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Archive 2010Swirl Bokeh... Good or bad?
p.1 #1Swirl Bokeh... Good or bad?
I never really noticed the swirl bokeh until recently when I started to shoot some baseball with lots of people in the background. Examples attached shot with 400/2.8 and 200-400. If you stare at it long enough you might even get dizzy a little... Is it a good effect to have? What causes this? Inquiring mind wants to know... 
-John
#1
http://download.john-cheng.com/swirl/2jc_3740.jpg
#2
http://download.john-cheng.com/swirl/2jc_4958.jpg
#3
http://download.john-cheng.com/swirl/2jc_3632.jpg
-John
#1
http://download.john-cheng.com/swirl/2jc_3740.jpg
#2
http://download.john-cheng.com/swirl/2jc_4958.jpg
#3
http://download.john-cheng.com/swirl/2jc_3632.jpg
Apr 26, 2010 at 12:27 PM
p.1 #2Swirl Bokeh... Good or bad?
good stuff john.
i am a bit slow and i am trying to see the swirl bokeh. but i just can't see it.
i might move the pitcher a bit to the left in #3
i am a bit slow and i am trying to see the swirl bokeh. but i just can't see it.
i might move the pitcher a bit to the left in #3
Apr 26, 2010 at 01:47 PM
p.1 #3Swirl Bokeh... Good or bad?
I can see it, not sure what causes it. Perhaps Center Weight Avg with it being
brighter in the middle and darker towards the edges?
Joemt.
brighter in the middle and darker towards the edges?
Joemt.
Apr 26, 2010 at 02:11 PM
p.1 #4Swirl Bokeh... Good or bad?
yip. i get that on the 400 too, i happen to like it
Apr 26, 2010 at 03:05 PM
p.1 #5Swirl Bokeh... Good or bad?
I think it's a nikon thing, my 80-200 does it too, but I never used to see it with my Canon gear. I would imagine it's just a result of something designed in the optics.
Apr 26, 2010 at 03:36 PM
p.1 #6Swirl Bokeh... Good or bad?
It's caused by the gravitational pull of the moon. It is a Nikon thing.
Apr 26, 2010 at 05:11 PM
p.1 #7Swirl Bokeh... Good or bad?
indyjones wrote:
It's caused by the gravitational pull of the moon. It is a Nikon thing.
Hahaha, or maybe it's because there are no cheerleaders at baseball games to balance out the ying-yang Indy
It's caused by the gravitational pull of the moon. It is a Nikon thing.
Hahaha, or maybe it's because there are no cheerleaders at baseball games to balance out the ying-yang Indy
Apr 26, 2010 at 05:58 PM
p.1 #8Swirl Bokeh... Good or bad?
Grantland wrote:
good stuff john.
i am a bit slow and i am trying to see the swirl bokeh. but i just can't see it.
i might move the pitcher a bit to the left in #3
Really? Ok, stare the any of the images starting from close to the upper left hand corner, and go counter-clock wise a few times on the crowd, you will notice it. You may have to step back a little...
good stuff john.
i am a bit slow and i am trying to see the swirl bokeh. but i just can't see it.
i might move the pitcher a bit to the left in #3
Really? Ok, stare the any of the images starting from close to the upper left hand corner, and go counter-clock wise a few times on the crowd, you will notice it. You may have to step back a little...
Apr 26, 2010 at 06:02 PM
p.1 #9Swirl Bokeh... Good or bad?
That is so freaky! Upon closer examination, it almost seems that that as you radiate out from the subject in the middle of the lens, the fans in the bokeh appear to curve and distort. On the last example, it's most pronounced at the edges, specifically on the left. There is a disinct curvature of the fans in the stands. The more towards the edge you go, the more pronounced the curvature is. That's weird John. I'll have to keep an eye on that this spring.
Apr 26, 2010 at 06:52 PM
p.1 #10Swirl Bokeh... Good or bad?
I've noticed the same thing on my 400, not sure if I have an opinion on it. It is what it is and I haven't had anyone notice it on any of my pics.
Apr 26, 2010 at 06:59 PM
p.1 #11Swirl Bokeh... Good or bad?
cm0rris0n wrote:
I think it's a nikon thing
There are lenses out there that to do this swirl FAR more than any Nikon lens.
I think it's a nikon thing
There are lenses out there that to do this swirl FAR more than any Nikon lens.
Apr 26, 2010 at 09:30 PM
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p.1 #12Swirl Bokeh... Good or bad?
i dont think theres any swirl! its all the fans leaning to one direction or another 
haha not to compare your 400 to my highly inferior 18-200, but at 200mm mine does the same thing haha
haha not to compare your 400 to my highly inferior 18-200, but at 200mm mine does the same thing haha
Apr 26, 2010 at 09:32 PM
p.1 #13Swirl Bokeh... Good or bad?
That is freaky, in the last one you can almost see a perfect circle like a fisheye took the background photo. I've never noticed anything like that from my Canon gear. 300, 400, or 500 with or without a TC.
Matt
Matt
Apr 26, 2010 at 09:41 PM
p.1 #14Swirl Bokeh... Good or bad?
BlueReptile wrote:
i am a bit slow and i am trying to see the swirl bokeh. but i just can't see it.
i might move the pitcher a bit to the left in #3Really? Ok, stare the any of the images starting from close to the upper left hand corner, and go counter-clock wise a few times on the crowd, you will notice it. You may have to step back a little...
got it. thanks for the help.
i also had a hard time finding Waldo
Grantland wrote
good stuff john.i am a bit slow and i am trying to see the swirl bokeh. but i just can't see it.
i might move the pitcher a bit to the left in #3
got it. thanks for the help.
i also had a hard time finding Waldo
Apr 26, 2010 at 09:52 PM
p.1 #15Swirl Bokeh... Good or bad?
John...love the shots. Puzzled on the swirls. Makes for an interesting b/g though. In #1...it almost looks like the b/g was shot with a fisheye and looks more global shaped (looking at it on my laptop). First time I've ever seen anything like it.....I've never gotten that type of effect from my 300 or with the TC.
Frank
Frank
Apr 26, 2010 at 09:53 PM
p.1 #16Swirl Bokeh... Good or bad?
What you are seeing in the background blur is the result of optical vignetting.
When light from an out-of-focus subject enters the lens obliquely to the optical axis, the resulting blur circle is not a circle, but a football shape, with the shape being more extreme with increasing angle. It is also known as cat's-eye bokeh. This can be seen to dramatic effect in many short focal length, fast aperture lenses, but can occur in longer focal length lenses as well, when one or more of the following conditions are met:
1. The distance from the background to the subject in focus is very large.
2. The lens hood is particularly deep, which may protect the image from flare, but can cause additional vignetting.
When light from an out-of-focus subject enters the lens obliquely to the optical axis, the resulting blur circle is not a circle, but a football shape, with the shape being more extreme with increasing angle. It is also known as cat's-eye bokeh. This can be seen to dramatic effect in many short focal length, fast aperture lenses, but can occur in longer focal length lenses as well, when one or more of the following conditions are met:
1. The distance from the background to the subject in focus is very large.
2. The lens hood is particularly deep, which may protect the image from flare, but can cause additional vignetting.
Apr 26, 2010 at 09:57 PM
p.1 #17Swirl Bokeh... Good or bad?
i like it,maybe it is just me but the swirl tells a story in itself.The shots posted were of pitchers and when I coach I tell my pitchers it is you and the catcher nobody else it makes me think of ,pitcher and catcher nobody else as the world spins around them.
just a thought that came to my head when viewing
thanks
andy
just a thought that came to my head when viewing
thanks
andy
Apr 26, 2010 at 10:01 PM
p.1 #18Swirl Bokeh... Good or bad?
wickerprints wrote:
What you are seeing in the background blur is the result of optical vignetting.
When light from an out-of-focus subject enters the lens obliquely to the optical axis, the resulting blur circle is not a circle, but a football shape, with the shape being more extreme with increasing angle. It is also known as cat's-eye bokeh. This can be seen to dramatic effect in many short focal length, fast aperture lenses, but can occur in longer focal length lenses as well, when one or more of the following conditions are met:
1. The distance from the background to the subject in focus...Show more →
ha, thanks. I can sleep better now tonight.
All kidding aside, I get the nauseous feeling the more I look at them, especially on my main display in larger sizes. Imagine that, my own pictures making me sick!!!!
What you are seeing in the background blur is the result of optical vignetting.
When light from an out-of-focus subject enters the lens obliquely to the optical axis, the resulting blur circle is not a circle, but a football shape, with the shape being more extreme with increasing angle. It is also known as cat's-eye bokeh. This can be seen to dramatic effect in many short focal length, fast aperture lenses, but can occur in longer focal length lenses as well, when one or more of the following conditions are met:
1. The distance from the background to the subject in focus...Show more →
ha, thanks. I can sleep better now tonight.
All kidding aside, I get the nauseous feeling the more I look at them, especially on my main display in larger sizes. Imagine that, my own pictures making me sick!!!!
Apr 26, 2010 at 10:11 PM
p.1 #19Swirl Bokeh... Good or bad?
here too
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Apr 27, 2010 at 03:50 AM
p.1 #20Swirl Bokeh... Good or bad?
All kidding aside, I get the nauseous feeling the more I look at them, especially on my main display in larger sizes. Imagine that, my own pictures making me sick!!!!
John, you can always send me all those damn boring, sickening cheerleader shots, especially Philly and Washington. I know how nauseating they can be.
John, you can always send me all those damn boring, sickening cheerleader shots, especially Philly and Washington. I know how nauseating they can be.
Apr 27, 2010 at 07:30 AM