what is "bokeh"?

JonMikal · Nov 23, 2005

i keep running into this term but have no clue what it means.

danalec99 · Nov 23, 2005

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bokeh

JonMikal · Nov 23, 2005

thanks Dan and thanks for that reference site...looks helpful!

ferny · Nov 23, 2005

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=25929&highlight=

More examples.

LittleMan · Nov 23, 2005

bleh... Nikon users...

LaFoto · Nov 23, 2005

LittleMan said:
bleh... Nikon users...

Why that remark, Chris?
Is the word restricted to Nikon users or so?
Not from what I know.

By the way, it surprises me to no end that "The Great JonMikal" asks this question.
Not that I had known what bokeh means when I first came here.
Actually I was totally clueless.
But then I put it into Google one day because I wanted some clues, just so I would not longer be so TOTALLY clueLESS any longer, and decided I am happy with the definition "Bokeh stands for the aesthetic quality of the background blur in a photo".

And it is pronounced with equal stress on both syllables "báw-ké". So they said in that one site that I found (and would now no longer find because I never bookmarked it or so).

LittleMan · Nov 23, 2005

LaFoto said:
Why that remark, Chris?
Is the word restricted to Nikon users or so?

I was just kidding LaFoto.

JonMikal · Nov 23, 2005

LaFoto said:
By the way, it surprises me to no end that "The Great JonMikal" asks this question.

i do this so you'll remove "great" when referencing me

LaFoto · Nov 23, 2005

But what does it sound like?

"The JonMikal of TPF" ... so ... normal!

And you are admitting you KNEW what "bokeh" stands for, after all

--- you only want to get rid of the "great"?
By the way, that Photo Themes thread on "The Land of Bokeh" has some really, really nice examples by TPF members. I like that thread very much! (I like the Photo Themes, but I think I have said so often enough by now.......)

Rob · Nov 23, 2005

I have this image of Corinna shouting at someone going "Bad Bokeh!".

JonMikal · Nov 23, 2005

LaFoto said:
But what does it sound like?

"The JonMikal of TPF" ... so ... normal!

And you are admitting you KNEW what "bokeh" stands for, after all --- you only want to get rid of the "great"?
By the way, that Photo Themes thread on "The Land of Bokeh" has some really, really nice examples by TPF members. I like that thread very much! (I like the Photo Themes, but I think I have said so often enough by now.......)

no, i really didn't. i like getting help from this forum rather than searching through hundreds of google hits. tpf hasn't failed me yet :thumbup:

jstuedle · Nov 23, 2005

Just as an aside, when mirror lenses first became popular, every major news agency had to have some. The Nikkor 500 f/8 was in heavy use with the AP. They have a very unique bokeh, very recognizable. Little doughnuts of color in the background.