Are Fast Lenses becoming boring?
p.5 #1Are Fast Lenses becoming boring?
The title implies that that fast lenses are used wide open and in a more or less formulaic manner, so images shot that way can be considered repetitious unless the bokeh is very special. Due to technological improvements in optics, what started out simply as extra light gathering for low light conditions became an accepted professional aesthetic in its own right. It was pushed along by the biggest names in the industry, in both cine and stills. It is still widely described as the essence of 'dimensionality'.
It gave rise to an overshoot situation, and audiences have been not entirely thrilled with it, so we see expressions like subjects being 'cutouts' against a wall of blur. It is valuable in certain circumstances but careful handling is required.
Moves are now underway in the opposite direction, so we see an emphasis on smooth and gradual focus fade, and greater attention to less abstracted bokeh, for image context that complements the main subject. It's a dynamic process obviously, but it seems fair to say that fast lenses (f1.4 or wider in full-frame) do better at a half stop or a full stop down from wide open. Having said that, most fast lenses are/were designed to shoot people wide open at their best camera-subject distance.
(At ISO 64 E6 inside a tent, it seems likely the 105/2.5 was at, or close to wide open, barring strong front lighting.}
It gave rise to an overshoot situation, and audiences have been not entirely thrilled with it, so we see expressions like subjects being 'cutouts' against a wall of blur. It is valuable in certain circumstances but careful handling is required.
Moves are now underway in the opposite direction, so we see an emphasis on smooth and gradual focus fade, and greater attention to less abstracted bokeh, for image context that complements the main subject. It's a dynamic process obviously, but it seems fair to say that fast lenses (f1.4 or wider in full-frame) do better at a half stop or a full stop down from wide open. Having said that, most fast lenses are/were designed to shoot people wide open at their best camera-subject distance.
(At ISO 64 E6 inside a tent, it seems likely the 105/2.5 was at, or close to wide open, barring strong front lighting.}
Sep 22, 2026 at 12:49 AM
p.5 #2Are Fast Lenses becoming boring?
This one with good window light was shot wide open on a Zeiss 100/3.5, at 1/250s and ISO 320. Travel photographers want good shutter speeds for portrait lenses, faster than 1/FL if at all possible, so you are always tempted to go wider.
At f2.5, that ISO 320 is like ~ISO 160 for this shot. ISO 64 is 1.3 stops wider in aperture, giving you a faster shutter speed of around 1/100s. Unless he had excellent light, Steve looks to have shot it wide open or near to it. Given the circumstances, especially, strangers often twitch or blink. Might have had to push the film a little, even. Could easily be wrong here, though.
At f2.5, that ISO 320 is like ~ISO 160 for this shot. ISO 64 is 1.3 stops wider in aperture, giving you a faster shutter speed of around 1/100s. Unless he had excellent light, Steve looks to have shot it wide open or near to it. Given the circumstances, especially, strangers often twitch or blink. Might have had to push the film a little, even. Could easily be wrong here, though.
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Sep 22, 2026 at 01:09 AM