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Nikon Lens Bokeh Comparison
© 2006 KenRockwell.com

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INTRODUCTION

Bokeh is how lenses render out-of-focus areas. Ideally these areas are soft and smooth. The problem is when they instead become harsh or distracting.

I noticed that the bokeh of the 18-135mm lens seemed unusually nice when I was making some head shots of a kid. I got curious, so I compared six of my lenses at 135mm and f/5.6.

These comparisons are made at 135mm, f/5.6 and 9.5 feet (3m). They are from my D80 at medium image size.

Of course people genuinely concerned about bokeh shoot f/2.8 or faster lenses. Newspaper photographers and weekend pros all own some kind of 80-200 f/2.8 lens, and pro fashion photographers love 300mm f/2.8 and 400mm f/2.8 lenses. Thus I also set my 80-200 AFS to f/2.8 in the same comparison, as well as at f/5.6.

You'll notice that the image sizes from the 18-135mm and 18-200mm lenses seems less than the other 135mm lenses. This is because of their IF (internal focus) design.


18-135mm AF-S (click this for lens review, click links below for comparison images)

18-135mm AF-S

18-200mm VR

80-200mm AF-S

80-200AFS @ 2.8

80-400mm VR

70-210mm f/4 AF

105mm f/2.8 Micro

Click image
for original
from camera

18-135mm

18-200mm VR (click this for lens review, click links below for comparison images)

18-135mm AF-S

18-200mm VR

80-200mm AF-S

80-200AFS @ 2.8

80-400mm VR

70-210mm f/4 AF

105mm f/2.8 Micro

Click image
for original
from camera

18-200mm

80-200mm AF-S (click this for lens review, click links below for comparison images)

18-135mm AF-S

18-200mm VR

80-200mm AF-S

80-200AFS @ 2.8

80-400mm VR

70-210mm f/4 AF

105mm f/2.8 Micro

Click image
for original
from camera

80-200mm AF-S

80-400mm VR (click this for lens review, click links below for comparison images)

18-135mm AF-S

18-200mm VR

80-200mm AF-S

80-200AFS @ 2.8

80-400mm VR

70-210mm f/4 AF

105mm f/2.8 Micro

Click image
for original
from camera

80-400mm VR

70-210mm f/4 AF (click this for lens review, click links below for comparison images)

18-135mm AF-S

18-200mm VR

80-200mm AF-S

80-200AFS @ 2.8

80-400mm VR

70-210mm f/4 AF

105mm f/2.8 Micro

Click image
for original
from camera

70-210mm f/4 AF

105mm f/2.8 Micro AF (click this for lens review, click links below for comparison images)

18-135mm AF-S

18-200mm VR

80-200mm AF-S

80-200AFS @ 2.8

80-400mm VR

70-210mm f/4 AF

105mm f/2.8 Micro

Click image
for original
from camera

105mm f/2.8 Micro AF

80-200mm AF-S at f/2.8 (click this for lens review, click links below for comparison images)

18-135mm AF-S

18-200mm VR

80-200mm AF-S

80-200AFS @ 2.8

80-400mm VR

70-210mm f/4 AF

105mm f/2.8 Micro

Click image
for original
from camera

105mm f/2.8 Micro AF

SUMMARY

That's it. I have no idea why people make this so complicated. Just use what looks good.

PLUG

If you find this as helpful as a book you might have had to buy or a workshop you may have had to take, feel free to help me write more with a donation.

Thanks for reading!

Ken

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