Bokeh Comments & Critiques

[bigbadmike]

Pic from Charleston, SC where there is more fancy ironwork than you can imagine. I like the quantity of bokeh in this but how is the quality? Taken from the nikon kit lens so I'm not expecting stellar results, just more of what I should look for/anything that could of been done to improve it. Composition, exposure etc are all wide open for advice as well.

 

[stephanieclark]

The quantity is fine. The cropping is a bit off... im thinking the bottom of the first ring should be included in the photo and the upper right post should be excluded.

 

[tirediron]

The quality of bokeh is really a rather subjective thing, however this lens, like many other consumer-grade lenses produces what I think of as a fairly harsh, 'rolled condom' type of bokeh. I think the image has potential, but I would have preferred to see a little more of the iron scroll work, and I think some lighting to reduce the deep shadows would have helped as well.

 

[Quentin_Moyer]

If you're just experimenting with DOF, that's good. As for the quality of the bokeh, it's not the best, but you are using a kit lens. Notice how some of the spots are simply "out of focus" and not actually bokeh? For instance, there are still sharp, jagged edges on the trees to the left of the frame. You want everything to evenly blur together.
I believe KmH called it "hollywood bokeh", that's what you're looking for...


EDIT: Tirediron beat me to the post. His word is probably worth more anyway

 

[joealcantar]

Looks like you have a nice copy of whatever lens it is. Remember the settings as it may be it's sweet spot, most lenses have one.
That hot spot (sun) is kind of distracting, maybe splitting it with the bar may have helped tone it down a little. Person walking on the pathway away or towards you out of focus would have been cool. Know you wanted Bokeh comments but I like the lens being sharp.
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Shoot well and thanks for sharing, Joe

 

[KmH]

Many people don't really understand what bokeh is, and use the term incorrectly to describe DOF.

A photographer cannot control the quantity of bokeh, nor can a photographer control the quality of the bokeh a lens produces by adjusting depth-of-field.

Bokeh is a static quality that is a function of the lens design and optics used. A couple of the major factors that affects the quality of bokeh is the number of lens aperture blades and their shape. The more aperture blades there are the closer to an perfect circle the lens aperture is and the rounder the aperture blade edges are, the creamier the bokeh the lens can produce.

One of the best lenses for bokeh is Nikon's 'Cream Machine" the AF 85 mm f.1.4D. The 85 mm f/1.4D has 9 curved aperture blades, each having nicely rounded edges. In contrast Canon's inexpensive EF 50 mm f/1.8 II only has 5, almost straight, sharp edged, aperture blades, and produces a jittery, nervous, jaring looking bokeh.

 

[MTVision]

So I am fairly new at all this but I agree that the sun is distracting. That seems to be where my eyes automatically go too. I like how the walkway/road looks between the scroll work (really nice) but having the whole scroll would've been better. What kind of camera and lens are you using.

 

[MTVision]

If you're just experimenting with DOF, that's good. As for the quality of the bokeh, it's not the best, but you are using a kit lens. Notice how some of the spots are simply "out of focus" and not actually bokeh? For instance, there are still sharp, jagged edges on the trees to the left of the frame. You want everything to evenly blur together.
I believe KmH called it "hollywood bokeh", that's what you're looking for...


EDIT: Tirediron beat me to the post. His word is probably worth more anyway

I only have a kit lens as well. I've only had my camera for 3 weeks. Should I buy a better lens right off or learn my camera first with the kit lens?

 

[Quentin_Moyer]

If you're just experimenting with DOF, that's good. As for the quality of the bokeh, it's not the best, but you are using a kit lens. Notice how some of the spots are simply "out of focus" and not actually bokeh? For instance, there are still sharp, jagged edges on the trees to the left of the frame. You want everything to evenly blur together.
I believe KmH called it "hollywood bokeh", that's what you're looking for...


EDIT: Tirediron beat me to the post. His word is probably worth more anyway

I only have a kit lens as well. I've only had my camera for 3 weeks. Should I buy a better lens right off or learn my camera first with the kit lens?

People ask this a lot, it's been debated. IMO you should only buy more gear when you think your skills have outgrown what your equipment is capable of.

 

[bigbadmike]

This was taken using a d40 with the 18-55 f/3.5-5.6 EDII. Settings were right down the middle, f/4.5 at 1/80th of a sec, I think you might be right about it being a sweet spot.

MTVision, I personally haven't tired of the kit lens(es, I have to 55-200 as well) and have enough fun without dropping big money on something nicer. Certainly I would wait longer than 3 weeks to make a move but I know getting into a new hobby is exciting and the urge is to buy as much gear and accessories as possible lol.

Thanks for the words of wisdom everyone, much appreciated. In hindsight I could've and should've taken way more shots of this place but I suppose you know what they say about hindsight...