then... Strange.

[keith204]

I can't yet find an explanation for this, but after looking at more photos online of Christmas-lights bokeh, this is not uncommon. In particular, it is very common when the bokeh is significantly more.

I used a full frame camera for both scenarios. Maybe it's the way bokeh is warped when it gets to the edges of the circular glass the lens? Maybe full frame cameras just show this more?

[O|||||||O]

Some time this week (I'm off all week) I'll try shooting some Christmas lights and see what happens...

[usayit]

Hood or no hood?

[keith204]

Hood or no hood?

Wedding:hood
Band:none

[Battou]

It's the angle of the lens coppared to the angle of the lights. in the band photo the lights appear to be up higher so I assume the filter threads acted as a short hood.


If you look closely, the lights lower down in the band photo are still round little balls.


Additionally I have a great shot of nothing but light orbs taken with a Canon 50mm 1.4 that exibits this very occurance of football shaped orbs and round ones.

Gimme a minuet to two to find it.

*EDIT*

Taken with Canon FD 50mm 1.4 on Canon EF

See it bigger here

No hood used

[Garbz]

Easy. The light takes the shape of the aperture. When something in the middle of the frame comes through the lens it is perfectly round, like the aperture itself. However at extreme angles one half of the light is the shape of the aperture the other light is obscured by the front of the lens, or some other round element in the lens. It only happens when you shoot wide open.

You'll find that just stopping down 1 stop will eliminate this, as the extreme angles required would now be out of the frame. errr at least on a APS-C camera anyway. I assume maybe more than 1 stop would be required on full frame.

[keith204]

ahhhhhh, makes a lot of sense now. Thanks a bunch!