Ultimate lens bokeh image compilation...

krypticide · 03-08-2010, 01:31 PM

So, I'm at this point where I care less about sharpness and CA and flare and so on and more about the overall image quality. One important thing to me is bokeh, and I think others will find it helpful to have one thread that showcases examples of bokeh ("good" or "bad") for each lens. If you'd like to contribute, for ease of search please include the lens name, as well as the aperture setting when the image was taken.

Also, this thread is getting macro heavy, so try posting some non-macro shots too!

I'll start:

FA 50mm F1.4 @ f/2.0 on K20D

Attached Images

View Picture EXIF

Last edited by krypticide; 03-11-2010 at 05:46 PM.

henryjing · 03-08-2010, 01:48 PM

Nice thread. As I know, the FA Limited series provides the most beautiful bokeh among the Pantex lens, however I do not own any of them, somebody can post some graphic here.

henryjing · 03-08-2010, 01:50 PM

Moreover, FA77 gives a prettiest bokeh I have ever seen, I can post some later from some graph taken by others.

Votesh · 03-08-2010, 07:47 PM

Lester A. Dine 105mm Macro @ f5.6

FA* 85mm @ f1.4

wowtip · 03-10-2010, 01:16 PM

K20D + Helios 44-2 @f2.0

I really like the rendering from this lens, sometimes it makes the photos look "painted"... Like this one...

K20D + Helios 44-2 @f??

TKH · 03-10-2010, 01:42 PM

Pentax K7+Voigtländer NOKTON 1,4/58mm SL II.

f2.4

Rainer

J.Scott · 03-10-2010, 03:07 PM

You'd be hard pressed to out-bokeh the lens I just sold; Voigtlander 125mm APO Macro.

It made puree out of backgrounds!
It made a ho-hum photographer like me look like a star.

Attached Images

Naim Khan · 03-10-2010, 03:39 PM

Hi there,
Newbie to this forum. This is a picture that I took 2 or 3 days ago, testing the DA* 50-135. K20D, 135mm, f2.8, 1/500sec

tokyoso · 03-10-2010, 06:58 PM

thanks OP for the thread. what is good bokeh or bad ? do you take it wide open or a couple stops down?

these are some shallow dof shots i took...

18-55 @ 55mm

M 50mm 1.4

tamron 70-300 @200mm

8540tomg · 03-10-2010, 07:21 PM

I kind of like the out- of- focus highlights (bokeh) I get from the old SMC Pentax K 300/4.

Tom G

stevebrot · 03-10-2010, 08:01 PM - **1 Like**

Good bokeh depends a lot on shooting aperture and subject distance. Even lenses known for good bokeh can go flaky at small apertures, moderate distance and high contrast. About the only generalization you can make is that macro lenses tend to be pretty good. As for the lenses in my bag, here is my assessment of the good stuff in descending order by lens:

Jupiter-9, f/4 or wider

Jupiter-9, Probably about f/8

Bad Bokeh with the J-9, also probably about f/8

Helios 44M, Probably wide open f/2

Helios 44M, f/5.6

Sigma EX DG 50/2.8 Macro, probably f/5.6

Pentax-FA 77/1.8 Limited, f/2.4

Pentax-FA 77/1.8 Limited, f/2.8

Pentax-K 55/1.8, Probably f/4

Auto-Rikenon 50/1.7 (M42), about f/4

I should probably add that the only true "bokeh stinker" in my kit is the XR Rikenon 50/2. It is cursed with hard-edged, busy bokeh. The rest of the lenses (including the fisheye!) generally do pretty well.

Steve

tux · 03-10-2010, 08:49 PM

K 50mm 1.2 ... this has the best out of all my lenses

http://img638.imageshack.us/img638/6290/imgp9263.jpg

Stratman · 03-10-2010, 08:59 PM

Tammy 70-300 at 240 MM F7.1

SMC Tak 200MM at F4 with extension tubes

DA 18-55 Mk 1 @ 28mm F8

SMC-M 50MM F1.4

rustynail925 · 03-10-2010, 09:12 PM

DAL 50-200mm F8

rustynail925 · 03-10-2010, 09:20 PM

Tammy 90mm
F5.6

F8

FA 35 @ F2

03-10-2010, 08:01 PM - 1 Like	#11
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Good bokeh depends a lot on shooting aperture and subject distance. Even lenses known for good bokeh can go flaky at small apertures, moderate distance and high contrast. About the only generalization you can make is that macro lenses tend to be pretty good. As for the lenses in my bag, here is my assessment of the good stuff in descending order by lens: Jupiter-9, f/4 or wider Jupiter-9, Probably about f/8 Bad Bokeh with the J-9, also probably about f/8 Helios 44M, Probably wide open f/2 Helios 44M, f/5.6 Sigma EX DG 50/2.8 Macro, probably f/5.6 Pentax-FA 77/1.8 Limited, f/2.4 Pentax-FA 77/1.8 Limited, f/2.8 Pentax-K 55/1.8, Probably f/4 Pentax-K 55/1.8, Probably f/4 Auto-Rikenon 50/1.7 (M42), about f/4 I should probably add that the only true "bokeh stinker" in my kit is the XR Rikenon 50/2. It is cursed with hard-edged, busy bokeh. The rest of the lenses (including the fisheye!) generally do pretty well. Steve Last edited by stevebrot; 03-10-2010 at 10:27 PM.

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03-08-2010, 01:48 PM	#2
henryjing Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: United States Posts: 467	Nice thread. As I know, the FA Limited series provides the most beautiful bokeh among the Pantex lens, however I do not own any of them, somebody can post some graphic here.

03-08-2010, 01:50 PM	#3
henryjing Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: United States Posts: 467	Moreover, FA77 gives a prettiest bokeh I have ever seen, I can post some later from some graph taken by others.

03-08-2010, 07:47 PM	#4
Votesh Inactive Account Join Date: Apr 2008 Photos: Gallery Posts: 817	Lester A. Dine 105mm Macro @ f5.6 FA* 85mm @ f1.4

03-10-2010, 01:16 PM	#5
wowtip Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: West coast Photos: Gallery Posts: 261	K20D + Helios 44-2 @f2.0 I really like the rendering from this lens, sometimes it makes the photos look "painted"... Like this one... K20D + Helios 44-2 @f??

03-10-2010, 01:42 PM	#6
TKH Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany Posts: 371	Pentax K7+Voigtländer NOKTON 1,4/58mm SL II. f2.4 Rainer

03-10-2010, 03:07 PM	#7
J.Scott Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2007 Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,675	You'd be hard pressed to out-bokeh the lens I just sold; Voigtlander 125mm APO Macro. It made puree out of backgrounds! It made a ho-hum photographer like me look like a star. Attached Images

03-10-2010, 03:39 PM	#8
Naim Khan Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Wakefield, West Yorkshire Posts: 177	Hi there, Newbie to this forum. This is a picture that I took 2 or 3 days ago, testing the DA* 50-135. K20D, 135mm, f2.8, 1/500sec

03-10-2010, 06:58 PM	#9
tokyoso Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Tokyo Photos: Albums Posts: 723	thanks OP for the thread. what is good bokeh or bad ? do you take it wide open or a couple stops down? these are some shallow dof shots i took... 18-55 @ 55mm M 50mm 1.4 tamron 70-300 @200mm

03-10-2010, 07:21 PM	#10
8540tomg Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Waterloo, Ontario Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,461	I kind of like the out- of- focus highlights (bokeh) I get from the old SMC Pentax K 300/4. Tom G

03-10-2010, 08:49 PM	#12
tux Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 82	K 50mm 1.2 ... this has the best out of all my lenses http://img638.imageshack.us/img638/6290/imgp9263.jpg

03-10-2010, 08:59 PM	#13
Stratman Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: St Louis, Missouri U S A Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,464	Tammy 70-300 at 240 MM F7.1 SMC Tak 200MM at F4 with extension tubes DA 18-55 Mk 1 @ 28mm F8 SMC-M 50MM F1.4

03-10-2010, 09:12 PM	#14
rustynail925 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Philippines Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,551	DAL 50-200mm F8

03-10-2010, 09:20 PM	#15
rustynail925 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Philippines Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,551	Tammy 90mm F5.6 F8 FA 35 @ F2