What is bokeh and how do I get some?

[ru32day]

I've seem some shots and discussions in this forum and elsewhere about bokeh - from what I can see it's bright fuzzy circles in you background - is this right? There have been discussions about which lenses bokeh best etc. What sort of setting do you use to get the effect? Would it be available with the standard D70 kit lenses (18-70 and whatever - 300) - or is it available only with better quality gear?

thanks for your help.

[MCWB]

Boke(h) is a term that pertains to the appearance of the out-of-focus regions. Any time you have things that are not in focus you can discuss their bokeh. What makes good bokeh? It's personal (as most things artistic are). Generally harsh shapes = bad though.

[Matt. K]

ru32day
Boke, or bokeh as it is sometimes called is a Japenese term that refers to the beauty of the out of focus area of a photograph. Different lenses render this in different ways. It is most striking when, say a portrait of someone taken outside in the woods show the background slightly out of focus, but with a soft, creamy type of appearence that enhances the image overall. There is no way to measure this and it is subjective in nature and open to the personal opinion of the viewer. However...it is a very real aspect of many images. Some lenses are coveted for their ability to provide pleasing boke.
Hope this helps.

[christiand]

the Bokeh is about the blurry background you would like to have
when taking a photo of an object that needs all attention and the background doesn't.
This could be a portrait or a flower etc.
Depending on the aperture setting or F-stop setting you will get different
Bokehs.
Different lenses will give you a different bokeh.
Now the tricky bit is about choosing the lense that does the right bokeh at different focal lenghts and different distances.
I for myself found that the kit lens is quite capabale of giving a nice bokeh.
The 50mm 1.8 ist also ery nice for giving beatiful Bokeh.

HTH
regards
Christian

[Mj]

Ok... without getting too technical here bokeh actually refers rendering of the entire background by the lens. The preferred result is a nice soft blurry background with light points rounded and fuzzy. Pretty much all lens can produce a picture displaying these attributes given the right conditions but some are more pleasing than others.

Try taking a picture with your kit lens set to 70mm f/4.5, a subject fairly close and some background some metres behind... you should produce an in focus picture of your subject (or part thereof) and the background should be out of focus... and there you have some bokeh to admire and analysis!!! Good bokeh adds a pleasant tapestary to the pictures subject, bad bokeh creates distraction.

Michael.

[Mj]

oh... forgot to mention... my avatar is a good example of bad bokeh !!!

[ru32day]

Thanks to all for your help.

...and thanks MJ for the settings to try. Will give it a go tomorrow.

[gstark]

Actually, bokeh can also refer to the foregound. The primary reference though is that it's the out of focus areas of the image, and that they don't distract from the primary subject of the image.

[Onyx]

While it's arguable what constitutes "good" bokeh, I think it's universally recognised that mirror reflex lenses on the whole tend to produce rather "bad" bokeh - by nature of their optical design, they render objects not in focus as a distinctive and often distracting doughnut shape (instead of round).

[MHD]

How to get ood Boke:
Beg with the wife to get a second morgate just to cover some strange little hobby you have and keep telling her "some day I will make money out of it" and "some day I will put that camera down and get to what I said I would do"



My fav lens (so far) for Boke, the 85mm f/1.4

[kurokaze204]

So is this good Boke? I took it with my 70-300G about 3m from target who was about 4m in front of the hedge.

http://www.pixspot.com/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=10023&pos=0

[Onyx]

Yes, and may I suggest fill flash needs to be stronger or present as there are some unflattering shadows across her face.

[birddog114]

Can anyone tell me what difference between bokeh and sake?
I can have lot of warm sake then I can't get any bokeh, is this normal?

[Mj]

Simple answer Birddog... sake is the cause, bokeh the affect.
Contrary to your assertion... lots of warm sake will most likely provide ample bokeh background, foreground and midground !!!

[sirhc55]

When I wake up of a morning (or afternoon) all I see for the first 10 minutes is bokeh

Chris

[birddog114]

Simple answer Birddog... sake is the cause, bokeh the affect.
Contrary to your assertion... lots of warm sake will most likely provide ample bokeh background, foreground and midground !!!

I have to wait till June, order fresh sake from Japan and try again to see if I can get more bokeh out of it.