About bokeh

[nikonuser]

What is the relationship between f-stop and zoom when you want to create nice bokeh?

Eg. What is the difference in the bokeh you get when say you do a f2.8 at 100mm and a f5.6 at 200mm?

[noordin]

Go and shoot and then compare the pictures.

[ND40]

The greater the zoom, you might get more blurry background. But it really depends on situation.

For example, when you take close up or macro. You are way close to the object. The distance of background with the object much more greater than the distance object with your camera. This is one way to create the blurry background. How much to blur, this have to depends on situation if you dont have wide aperture to compensate. i tried 200mm @ f/5.6....the background is blur, but it will not as creamy as how those wide aperture lenses can produce. *poison*

On the other hand, if you have great budget for those bazooka, you can get those wide aperture lenses. The wider the aperture, the narrower the DOF (Depth of field or Depth of focus).

50mm f/1.8 would be the cheapest lens for you to invest. It is cheap, but it produce sharp pictures. If budget not a big concern, and you love portrait a lot, then 50mm f/1.4 would be a good lens to bring home. *poison*

They are various way to create them. The worst you can go, print out a big blurry landscape, and ask the model stand in front of it. Then you can create the bokeh...ahahah...anyway...just kidding....

My 2 cents. Please correct me if i had mislead him.

By the way... you can take a look @ this thread.. i had take both picture @ 200mm and aperture @ f/5.6...
The Assassin and The Target (http://www.shutterasia.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2860)

[ShaolinTiger]

No you are right, the longer the focal length the more compressed the picture is and the less Dof you have.

So generally longer lenses (200mm, 300mm etc) have creamier backgrounds.

For cropped sensors though about the best perspective you can get is at 85mm or 105/135 for full frame.

[nikonuser]

Thanks. Reason I ask is because I don't have any lenses to test and I'm deciding on getting the Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 HSM + Nikkor 55-200mm VR f/4-5.6 or remain with my kit Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 + buy Sigma 50-150mm f/2.8 HSM

So I'm not sure which combination will give the nicest bokeh and at same time gives me the flexibility to cover most focal lengths.

ND40, your cat photo @200mm at f/5.6 still does not give the bokeh I want or is it because of the background?

I have attached examples here so show what I mean. They are cropped with just a tiny part of the subject left - enough to give you an idea as I need to protect the privacy of the owner.

And can anybody tell me if the background of the 2nd pic is altered to give that distinct highlight look or will this happen straight out of camera due to the very narrow DOF?

[kenntsc]

hi nikonuser,
y not u ask robin himself hehe...
i think he is using 80-200 F2.8 vr for the pictures above.

[ShaolinTiger]

Second one the background is over-exposed - that's all.

It depends on a lot of factors too, distance of subject from background, contrast/tone between subject and background, highlights in background, relative light level, focal length, minimum aperture and so on.

[nikonuser]

:0 Oops kenntsc...tsk tsk this is copyright material man. I'm actually waiting for his reply on my question about his usual lens. Better not rain him with so many trivial questions pros like him won't have time to entertain me la :redface:

So I guess the best is to get another long focal length f/2.8 lens. This is gonna be an expensive affair.

[csjian]

:0 Oops kenntsc...tsk tsk this is copyright material man. I'm actually waiting for his reply on my question about his usual lens. Better not rain him with so many trivial questions pros like him won't have time to entertain me la :redface:

So I guess the best is to get another long focal length f/2.8 lens. This is gonna be an expensive affair.

r u using D40? otherwise, shoudl get Tamron 17-50 rather than get Sigma 18-50 IMHO then + 70-300VR :p poison!!

[nikonuser]

I'm using D40X and on limited budget. Maybe I'll just settle for Nikkor 55-200VR - the blur looks ok to me. But I'm poisoned by the 50mm f/1.8 wanna get that too but manual focus only on my D40X :(. I saw this one gives good bokeh and sharp.

[nikonuser]

Bought the 50mm F/1.8. The bokeh is just fantastic! But at 1.8 the DOF is too shallow for portrait. I think F2.8 is better for portrait.

I need to manual focus on D40X which maybe take couple secs more so for candid shot is tough - at least it can auto-expose :).