SMC Pentax-FA 50mm F1.4
Bokeh
Bokeh is a Japanese term which refers to the quality, look and texture of the background blur. It does not relate to the depth of field but to the areas in the image that are beyond the range that is expected to be in focus.
A smoother bokeh is generally perceived as being of a higher quality. Bokeh is influenced by the lens design, with a significant role being played by the aperture. Its shape will influence the look of the bokeh, especially around highlights and light sources.
Modern lenses generally produce pleasing bokeh since this element is often sought after by buyers. The tested lens' fast, F1.4 maximum aperture should help with the out of focus rendering.
Bokeh Test
In order to evaluate the characteristics of the background blur, we took pictures at varying apertures, using these test parameters:
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Results are directly transferable to APS-C cameras.
| F1.4 |  |
| F2 |  |
| F2.8 |  |
| F4 |  |
| F5.6 |  |
| F8 |  |
| F11 |  |
| F16 |  |
| F22 |  |
Wide open, the bokeh is creamy and nicely textured. Highlights take on octogonal shapes at F2.8, which can be distracting. Textures are more strongly defined as the aperture closes, without becoming overly bothersome. In general terms, the bokeh rendering is pleasing and certainly a strong point of this lens.
More examples can be found in our Samples Gallery.
Verdict
The FA 50mm is an excellent performer regarding bokeh, with a creamy texture and pleasing highlights, especially at wider apertures.
