![]() The Fuji is again in action in the top right, this time with a Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.4, which is delightfully smooth in a modern, controlled kind of way. This is my favorite lens for portraits on the Fuji, as it is small and produces a smooth bokeh that looks amazing with the irregular highlights in the backdrop. Starting in the top left, this was shot with the APS-C Fuji using a 1980s era Nikon E Series 50 mm lens, giving it an effective focal length of 75 mm. I shot the examples below using several different lenses on either a 16-megapixel Fuji X-M1 or a 12-megapixel Nikon D700. Sean Molin gives a great traverse to the escapades of a bokeh junkie that shows where an obsession can lead! Also, don't miss out on Fstoppers' Ultimate Guide. Some might call it boring and, as a result, there are a whole host of vintage (and not so vintage) lenses that many photographers swear by, ranging from low-cost Helios examples through to bespoke modified vintage lenses from the likes of the Bokeh Factory. The better the quality of the glass and the more controlled the image, the smoother, more regular, and buttery the bokeh should appear. The other effect upon bokeh is the lens design and glass. There has been a move in recent years to prefer something as close to circular as possible, achieved with a greater number of blades, although I have to admit I quite like the angular shapes created by fewer blades, while the "cats eyes" type is more distracting. The number and shape of the blades change the way bokeh balls (highlights) look, as the images below show. The first of these is the aperture or diaphragm: while we notionally think of this as a circular hole, it's a series of blades that form a diaphragm allowing the photographer to interactively resize it. The second and third elements affect how light passes through the lens. This is why many portrait photographers will use a long lens like the Nikkor f/2.8 70-200 mm close in on a subject with a distant backdrop to create the smoothest, most buttery backdrop possible. Depth of field is controlled by focal length, subject distance, and aperture. At this point, slowly move the aperture to its widest setting, and those lights should turn to blurry orbs or bokeh balls. ![]() Set the aperture to f/11, then focus on a subject in the foreground. ![]() ![]() Use a mirrorless camera or put your DSLR in live view, then find a dark scene that has a number of lights in the background (a street scene works great). You can calculate this using the free web-based PhotoPills (or their paid-for smartphone app) however, a real-world demonstration is the simplest. My favorite lens is the Nikkor f/1.8 85mm, which has beautiful bokeh but isn't too bulky, making it a great portrait lens. Usually rated at f/1.8, they will offer great low-light shooting and yes that oh, so smooth bokeh that you just don't get with your kit f/5.6. The optical quality is normally decent, and they're also cheap! More than that, they are often the first foray into fast lenses. When you are starting with your first APS-C or full frame camera, the recommendation will be to purchase a nifty fifty as your first prime lens. There are those images where de-focused areas are deliciously syrupy, letting you visually glide through the scene, your eyes skimming, skipping, and roaming. Bokeh is subjective - out-of-focus, blurry backdrops can be simply gorgeous, wrapping around your pin-sharp subject, separating them from their surroundings while enveloping them in something soft and smooth.
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