AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/4E PF ED VR Bokeh Rings

Hi. New to the forum so firstly apologies if this ought have been in the Lens or Camera section. Truth is, I don't know the cause so not sure which it should be.

I am a relative beginner who uses a Nikon D3300. Plan had always been to get to properly understand this for a couple of years before perhaps upgrading. Chance came to partly upgrade and as I prefer wildlife photography I took the opportunity to buy a better lens rather than body so bought the Nikkor 300mm F4/E. Delighted with this in most ways but I have a question regards the attached image.
This is one of a series I recently took at Newport Wetlands using the D3300/lens combination. It was my first time using the lens and as you can see, there are rings appearing in the bokeh (water droplets). I understand that the shape is due to the camera construction and there is nothing I can do about this but the rings don't seem right. Is this usual or down to the 'Phase Fresnel' element (described as being like a lighthouse lens)? Is it perhaps because the camera sensor cannot cope?

Help appreciated.

Newtonian rings.

480sparky Thank you for your very prompt response.

Must confess I had read about these but, since these seemed confined to one part of the picture discounted them.

Thank you. Is there anything I am doing wrong that causes this - should i amend any settings? Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

I don't think it's coming from the body--pretty sure it's from the lens. If you remove the lens from your body and look through the rear element, press the lever to make the blades stop down (if you can do that). What you should be able to see is the shape the aperture blades make when the lens is stopped down.

Here is an online photo showing the aperture of a lens. [Well...I wound up having to download this image and resize it for the forum. It comes from this link]. When the lens is stopped down while the pic is being taken, I'm guessing the reflected light is bouncing around inside the lens which causes this. I've had it happen with other lenses. There isn't anything wrong with your lens or camera body. When some types of glare or reflected light enter through the front element of a lens, it can happen. Some lenses are more prone to this type of effect simply because of the lens' build.

Welcome, that looks like water in the background do you only get this effect when you have specular highlights in the OOF background

Welcome aboard. Enjoy the ride.
We look forward to seeing more posts and samples of your work.

I don't have anything to add to the previous comments. Some people would be thrilled with the look of your photo.

Thank you all for your advice and help. The photograph of the lens is very demonstrative.

Regards the specular highlights question, these are water droplets on a reed. On other photos (though bear in mind I have shot less than 100 frames with this lens to this point) there doesn't appear to be the same effect where water is not involved.

Bikerbrent - thank you for the welcome and the kind comments about the shot.

Welcome to the forum.

IMB said:

Thank you all for your advice and help. The photograph of the lens is very demonstrative.

Regards the specular highlights question, these are water droplets on a reed. On other photos (though bear in mind I have shot less than 100 frames with this lens to this point) there doesn't appear to be the same effect where water is not involved.

Bikerbrent - thank you for the welcome and the kind comments about the shot.

Click to expand...

I did a little more digging. Initially when I read up on the lens comparing the PF with my 300mm f/4D AF-S, I remember reading something about the previous version being a little better than the PF with one particular feature. I thought it had to do with bokeh, but since it was last year, I can't remember exactly what it referenced.

Anyway, I found this article just now that shows the following bokeh from the PF (screen shot from article). It is the same type of bokeh that you experienced although no water droplets were involved. Here is a link to the article if you'd like to read more. Despite this issue, I still love my PF. The weight difference and VR is a determining factor for me over the 300mm f/4D AF-S. I LOVED using this older lens. Its images are stellar; however, I needed something lighter with VR. So far I haven't encountered this type of bokeh with my PF but haven't taken anything with bright lights and/or water droplets.

The following image is a screen shot from this article: https://photographylife.com/reviews/nikon-300mm-f4e-pf-ed-vr

I think the OP was talking more about the rings inside the bokeh. They do look like newton rings that you could get with slides between glass. I wonder if this doesn't have to do with the lack of AA filter and/or the resizing of the image (Moire patterns). I wonder if he gets the same when the image is viewed at 100% or printed.

Marcel said:

I think the OP was talking more about the rings inside the bokeh. They do look like newton rings that you could get with slides between glass. I wonder if this doesn't have to do with the lack of AA filter and/or the resizing of the image (Moire patterns). I wonder if he gets the same when the image is viewed at 100% or printed.

Click to expand...

Ahh. Okay...I missed that completely! Oops.

Thanks again for your replies.

I was talking about the rings but thank you Hark, the article was useful and interesting.

The rings appear on a series of broadly similar shots and appear on screens of different types and resolutions. They remain when printed (only tried thus far on a laser printer in both black & white and in colour). The rings are still there when viewed at any %age.

I will try to get a range of shots this weekend and see if the problem can be replicated. Thanks again.

Long shot but where you using the lens hood or a filter, ime not against filters but IMO they must be used with a lens hood.

Hi Mike

I was using a UV filter but no lens hood.

IMB said:

Hi Mike

I was using a UV filter but no lens hood.

Click to expand...

I would try using the lens hood, although i use filters if the hood doesnt improve things i would try a filter.

This is a known issue with this lens. I have read a few accounts of this odd bokeh with bright backgrounds. Google around and you'll find discussion about it, as well as notes in some reviews. Some say it is a byproduct of the fresnel lens element.

Thank you Woody

I did think that was a possibility (only as the lens was likened to a light-house lens which is similar to the effect, not because of any deep technical understanding) though didn't immediately find any discussion about it. I will look again. I must thank all contributors to this thread because reading up on the various suggestions has taught me a great deal.