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Conservatory Pics Anonymous
At the conservatory the other day I took these, and my questions are these: What's going on with the bokeh in the flower shots? I'm not sure I like it, when normally my 50mm is very smooth, but normally I'm using it under less bright conditions and at 2.8 instead of f2. Also, any thoughts/recommendations for composition of the shots/things you would've arranged differently?

Thanks.
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>> Anonymous
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Next one.

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>> Anonymous
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And the third one. Thanks

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>> linkiE !ei5A1FPDuk
Notice how all the bokeh is all pentagonal. That's from the blades that make up the aperture. Happens with a lot of lower-end lenses (I'm assuming you're using the 1.8?)
>> Anonymous
>>156105
It's crummy donut bokeh, blame your lens.
>> Anonymous
Yeah it is the 50mm f1.8; I rented the 85mm f1.2 Mark I a couple weeks ago, but didn't get much more than some good baby shots of which I will spare everyone (first kid, so, you know...)

Any experiences with other primes/examples of say the 50 mm 1.4 or 1.2 in action? I'd like to see if they are worth the investment for me.

Thanks again.
>> linkiE !ei5A1FPDuk
>>156120

You'll get similar results with the 1.2 that you got with that 85mm, based on what I've seen.
>> Anonymous
If you really want good bokeh, a general rule is to go with a longer lens and step away from your subject. A 200/4 lens will have more "pleasing" bokeh of objects close behind your subject than if you were physically closer to the subject with a 50/1.4.
>> Anonymous
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>>156127
>>156133

I do have a couple shots from the rented 85mm f1.2; would I expect to get the same type of blur with the 1.2 or does the telephoto approach mentioned above seem like a better idea?>>156133

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>> Anonymous
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And again with the 85mm f1.2, but real doggy this time.

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>> Anonymous
>>156153

Sorry meant to ask if the 50 mm f1.2 would be similar to these; any other recommended lenses appreciated.
>> Anonymous
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hai /p/, took this photo with a manual f/1.4. i'm just wondering if the bokeh is good... is it? what makes a good/bad bokeh anyway?

...inb4kenrockwell
>> Anonymous
>>156195
Does it look pretty? If yes, then it's good bokeh.

Seriously, you'll know bad bokeh when you see it. The point is that you're not supposed to notice good bokeh or else it defeats the purpose of using a large aperture to isolate your subject.
>> ac !!VPzQAxYPAMA
>>156117
That's not donut bokeh. You really only get full-on donut bokeh with catadioptric lenses. That's just not-particularly-good bokeh.
>> Anonymous
In>>156105it really doesn't detract from the picture, but>>156109, and particularly>>156106have some damn ugly and distracting bokeh going on
>> Anonymous
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>>156299

...had to wiki what you said lol... apparently, i already held one of those... catadioptric lenses thingy.

if memory serves me right, this is a sigma 500mm f/8 D: didn't take this shot, hands were too shaky XD

mmmmm donuts

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>> Anonymous
>>156156
From what I've seen of them, the f/1.2 Canons look almost identical to each other. Just like the f/1.4 Canons all look alike: 24, 35, and 50.

IMO, the f/1.4s are vastly better. I'd take the 85/1.8 over the 85/1.2 and even the 50/1.8 over the 50/1.2. But this is all subjective. Get that into your head and don't be afraid to decide contra "L" labels or popular opinion. Just look at the results the lens gives you and decide whether it's right for the pictures you want to take. There are "good lenses" and actually good lenses that just won't work out for you, but will for others. Same with "bad lenses" and actually bad lenses.

>>156336
For instance, I think the bokeh on this is above average. I don't see any really obvious donuts, despite it being taken with a mirror lens.
>> thefamilyman !!rTVzm2BgTOa
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did someone say donut bokeh??

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>> ac !!VPzQAxYPAMA
>>156341
>I don't see any really obvious donuts, despite it being taken with a mirror lens.
How can you possibly not see those donuts? Look at her camera-left shoulder.
>> thefamilyman !!rTVzm2BgTOa
>>156343
overall, i rate that as pretty well controlled for a f/8 reflex lens.
My Tokina 500 f/8 is pretty bad for donut bokeh even under low contrast conditions, same would apply for the Sigma as its almost identical.
My Nikkor-Reflex 500mm f/5 is far superior to my Tokina in every respect to donut bokeh control.
>> Anonymous
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did someone say donut bokeh?

minolta rokkor 500/8

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>> ac !!VPzQAxYPAMA
>>156344
I think that's mostly just from pointing it somewhere without many point-highlights to blur. I'm guessing it would look more like your boat picture if he pointed it at water.
>> Anonymous
>>156343
I mean, it's there, of course, but it's not like

>>156342

or even

>>156348.

Let me put it this way: if you weren't told it was a mirror lens, would you pick it out as one?
>> ac !!VPzQAxYPAMA
>>156351
Fair enough, I'll cop to that.

I'm just thinking that has more to do with the choice of subject than any inherent superior bokeh quality of the lens.
>> Anonymous
>>156105
Stay out of Como, Homo!
>> Anonymous
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>>156519

Nice eye- I'm hoping to get back and enjoy the Como's corpse flower when it blooms...If only EXIF data captured smells, too.

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>> Anonymous
I'll have to check it out. I went last Saturday and there were too many fucking people to enjoy anything.
>> Anonymous
Is this in San Francisco?
>> Anonymous
>>157139
St. Paul, Minnesota