Home

Please support mflenses.com if you need any graphic related work order it from us, click on above banner to order!
SearchSearch MemberlistMemberlist RegisterRegister ProfileProfile Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages Log inLog in

So what's all the fuss about bokeh?
Post new topic   Reply to topic
Home   Manual Focus Lenses
View previous topic :: View next topic  


PostPosted: Mon Sep 03, 2012 3:30 pm    Post subject: So what's all the fuss about bokeh? Reply with quote
Until I joined this fine forum, I understood what bokeh was, but using my AF lenses on my DSLR, I didnt really experience good, proper bokeh. I read a thread where a chap has a collection of Helios lenses and was comparing thrm, Now I got one the other day on a Zenit. I decided to give it a proper trial.

Armed with my Nikon DSLR, manual nikkor 50mm f1.8, the Helios 44M and a couple of Zuiko's that have been adapted to Nikon (with infinity focus, but that's another tale...) I went down to our local meadow flower corridor to see what it was all about.

I shot at full aperture on the Helios and the Nikkor, while shooting at about 1/1600th. The results astounded me I must admit. here are two similar photos taken at about the same distance with both lenses.



Now I understand the expression 'creamy bokeh' I understand now why helios lenses have such loyal fans.



PostPosted: Mon Sep 03, 2012 4:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Between these two, i d go for the helios.
Nice.


PostPosted: Mon Sep 03, 2012 4:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Are all the 1.8 shots that busy? if so I'd sell it and look for a 1.4


PostPosted: Mon Sep 03, 2012 4:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
To do a proper test and comparison you'd have to put the camera on a tripod to make sure you don't move between shots. Because when you move just a few centimeteres here or there or turn the camera at just a slightly different angle you can get very different background. The longer the lens, the more this is true. But yeah, different lenses will produce different results. It wouldn't be interesting if they were all the same. Smile


PostPosted: Mon Sep 03, 2012 5:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Lightshow wrote:
Are all the 1.8 shots that busy? if so I'd sell it and look for a 1.4


If you want an un-fussy background a sheet of neutral card would be cheaper than a 1.4 lens. Wink


PostPosted: Mon Sep 03, 2012 5:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
And to be fair, the 8mm lens difference and any lens to subject difference could have contributed to results.


PostPosted: Mon Sep 03, 2012 7:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
At this focusing distance, +8mm focal length makes a huge difference in how the background is thrown off focus.


PostPosted: Mon Sep 03, 2012 9:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Lightshow wrote:
Are all the 1.8 shots that busy? if so I'd sell it and look for a 1.4
Is there a Helios 58mm f1.4 then?

Its bad enough keeping your macro subject in focus at f1.8 never mind at a wider aperture. Using wide apertures on macro is against everything we were taught about photography, small apertures, good depth of field are essential.

The shots were taken specifically to test bokeh only. if an f1.4 lens came my way I'd have it because I'd use it in low light, they were designed to catch more light, not designed to create shallow DOF, or super bokeh those are just side effects.

Esox lucius wrote:
At this focusing distance, +8mm focal length makes a huge difference in how the background is thrown off focus.

I didn't know it would make that much difference, but I tend to agree, perhaps this is why Helios lenses are so prized.


PostPosted: Tue Sep 04, 2012 2:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
This post discusses faster Russian Lenses, no helios 58mm though.
http://forum.mflenses.com/fastest-russian-production-lens-t52489.html

I'm of the understanding that the helios 44 is well regarded because it is cheap, resonably fast, reasonably sharp and has swirly bokeh.

Also, the closer you can get to your minimal focal distance of your lens, the blurrier your background highlights will be take this for example: http://craftedbyben.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Kings-Park-August-2012-5-of-17.jpg

I shot this at F11. Yes, this is a dedicated macro lens, this shot was taken at the lenses minimal focal distance (approx 40cm).


PostPosted: Sat Sep 08, 2012 3:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
the lenses are slightly different in speed and focal length. test results not reliable
Post new topic   Reply to topic
Home   Manual Focus Lenses
Page 1 of 1