Right Lens for the Bokeh Effect

Claudia!

Senior Member
Hi. I am interested in creating images with the Bokeh effect and one that is also good for portraits. I really love the look and artistic feel of the bokeh effect. Is there a lens that ya'll can recommend to do this. Is it possible to do it with the Nikkor 18-105 lens or the 55-200. I got the 55-200 lens as part of the package. It was a good deal so I had to take it. I still want to be able to do the bokeh effect though but with the right lens. Am I able to do it with the lens I already have? If so, what advice do yall have. I am still doing my research online and reading my manual over and over. I thought I would try here for some extra advice. I do want something reasonable but at the same time, if it's worth it, I will consider spending more. I have looked into the Nikkor 35mm f/1.8. Any advice or suggestions please. I am also looking for a lens for portraits. I have read that the 35mm is good at portraits but not as good for the bokeh.
 
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Eye-level

Banned
You need a relatively fast lens, open it wide or stop it down a step or two, and put some distance between your subject and the background then make the picture...you will likely get some type of bokeh effect. The lens you use will determine the character of the bokeh. In terms of Nikkors there are two older lenses that are legendary when it comes bokeh. First is the 105/2.5 (particulary the later gauss version) which is reknowned for it's extremely good bokeh and for being razor sharp as well. Second is the so called "cream machine" 85/1.4 ais which will blow away a background like no other. It has a massive light sucking 72mm front element and is the size of a softball. It is one of the rare exceptions in the Nikkor line in that it's modern AF equivalent cannot match the performance of the old lens. They just haven't been able to build a better one yet. You're not likely to buy either one of these lenses so you may want to look into their modern counterparts.

Most other focal lengths outside of the short telephoto range (85-135) are capable of producing bokeh but for the most part leave something to be desired. Usually they are harsh.

I am fixing to buy a D5000 and a 85 1.8 K here in a few weeks. That lens is gonna run about 300 bucks and it is also a reknowned portrait lens with decent creamy bokeh. All throughout the 60s and into the late 70s the 85/1.8 was the #1 fashion and glam lens period.
 

3Ring

New member
Claudia-
The 55-200 was one of my first lenses and I think it was a great consumer lens. I have hundreds of images of my kids made with that lens with decent bokeh. Use it at it's widest aperture at 200mm; as E-L said, put some distance between the subject and the background. (For pictures of my kids, I would get in tight so that their faces would fill the frame w/ some distance to the background.)

The 35/1.8 and the 50/1.8 are very nice, affordable fast lenses that will make it easier to blur out your background.

Hope this helps.

P.S. - Please have some fajitas at Lupe's Tortillas, some decent BBQ (Goode CO.) and a cheeseburger for me (I can't seem to find anything comparable here in Mexico City).
 

Eduard

Super Mod
Staff member
Super Mod
You need a relatively fast lens, open it wide or stop it down a step or two, and put some distance between your subject and the background then make the picture...you will likely get some type of bokeh effect. The lens you use will determine the character of the bokeh.

Excellent advice. You might want to look at this bokeh thread for ideas. Particularly look at the EXIF (if posted) to what aperture, etc. was used.

One of my favorite images of my wife that shows great bokeh was actually made with a Nikon 18-200. The key as Eye-level states was distance from the subject and a large aperture. In the example below, I was far enough away - and the background was even further from her - that I was able to get a decent result with a slow lens.

EXIF: D300, 18-200 VR @ 200mm, Aperture Priority, f/5.6, 1/320, ISO 200

3534d1307478952-post-your-bokeh-rich-shots-laurie_jerez.jpg
 

Claudia!

Senior Member
thank you everyone. I feel like I've been doing the opposite. I've been getting closer to the subjects rather than farther away. I will work on this with my 200. I love how the bokeh effect looks. I want to learn it and one day master it.

@3 RING... where is Lupe's? I have had very good BBQ recently. There is nothing like Texas BBQ. : )
 

3Ring

New member
The distance between you and the subject should be small; the distance between the subject and the background should be long.

Lupe Tortillas has a location off 59 btwn Greenbriar and Kirby (next for to Academy Sports) and another off Hwy 6. (I'm from the Galleria area.) I'm not sure if they have others. In any event, my fave fajitas which, ironically, I cannot get here in Mexico City. Also surprisingly absent in a city of 25 million residents: Greek food, Vietnamese food, Cuban food. I can all of this at high quality in Houston. But I will admit, the street food here is spectacular.

Saludos.
 

Claudia!

Senior Member
At 3 ring, thanks for the breakdown. it makes sense now. I've been slowly working on it. I love the different foods here, especially vietnamese. Mai's is my ultimate favorite. Anyways, I will put your words into practice and hopefully get this skill down.
 

reneehuskey

New member
The 105mm f2.5 AIs was my lens for years. I think it is the best bokeh lens I had even though it have 7 straight aperture blades unlike the one I have now which is 85mm f1.4 135mm f2.o with their 9 curved blades.. I know this is an old lens.. :) Making portrait photography really needs bokeh effect to focus more on the subject..
 

fotojack

Senior Member
Ok here is a question regarding pronunciation. I've heard: bookeh, bohkah, bookah, bouquet, etc. which one is it? :)

None of the above. It's "bokeh", :) a Japanese term for the subjective aesthetic quality of out-of-focus areas of a photographic image. Its Japanese origin means fuzzy, and was spelled boke, but changed to bokeh for easier English pronunciation. (boke-eh) or (bow-keh)
 
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bobmielke

New member
Bokeh(bowka) is determined by the speed of the lens. Nearly any lens can control the depth of field enough to gradually blur the background. Since the original poster mentioned portraits I would go with lens lengths above 75mm. The 50mm, any 50mm has a reputation for barrel distortion when used on very close-up portraits. My 18-200mm F/3.5-5.6 is easily used to control depth of field and thus bokeh.
 

megan.e.arlitz

Senior Member
Yeah.. this is what I want to do so freaking bad.. I have a 18-105mm lens f3.5-5.6


Excellent advice. You might want to look at this bokeh thread for ideas. Particularly look at the EXIF (if posted) to what aperture, etc. was used.

One of my favorite images of my wife that shows great bokeh was actually made with a Nikon 18-200. The key as Eye-level states was distance from the subject and a large aperture. In the example below, I was far enough away - and the background was even further from her - that I was able to get a decent result with a slow lens.

EXIF: D300, 18-200 VR @ 200mm, Aperture Priority, f/5.6, 1/320, ISO 200

3534d1307478952-post-your-bokeh-rich-shots-laurie_jerez.jpg
 

Claudia!

Senior Member
I have taken the advise from this thread and put it into practice with the kit lens and the 55-200 lens. I attached 2 pictures below of my progress. They are pics of a friend and her husband. I used the kit lens for the pictures. Just thought I would update everyone and thank you all for the advice. Any comments or criticisms are welcomed.

The settings for the first pic were 98mm. iso 800. 1/1600s, f/5.6.
The 2nd image is 116mm, iso 640, 1/1250s, f/5.6.
 

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