Camera Labs

Hello,

Sorry to make another post asking about something... Anyways, I have seen many great shots here, and the ones that really catch my eye are the ones with good "silky smooth" bokeh... I was wondering, how do you achieve it? Smaller or Bigger aperture? Faster slower shutter speed???

Thanks!

Eric D.

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Eric D.
Nikon D90 | 18-200 VR
"Less is the new Black"---Chase Jarvis
http://www.flickr.com/photos/25947744@N03/

Some rules for bokeh:

1) Use the smallest f-number you can. It's f5.6 on my kit lense and that's what I use.
2) Zoom in as much as possible. f3.5 at 18mm zoom is not going to get you much bokeh. f5.6 at 70 mm is going to get some much better results. f5.6 at 200mm is going to look bloody awesome
3) Get a good macro lense that has a really small f-number.

I'm sure others will chime in and give you even more advice, but the points I've listed are the basics.

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PhilipGoh.com

Hi Eric,

First of all, the shutter speed is irrelevant so don't bother changing that. Pick as large an aperture as possible(small f-number) and get as close to your subject as possible. The larger the aperture, the longer the focal length and the closer the focusing distance, the smaller the depth of field(DOF) and the blurrier the background.

You can't always control this but if you want the background as blurred as possible, you can try to get it as far away from your subject as possible. This way it is excluded from the depth of field.

Avoid highlights in the background, you don't have to do this but if your lens has a less than desirable bokeh to start with, you can avoid the weird looking bokeh this way. The highlights really show up any negative qualities in the bokeh.

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Graham
Flickr

to achieve the best blur, you'll need quality lens that has small f number
or long telephoto zoom length.

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RadiantLite - Cameras and Lenses Comparison Reviews, buying guide, photo taking techniques and other tips
My Portfolio - Some photos from my work

Thanks.

I do have a Nikkor 70-300 (non VR)... Should I be able to get good bokeh with this lens? I also bought a 50 f/1.8 the other day, wow do I love it.

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Eric D.
Nikon D90 | 18-200 VR
"Less is the new Black"---Chase Jarvis
http://www.flickr.com/photos/25947744@N03/

Hi Eric, check out our workshop on the subject...

Hi everyone,

Correct me if I'm wrong but I heard every lens has different bokeh, some are more appealing and some are less.

For portraiture, I see some are getting better bokeh with old MF lens such as the Konica Minolta Hexanon 57mm f1.2 and some Leica's than with the ZD 50mm, which is considered to produce excellent bokeh among Zuiko Digital lenses.

Longer focal length and larger aperture (smaller f number) gives you shallower DOF, but not necessarily beautiful bokeh.

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GALLERY

yes, exactly chickenchip, not every lens bokeh is the same

Seeing some lenses result so far I like the Canon EF 85mm f/1.2 the best

Bob has posted this lens result in Lens gallery forum.

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RadiantLite - Cameras and Lenses Comparison Reviews, buying guide, photo taking techniques and other tips
My Portfolio - Some photos from my work

yes Eric you could, by setting the focal length > 100mm and smallest
aperture possible.

About 50mm f/1.8 it is very sharp at f4 and f5.6
but i don't know if it create good bokeh or not, can you try and post it Eric?

thanks

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RadiantLite - Cameras and Lenses Comparison Reviews, buying guide, photo taking techniques and other tips
My Portfolio - Some photos from my work

Thanks Enche Zein. So with the 70-300 do I need a focal length greater than 100mm to achieve decent bokeh?

As for the 50 f/1.8, I returned it today and bought a much needed tripod and camera bag

I'll try and dig up the pictures that I took with it and post them.

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Eric D.
Nikon D90 | 18-200 VR
"Less is the new Black"---Chase Jarvis
http://www.flickr.com/photos/25947744@N03/

Eric, bokeh refers to the look of the out of focus blur and not the blur itself. Bokeh is to out-of-focus-blur is the same as IQ is to an image.

So, the quality of the bokeh is really out of your control unless you buy a lens with a better bokeh. If you are referring to getting the backround blurred, then a longer focal length will help but it isn't completely necessary, the other methods discussed above will work too.

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Graham
Flickr

Thanks Graham. I'm uploading the pictures from the 50 f/1.8 now...

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Eric D.
Nikon D90 | 18-200 VR
"Less is the new Black"---Chase Jarvis
http://www.flickr.com/photos/25947744@N03/

Here they are as promised:

1. Eggs:



Camera: Nikon D50
Exposure: 0.02 sec (1/50)
Aperture: f/1.8
Focal Length: 50 mm
Exposure Bias: 0/6 EV
ISO Speed: 200

2. Piano:



Camera: Nikon D50
Exposure: 0.077 sec (1/13)
Aperture: f/1.8
Focal Length: 50 mm
Exposure Bias: 0/6 EV
ISO Speed: 200

I wish I could have kept that lens... but being a student on a (very) small budget, I can't afford much gear, and its best to get the necessities now.

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Eric D.
Nikon D90 | 18-200 VR
"Less is the new Black"---Chase Jarvis
http://www.flickr.com/photos/25947744@N03/

Those eggs are nice! You should submit that for this months "On Assignment"

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PhilipGoh.com

Thanks, I already submitted a photo though.

For future reference, don't submit to early.

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Eric D.
Nikon D90 | 18-200 VR
"Less is the new Black"---Chase Jarvis
http://www.flickr.com/photos/25947744@N03/